Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

THE GLASS KITCHEN by Linda Francis Lee

June 17, 2014

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Read through to the end to find out how you can win your own copy of THE GLASS KITCHEN or a Kitchen Aid mixer!

Portia was the perfect Texas politician’s wife – until he had an affair with her best friend and dumped her. She takes off for New York City, to an apartment she inherited from her aunt. Her sisters inherited the other two apartments in the house, but sold theirs to Gabriel, who seems shocked to find her living downstairs in the garden apartment.

Portia and her sisters grew up in Texas and after losing their parents, all three sisters lived with their grandmother who owned a restaurant called the Glass Kitchen. Portia inherited something special from her grandmother, a gift the family calls ‘the knowing.’

Portia finds herself cooking certain foods, with only the vaguest sense of why, but invariably someone shows up who needs whatever she has prepared, like the dozens of cupcakes made before knowing there was a school bake sale. But after her grandmother dies, and her husband tells her she’s crazy, she fights those impulses as best as she can. Portia just stops cooking. But living on her own in NYC has brought those feelings back, and Porita just stops fighting her gift.

There is a strong attraction between her upstairs neighbor Gabriel and Portia, and they start a secret affair, with him climbing down the fire escape into her bed at night. Gabriel has two children, the precocious 12-year-old Ariel and a rebellious teenager, Miranda. Their mother died the previous year in a tragic car accident, and Gabriel moved them to the city in hopes that would help with their healing. Portia and Ariel form a unique bond, especially after Gabriel hires her to cook for the girls, but Miranda is a much harder nut to crack.

When Portia’s sisters land in financial trouble, they decide the answer to all their problems is to open a Glass Kitchen in New York City. Gabriel is dead set against it, citing harrowing statistics about restaurant failures in the city but the women plunge ahead. Meanwhile Gabriel and Portia keep giving in to their attraction until Portia finds out he’s been lying to her, then she dumps him and hides out with a neighbor.

Romances never run smoothly, and Lee does a more than credible job here, even with the touches of magical realism sprinkled throughout the book. This is a charming, sweet and funny story with wonderful, warm characters you can’t help but care about. If you liked The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender, you should enjoy The Glass Kitchen as well – I actually liked it a lot more. Recipes are included, and the jalapeño mustard is on my list to try for sure.

If you are looking for a beach read with real heart, look no further.

6/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE GLASS KITCHEN by Linda Francis Lee. St. Martin’s Press; First Edition edition (June 17, 2014). ISBN 978-0312382278. 384p.

The publisher is offering up a special contest

Enter to win a Kitchen Aid mixer!

If you would like to win your own copy of THE GLASS KITCHEN:

Send an email to contest@gmail.com with “GLASS KITCHEN” as the subject. You must include your snail mail address in your email.

All entries must be received by July 4, 2014. Five (5) names 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 or Canada. 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 Comments | Book Reviews, Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction | Tagged: Beach Read | Permalink
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Guest Blogger: Cara Black

June 16, 2014

In this short Q&A, bestselling novelist Cara Black discusses why she enjoys participating in Book Passage’s Mystery Writers Conference, which will be held from July 24-27, 2014 in Corte Madera, CA. She is the author of the Aimée Leduc mysteries set in Paris. Her latest book is Murder in Pigalle. “If the cobblestones could speak they might tell a tale as haunting as the one Black spins,” notes the New York Times. She is a member of the Marais Societe Historique, received the Medaille de la Ville de Paris, bestowed on those supporting French culture. Black is a San Francisco Library Laureate, and her books have been Washington Post Notable Picks, IndieNext Picks and shortlisted for the Northern California Independent Bookseller Best Novel award.

What is the most rewarding part of teaching at the conference?

The camaraderie of the students, how heart pumping enthusiastic they are, hanging with fellow writers, the support of the BP staff, the killer lunches…whats not to love? Seriously, being an alumnae (sp) of the first two Mystery Conferences years ago, I feel grateful and honored to be able to give back in some small way for everything I’ve learned. Here are some of the golden moments I cherish – when a excited student bursts out – ‘Since last year I’ve finished my book, found an agent, signed a contract etc.’ and they happen every year at the Conference.

What advice do you wish you received when you were a new author?

Set your story in a place where you might be ‘living’ for awhile – especially if you’re writing a series. ie Florence, Cancun.

What do you hope aspiring writers will get out of this conference?

Confidence and a fresh way to look at their work, gained with tools and techniques from the Conference. Also ideas to experiment with their story and write what they’re passionate about.

About the 21st Annual Book Passage Mystery Writers Conference
The Mystery Writers Conference has a strong tradition of great authors and teachers. Mystery writers learn all the clues to a successful writing career. Editors, agents, and publishers share with participants what they need to know to get published. Authors offer classes on setting, dialogue, suspense and point of view. Panels of detectives, forensic experts, and other crime-fighting professionals provide invaluable information that allows writers to put realism into their work. We’re proud of the successful mystery writers who began their careers at this conference. More information: http://bookpassage.com/mystery-writers-conference

About Cara Black
Cara Black lives in San Francisco with her husband (a bookseller) and son. She’s a San Francisco Library Laureate, President of the Northern California Mystery Writers of America and member of the Marais historic society in Paris. Her award nominated Aimée Leduc Investigations are set in different districts of Paris. Murder In Pigalle, the fourteenth Aimée Leduc mystery, is a thrilling follow-up to her 2013 New York Times bestseller, Murder Below Montparnasse.

Download the FREE ebook Aimée Leduc Companion, which will bring you up to speed on previous books in the series. Tour the arrondissements of Paris with interactive maps that show places featured in the series, as well as Cara’s favorite cafes, bistros, and shops in Paris, and various other nooks and crannies of the City of Lights. Amazon |BN.com | iTunes | Scribd

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THE RED CHAMELEON by Erica Wright

June 15, 2014

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Private Investigator Kathleen Stone is a 25-year-old retired undercover cop with a talent for disguises. Investigating philanderers seems like safe work after living undercover with drug dealers, until one cheating husband ends up dead in an upscale bar.

Unfortunately, Stone is the most likely suspect, but former police academy partner turned detective Ellis Dekker would rather work with her than arrest her. After her apartment and her office are broken into and vandalized, she is asked to unofficially join the investigation.

There is some chemistry between Stone and Dekker, as well as between Stone and her former undercover lover. Her closest friends, a drag queen and a gifted wig maker, help with her disguises and add some humor to the mayhem.

Stone is an interesting, engaging character with a disturbing background that adds another layer to this debut novel. Wright is a little darker and not quite as over the top as Janet Evanovich, but aficionados of humorous mysteries like the Stephanie Plum series or the Lucky O’Toole series by Deborah Coonts will want to add this to their reading list.

6/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE RED CHAMELEON by Erica Wright. Pegasus (June 15, 2014). ISBN 978-1605985688. 320p.

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THE BOOK OF YOU by Claire Kendal

June 14, 2014

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What began as a blur of an evening and a one-night-stand has become all out terror for Clarissa. She was recently single when she attended Rafe’s book signing. A few glasses of wine and one thing led to another, but Clarissa was never really interested in things going further. Unfortunately for her, Rafe isn’t willing to take no for an answer. He’s everywhere – outside her house in the morning, hanging around her office at work… He leaves her gifts and constantly pursues her. It’s gotten to the point that Clarissa is afraid to leave her home.

When Clarissa is chosen for jury duty on a long- term trial, she’s relieved. Some time off from work and a change in routine might finally mean a break from Rafe’s unwanted attention. She couldn’t be more wrong. As the stalking escalates, Clarrisa becomes certain Rafe will not stop until she gives in. But the case she’s sitting on hits close to home and Clarissa isn’t sure anyone can help.

Claire Kendal’s debut is an intense psychological thriller similar in theme to Elizabeth Haynes’s Into the Darkest Corner. It’s also a quite emotional read – Clarissa’s frustration at her situation and the authorities’ response were maddening. The violence is quite graphic (again akin to Haynes’s work), and I wouldn’t recommend The Book of You to readers who may be sensitive to explicit detail in that regard. Fans of Karin Slaughter and – as mentioned – Elizabeth Haynes, however, will not want to miss Kendal’s first release.

6/14 Becky Lejeune

THE BOOK OF YOU by Claire Kendal. Harper; First Edition edition (May 6, 2014). ISBN 978-0062297600. 368p.

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THE SKIN COLLECTOR by Jeffery Deaver

June 13, 2014

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In this latest outing for quadriplegic Lincoln Rhyme, someone is murdering people, killing them by injecting poison as he creates exquisitely detailed tattoos on their bodies. Not only is the case eerily to a previous case – The Bone Collector, but it seems the unknown perpetrator appears to have learned how to keep his crime scenes clean and evidence-free, from Rhyme’s own writings.

How do you catch a killer who’s learned how not to get caught by the best criminalist in the business?

Meanwhile, the Watchmaker, the fiendishly clever killer introduced in 2006’s The Cold Moon (but referred to in intervening books), still haunts Rhyme, even after the man’s death in prison, making it hard for the investigator to devote his full concentration to the murder case at hand.

Before its over, those near and dear to Lincoln, as well as Lincoln himself, are put into jeopardy. Another suspenseful and twist-filled entry in this always-exciting series about a wheelchair bound Sherlock Holmes.

6/14 Jack Quick

THE SKIN COLLECTOR by Jeffery Deaver . Grand Central Publishing; First Edition edition (May 13, 2014). ISBN 978-1455517138. 448p.

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THE WAYS OF THE DEAD by Neely Tucker

June 12, 2014

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Sarah Reese was murdered in a bad neighborhood in Washington D.C. while waiting for her mother to pick her up from dance class. She was not the first girl to die in the area, but she was the first white girl, setting off a storm of media attention.

Three young African American men had been taunting her before she ran off, and they were easy arrests for the police anxious to solve the case. But reporter Sully Carter pieces together a more likely scenario of a serial killer, based on the number of young women missing and dead in the area. His bosses at the paper and the police don’t agree but he sticks to his guns and does his own investigation, fighting authority every step of the way.

If this story sounds familiar, it should – it is based on the Princeton Place murders that occurred in the late 1990’s. Tucker is a journalist and placing her story back in the 90’s time frame allows the newspaper to be the place for news, rather than the way the Internet is today.

Carter is a great character with enough baggage and intrigue to keep around for more stories. Reminiscent of George Pelecanos’ Washington D.C., Tucker writes about the gritty urban city rife with racism and blight rather than the usual political chicanery. This riveting debut novel should spawn a series.

8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE WAYS OF THE DEAD by Neely Tucker. Viking Adult (June 12, 2014). ISBN 978-0670016587. 288p.

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THE HEIRESSES by Sara Shepard

June 11, 2014

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Some say the Saybrook family has it all – wealth, class, looks… They’re known for their jewelry empire, a business built up after WWII when the family patriarch discovered a yellow diamond that would make the Saybrook name one of the biggest in the industry.

The Saybrook heiresses -Poppy, Corinne, Rowan, Aster, and Natasha – are set to inherit everything until one of them gives up her place and another is claimed by tragedy. As family secrets begin to spill out into the public, the remaining heiresses have to face the possibility that someone could be out to get them.

The start to Sara Shepard’s newest series does seem to be very much in the vein of Pretty Little Liars (or what I know about it). Nonetheless, the Saybrook heiresses make for fun reading. Each of them has their own story and their own secrets, all of which get equal play and fun development in this first outing.

The Heiresses isn’t an especially deep or complicated read, but it is definitely tantalizing and fun. Perfect beach fare for summer in other words.

6/14 Becky Lejeune

THE HEIRESSES by Sara Shepard. Harper; 1ST edition (May 20, 2014). ISBN 978-0062259530. 320p.

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Guest Blogger: Maisey Yates

June 10, 2014

If You Like the TV Show Revenge,

You’ll Love The Fifth Avenue Trilogy!

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Fifth Avenue has never been so scandalous. In this seductively sexy trilogy you’ll meet 3 handsome men looking to avenge their friend’s death and the 3 alluring women that they meet along the way. The books, Avenge Me, Scandalize Me and Expose Me are written by 3 USA Today bestselling authors, Maisey Yates, Caitlin Crews and Kate Hewitt.

Currently ranked as one of the world’s most expensive streets, Fifth Avenue is home to the city’s most prestigious shops and historical buildings. It’s also called home by three of New York City’s sexiest men. A brand-new trilogy from the world’s leading publisher of books for women, Harlequin Presents is excited to launch the Fifth Avenue Trilogy, stories of sex, scandal and the Upper East Side, beginning with:

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Avenge Me by Maisey Yates (Harlequin Presents, June 2014, $9.99 U.S./$11.99 CAN)

Scandalize Me by Caitlin Crews (Harlequin Presents, July 2014, $9.99 U.S./$11.99 CAN)

Expose Me by Kate Hewitt (Harlequin Presents, August 2014, $9.99 U.S./$11.99 CAN)

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Austin, Hunter and Alex were inseparable during their school days, but the sudden death of their good friend Sarah Michaels tore them apart. However, her death was not as it seemed. Under the many falsehoods lies a corruption so sordid that New York’s elite would never believe it.

Now in positions of wealth and power, these men vow to use their influence to bring down the man responsible—Jason Treffen, an infamous philanthropic billionaire. With a plan in place, Austin, Hunter and Alex are ready for anything—until three very different women enter their lives, making them question their motives for revenge.

Q&A with Maisey Yates

1. Tell us a little bit about your latest release Avenge Me, the first book in the Fifth Avenue Trilogy.

Austin Treffen is a good guy, with his whole life totally together. But all of that starts to crumble when a ghost from the past is unearthed. A letter sent to his pro bono law firm implicates his father in the death of his friend ten years ago.This sets him and his two friends, Hunter and Alex on the path for revenge. Even knowing revenge will cost Austin everything. But Austin isn’t the only person looking for revenge. Katy Michaels blames Austin’s father for the death of her sister. But when they meet it becomes clear revenge isn’t the only thing they want. Drawn together by an intense, unwanted sexual attraction Austin and Katy have to decide to either embrace love or lose themselves forever in the darkness.

2. What was it like collaborating on a trilogy with Caitlin Crews and Kate Hewitt?

It’s a very interesting and difficult thing to piece out a series like this. And I think it would’ve been impossible to work on books that are this tightly connected with authors who weren’t quite as generous with their time and with their willingness to share elements around so that every book had great turning point to the overall plot. Both Caitlin and Kate are very easy to communicate with, and I feel like that was essential to the success of the project. Not only that, I consider the two of them to be good friends so that made the process really fun!

3. Did you offer each other tips or support during the writing process?

We did a lot of problem solving together. Lots of emails, a couple of video Skype chats. Another thing we did was trade scenes when we would write something involving each other’s characters. That way we were able to make sure the dialogue was consistent. I always enjoy doing things like that, because that way we end up with pieces of each other in each book.

4. Some of the Fifth Avenue Trilogy cover models look suspiciously similar to actors. How were the Fifth Avenue models chosen?

You know, I had no involvement in the model selection or photo shoots. Though, I most definitely approve of the choices. I have a feeling they were afraid I would misbehave around the models.

5. You enjoy writing dark, passionate category romances set in exotic places and also light, sexy contemporary romances set right in your own backyard. How do you determine which direction a books setting will go?

I always know what a book will be when I start out. At this point I’m contracted for several presents, and several small town contemporary romances. The stories, characters, and lengths are very different, so that’s always planned before I sit down to start writing. If I’m writing a presents, the setting will be urban, glamorous, or exotic. If I’m writing a small town, they are almost always set in Oregon.

6. Do you draw inspiration for settings from your hometown of Oregon or from other places you’ve traveled to?

When I first started writing I had done very little traveling. I believe it’s possible to write about places you’ve never seen, particularly with the wonders of Google maps at our fingertips. However, since then I’ve done quite a bit of traveling and I do very much enjoy being able to put in the details of smells, sounds, how crowded the street might be, that sort of thing.When I write about more local settings I have the added bonus of being intimately acquainted with the lay of the land. Little details like knowing what supermarket chains are local, what color the grocery bags would be. We don’t pump our own gas in Oregon, so every station is full service. Because I live here, that something I just know without having to look it up. There’s something really nice about that.

7. Did you always know that you wanted to be a writer, or was it a gradual realization?

I always had stories in my head. I always had vague aspirations of writing those stories. But I didn’t get serious about it until I read my first Harlequin presents. Then I thought this is what I want to write, and I’m going to do it. I think it took that moment of a vague desire becoming something specific, to give me the push that I needed to make it happen.

8. How do you balance your daily life with your writing life?

Hmmm… Probably not as well as I should. In all seriousness, typically I work five days a week from 9 to 5. Sometimes I have a little extra time off because I’m not working on anything pressing, and sometimes when I get deep in a project I prefer to work through the weekends, or go back to my office and do some work after my kids go to bed. So I basically balance it the same way anyone with the family and a job would.

9. Who is your favorite character in the Fifth Avenue Trilogy?

I think it has to be Austin. He was such a decent guy, but with so much darkness buried inside of him. I found him unbearably sexy.

10. What is the biggest perk of being a writer?

The biggest perk is going to work in your pajamas. Seriously? I think it’s being involved in an industry to create things I love. I love romance novels, I love to read them. The fact that I get tocreate them daily is something that never fails to amaze and excite me. Creating new characters, new worlds, writing about love… I never get tired of it. But I also love the pajamas.

11. Between your cowboy romances and your Fifth Avenue romances, you are a very eclectic writer. Was it difficult switching over to writing a cowboy romance for your Silver Creek Series?

It’s funny, because the idea of writing something different was very intimidating to me. But when I sat down to actually write the book the words just came pouring out. I discovered a different facet to my voice that was just as natural as writing Presents. They are very different books, but at their core they are the same. It’s all about real emotion, all about two people overcoming the odds and falling in love. The settings change, the types of issues are different, but they have the same heart.

12. In your Cosmo Red Hot Reads book, Crazy Stupid Sex, the main character, Evie, is a multimillionaire app developer who programs her own app for landing a hot guy. What role has technology played in your life as a writer?

Hi, my name is Maisey and I have a twitter addiction. That’s a huge part of my day, and anyone who follows me (@maiseyyates) most definitely knows that. In all seriousness, I’m not sure how I would write if I didn’t have the Internet. It keeps me in contact with friends overseas, it provides a water cooler so that I can interact with “coworkers”. It helps with research, and thanks to the advent of the smart phone, allows me to carry my email with me wherever I go, so I can always be in touch with my editors.

13. What is your favorite type of alpha male hero?

That’s a very hard question. I love a playboy, but I also love an uptight hero. Though I think my favorite is the wounded alpha. The hero who thought himself infallible, but has suffered a major setback. I love scarred heroes, menu of walksthrough hell and come out the other side, not entirely undamaged. But who are fixable with the love of a good woman.

14. What are you working on next?

I have two Presents to write in the next couple of months and then I will be transitioning back into small-town Oregon and writing the second book in my Copper Ridge series that will be out with HQN in 2015.

15. Will there be any more stories in the future about the Fifth Avenue characters? (We hope so!)

I think there are so many characters and possibilities left to explore in the Fifth Avenue world, that I would say anything is possible. Keep your eyes on the horizon. 🙂

About the Authors:

Maisey Yates found her very first Harlequin Presents book in a local thrift store. By the time she’d reached the happily ever after, she had fallen in love. She devoured as many as she could get her hands on after that, and she knew that these were the books she wanted to write! At age twenty-three, she sold her first manuscript to the Harlequin Presents line. Maisey lives in Southern Oregon with her husband and three children.

Avenge Me by Maisey Yates

Harlequin Presents; June 1, 2014

272 pages; $9.99 U.S./$11.99 CAN.

ISBN 978-0-373-43037-6

Caitlin Crews discovered her first romance novel at the age of twelve. It involved swashbuckling pirates, grand adventures, a heroine with rustling skirts and a mind of her own, and a seriously mouthwatering and masterful hero. Caitlin has made her home in places as far-flung as York, England, and Atlanta, Georgia. She currently lives in California with her animator/comic book artist husband and their menagerie of animals.

Scandalize Me by Caitlin Crews

Harlequin Presents; July 1, 2014

272 pages; $9.99 U.S./$11.99 CAN.

ISBN 978-0-373-43038-3

Kate Hewitt discovered her first Harlequin romance novel on a trip to England when she was thirteen, and she’s continued to read them ever since. Kate moved to England with the man of her dreams and sold her first short story to a British magazine. Besides writing, she enjoys reading, traveling and learning to knit. After living in England for six years she now resides in Connecticut with her husband and her three young children.

Expose Me by Kate Hewitt

Harlequin Presents; August 1, 2014

272 pages; $9.99 U.S./$11.99 CAN.

ISBN 978-0-373-43039-0

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THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green

June 9, 2014

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Read by Kate Rudd

Right up front I should mention that I have a hard time listening to audiobooks, at least adult ones. My mind tends to wander and suddenly I realize I have no idea what’s going on or where I am in the book.

That said, I read all the Harry Potter on audio (Jim Dale is simply mesmerizing) and I’ve listened to a few other children’s books and now this, a YA (Young Adult) by John Green.

I had lunch with Green, and about a thousand other librarians, at the Public Library Association conference in Indianapolis in March. And with the arrival of the film version of the book, I was, let’s call it, professionally curious. I almost always prefer the book to the movie, and frankly, I’m in no rush to see the film but I am glad I read the book.

I received the audio version as part of a swag bag at the PLA audio book dinner, so I thought I’d give it a try. Kate Rudd is an excellent reader. She held my attention throughout and sounded authentic to each character.

Speaking of characters, each is richly imagined and realized here. Hazel is a 16-year-old with a terminal cancer diagnosis. She takes her portable oxygen with her to a teen support group, where she meets Augustus Waters. Augustus has been in remission for over a year after losing his leg to cancer. They share a love of reading, and Hazel is obsessed with a book that has no ending, presumably because the narrator dies of cancer. Augustus becomes equally obsessed, and eventually they travel to Amsterdam to meet the author and learn the ending.

Things don’t go as planned but Hazel & Augustus fall in love, lose their virginity and have to deal with the deadly realities of cancer. There is humor, pathos and of course, tearjerking galore in this sweet love story that also happens to be about cancer.

As a parent, I think (I hope!) I bring a different perspective than the millions of teens who adore this book. I didn’t love it but I can definitely see it’s appeal. Green has written an engrossing tale of teen angst that adults may also enjoy.

6/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green. Audible Audio Edition. Brilliance Audio (January 10, 2012). ASIN B006VPAXQY. Listening Length: 7 hours and 14 minutes.

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THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR by Joël Dicker

June 8, 2014

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Marcus Goldman’s debut made him a star in the literary world, but that fame has also left him in the maddening grip of writer’s block. Unable to produce a new book, his publisher has begun rumbling about lawsuits and his agent has all but given up on him. When his mentor, acclaimed author Harry Quebert, invites him to visit, offering him a distraction-free chance to relax and concentrate on his writing, Marcus heartily agrees. But still, inspiration doesn’t come. Desperate, Marcus begins a hunt for Harry’s own original manuscript but makes a startling discovery instead: in 1975, Harry met and fell in love with a fifteen-year-old girl named Nola. That same year, Nola disappeared without a trace.

As his time with Harry draws to an end and his deadline comes ever nearer, Marcus is no closer to finishing his book. But upon his return to New York, he receives news that Harry has been arrested for murder. A body – the body of Nola Kellergan – has been discovered on his land and Harry is the prime suspect. Marcus believes his mentor is guilty only of having loved the young girl and vows to prove his innocence. In the process, he also begins to write again.

The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair is one of a handful of books I’ve been looking forward to with great anticipation this year. Fortunately for me it lived up to – and possibly even exceeded – my every expectation. It’s a wonderful mystery and a perfect homage to everything bookish.

The tale is tightly plotted and plays out at the perfect pace, which is fortunate for anyone who may be antsy about a 600+ page debut. Even if the size is somewhat intimidating, I found it to be quite a quick read.

6/14 Becky Lejeune

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR by Joël Dicker. Penguin Books; First Edition edition (May 27, 2014). ISBN 978-0143126683. 656p.

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