THE ICE CREAM QUEEN OF ORCHARD STREET by Susan Jane Gilman

July 4, 2014

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The Treynovsky family escaped the pogroms in Russia and emmigrated to the lower east side of New York, where Malka grew up to become Lillian Dunkle, the eponymous ice cream queen in Susan Jane Gilman’s charming first novel. Her journey from poverty stricken immigrant to enormously successful ice cream magnate is the quintessential American story.

The streets of New York are not always the safest place for children, teeming with vendors and their push carts. Malka is out one day when the Italian ices man’s horse accidentally crushes her leg in a truly Dickensian moment. Malka’s father takes off, her mother can’t handle it and ends up in a sanitarium. Mr. Dinello feels guilty for crippling the child and takes her in, so this Jewish immigrant girl is raised by an Italian immigrant family. The Italian ices cart grows into an ice cream factory and Malka learns the business until both Mr. and Mrs. Dinello pass away. Their sons form a partnership and a new company, and leave her out in the cold.

Revenge drives Malka, who eventually changes her name to the more American sounding Lillian. She meets Albert Dunkle, a movie star handsome Jewish immigrant with a bad stutter. She tries to help him and they fall in love and marry. Together they start up Dunkle’s Ice Cream. Albert invents a machine that makes soft serve ice cream (think Carvel here, I certainly did) and they become hugely successful. But vindictiveness against the Dinello family fuels Lillian’s fire, and she won’t be happy until they are out of business. Lillian is an unscrupulous businesswoman, and eventually her chickens come home to roost.

This is a family story about the immigrant experience in America, told with a lot of humor and pathos. The characters come alive on these pages and while you may not always like Lillian Dunkle, you can’t help but cheer her on.

7/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE ICE CREAM QUEEN OF ORCHARD STREET by Susan Jane Gilman. Grand Central Publishing (June 10, 2014). ISBN 978-0446578936. 512p.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doerr

June 30, 2014

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This is the story of a blind French girl and a mathematically inclined German boy in World War II occupied France, and it is one of the most beautifully written and memorable novels that I’ve read in a long time.

I heard about it through Library Reads, it was one of the top ten picks for May. I have found some terrific books through this list of librarian favorites, and I urge you to check it out.

Marie Laure goes blind when she’s six years old. She lives with her father in Paris near the museum where he is a locksmith. He builds her a minature village to scale of their neighborhood and teaches her to navigate on her own. But when the Germans invade Paris, they flee to Saint-Malo to stay with Marie Laure’s uncle, who is a severe agoraphobic. He has a multi-story home on the sea that he shares with a housekeeper/caretaker.

Meanwhile Werner is a 14 year old boy living with his sister in an orphanage in Germany. He is selected to test for engineering school, where he excels. But school under the Third Reich is difficult for Werner. His best friend is a gentle soul and he knows nothing good can come of that in the land of Hitler Youth. Werner is eventually sent out to hunt down illegal transmitters, and that is how he spends the last few years of  his childhood, and the war.

Marie Laure is growing up, and grows very close to both the housekeeper and her uncle. When her father goes missing, they care for her. Eventually Saint-Malo becomes a closed city, and life is very difficult for those still living there. Food, even water, are scarce and freedom becomes a thing of the past.

Werner’s and Marie Laure’s stories ebb and flow, moving back and forth in time and place until inevitably they meet. The war is their backdrop, but the book, surprisingly, is about the kindness people can show one another, even in extraodinarily difficult times.

Reading groups will love this as universal themes of love, war, deception, loyalty, impairments and more will offer great fodder for discussion. Most of the chapters are extremely short, and even though it is a highly descriptive novel, the story moves and is quite gripping, I couldn’t put it down.

All the Light We Cannot See is one of my favorite books so far this year.

6/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doerr. Scribner; First Edition edition (May 6, 2014). ISBN 978-1476746586. 544p.

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TALK by Michael Smerconish

June 26, 2014

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Narrated by James Edward Thomas

I must admit to having a bit of a crush on Smerconish, so when I heard he wrote a novel I wanted it. I might have been happier had he read it, or not – usually authors are terrible readers, but despite the narrator (who did an excellent job,) I still had Smerconish’s voice in my head.

I thought the name was pronounced “Smer CONE ish,” like my name should be pronounced “A LEE see” (but rarely is) but turns out it’s “Smer KAHN ish.” I like learning stuff, and this was only the beginning.

If you are not familiar with Smerconish, he is a long time talk radio host based out of Philadelphia airing on Syrius XM’S Potus channel and more recently, host of his own TV show on CNN. I found him during his four years of guest hosting for Chris Matthews on MSNBC, but he’s not a left leaning liberal. He’s much more middle of the road, so CNN seems like a good fit.

Talk centers around a right wing talk radio host, Stan Powers, based out of Tampa but with an eye on the national stage. While Stan doesn’t necessarily espouse all the drivel he spiels, he likes his paycheck and is willing to do what it takes to get on top of the ultra competitive media pile.

Set slightly in the future, the liberal president (after Obama) has decided not to run for re-election, causing both parties to move into high gear for the primaries. The frontrunning Democrat is the governor of Florida, so Stan is in a good place for national attention.

The machinations of talk radio, political TV, and the politicians themselves was just fascinating. Stan is a great character, flawed but very likeable, and he’s surrounded by a cast of interesting people from his agent to his mentor to the first lady of Florida, with whom he had a brief college fling. The characters all ring true, which may be unfortunate, but nonetheless help make the story all the more compelling.

This is the first “adult” audiobook that I’ve listened to that held my attention throughout. Smerconish is a smart cookie, writing about what he knows, and anyone who listens to talk radio or watches FOX or MSNBC will be hooked on Talk – I was.

6/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

TALK by Michael Smerconish. Audible Audio Edition. Audible Studios (May 6, 2014). ASIN B00JRABMY2. Listening Length: 8 hours and 31 minutes.

Hardcover: Cider Mill Press (May 6, 2014). ISBN 978-1604334906. 272p.

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THE MARRYING OF CHANI KAUFMAN by Eve Harris

June 25, 2014

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I found this book on the long list for the Mann Booker prize in 2013 and it was published here in the U.S. by Grove Press in April.

I always find books about the Orthodox Jewish community fascinating, it’s a whole different culture from anything I’ve personally experienced. This story is set in London, which adds another layer to the story.

Chani Kaufman is getting married. She’s 19, she’s had three dates with Baruch, who is looking for a wife before he goes off to Jerusalem to rabbinical school. Baruch comes from a very wealthy family, but Chani does not. Her father is a good man, a rabbi himself, but of a small congregation.

Baruch’s mother is none too pleased with her son’s choice. She wants him to find a rich girl to subsidize his studies, and to keep things on an even playing field. But Baruch sticks to his guns and Chani thwarts her future mother-in-law’s plans to end the relationship.

The book is about these families, and also about the Rebbetzin that Chani is studying with. She is a deeply unhappy character, and the book moves between these various characters and  their families, as well as moving back and forth in time, but it is always interesting and easy to follow. Definitely for fans of Naomi Ragen’s books or The Innocents by Francesca Segal.

6/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE MARRYING OF CHANI KAUFMAN by Eve Harris. Grove Press, Black Cat (April 1, 2014). ISBN 978-0802122735. 384p.

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Guest Blogger: Jennifer Scott

May 6, 2014

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I am delighted to welcome my guest blogger today, Jennifer Scott, as her new book arrives in stores. And read through to the end to find out how you can win your own copy!

My Big, Fat, Fake Book Club

by Jennifer Scott

I don’t belong to a book club. Seems that I should. After all, I love books. I love talking about books. I love people who love talking about books. I’m a sure fit.

I’ve only been invited to officially join one book club, and at the time it didn’t work with my schedule. Evenings, kids, sports, school events, blah blah blah, the usual.

Every so often, however, I fantasize about creating my very own book club. My book club would be fabulous. We’d meet over potlucks, just like Jean’s book club does in The Accidental Book Club. I’d bust out my best recipes, and maybe even try some new ones to fit a challenging theme. Perhaps jiaozi and steamed buns for Amy Tan’s The Valley of Amazement, or a hearty beef stew and a stout beer for Kent Haruf’s Benediction.

In my big, fat, fake book club, we would turn out all the lights and discuss Marisha Pessl’s Night Film by creepy candlelight. Maybe the braver among us would fire up a scary movie afterward. The next month we would all write confessional letters to Richard Gere, to celebrate our reading of Matthew Quick’s The Good Luck of Right Now.

Perhaps we would wear formals to discuss Prom Nights from Hell. After that, we’d tackle some provocative nonfiction—perhaps The Death Class by Erika Hayasaki—and have weighty discussions surrounded by “brain food”—blueberry crumble, smoked salmon, guacamole.

And, of course, my game-for-anything fake book club would read The Accidental Book Club. We’d all bring regular dishes that we’d “gourmeted up” with capers and fancy cheese and other foody things, drink tons of wine, and talk about motherhood, expectations, and friendship.

Alas, I will probably never start a book club. Evenings, kids, sports, school events, blah blah blah, the usual. I will never get to throw a reality TV-themed party to discuss A.S. King’s Reality Boy.

But boy did I love inventing a book club in The Accidental Book Club.

I had such a good time trying out new dishes through Jean, being taken away on sexy fictional romps through Loretta, getting politically fired up through Mitzi, and thinking deeply through shy, sensitive Janet. I loved picturing the set table, the books lovingly laid out with the water glasses. I loved imagining the scent of the wine as it was being poured, the view of the woods through the dining room window.

I especially loved the camaraderie of the women—the way they had each other’s backs, the way they understood one another, the way they looked out for each other and spoke their minds. I loved that the book club itself, just like the books they were there to read, went so much deeper than just words on a page.
The Accidental Book Club may be the only book club I ever belong to. But I don’t mind, because they were a pretty fun group to hang out with. *grabs book* Now, where’s the food?

About the book:

In THE ACCIDENTAL BOOK CLUB, we meet Jean Vison, a widow who never expected to live without her husband, much less start a book club. A spontaneous idea leads to a monthly meeting of six very different but colorful women, each with their own life stories and unique interpretations of the book selections, whose meetings are not complete without lots of wine, gourmet food, and laughter. Through these women Jean rediscovers the joy in life, and begins to see that there is a chance for happiness after losing her late husband. But soon Jean’s family is in trouble again, and her teenage granddaughter Bailey comes to live with her, turning Jean’s newfound peace upside down. In turning to the book club for support, Jean and Bailey discover that family is what you make of it—even the family you choose. Sometimes the most unexpected circumstances lead to the most powerful connections and friendships.

If you’d like to win a copy of THE ACCIDENTAL BOOK CLUB–

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

All entries must be received by May 20, 2014. 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. 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.

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THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin

April 30, 2014

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Let me start by saying that I loved this book. It is a favorite of librarians (it topped the April Library Reads list) and booksellers (it also topped the Indie Next List.)

I wasn’t sure, to be honest, if it would have wider appeal than those in the book industry, so I recommended it to a few of my library patrons to see what kind of response I would get.  I am happy to report that they loved it too.

All that praise heaped on one small book!

A.J. Fikry is the main character, a small bookstore owner in a tiny vacation town with a bustling summer business that dies the rest of the year. He is barely getting by, especially since he lost his wife. When one of the small publishers sends a new sales person to see him, he is especially rude to her, as she recommends a memoir that he has no desire or intention of reading. But when he finally does, he is completely taken with it, and with her.

Meanwhile, he is drinking to excess and wakes up one morning to find that his most valuable book has been stolen. To complicate his life further, a day later a baby is abandoned in his store, along with a note explaining that a bookstore would be a good place to raise a child.

The town police chief befriends him, and Fikry, who learns about people by what they read, is not surprised to find that the chief’s favorite author is Jeffery Deaver. Like any good bookseller, Fikry helps expand his horizons and eventually the chief forms a book discussion group for cops. (Deaver fans will enjoy his references here; I know I did.)

Fikry may be a prickly character, but there is also something quite lovable about him, too. All the characters in this story are quirky and interesting and the reader can’t help but care about what happens to them. Reading groups will love it, there is lots to discuss here.

This is an utterly charming book that is sure to make my best books of the year list; it is simply 272 pages of bookseller bliss. All I can say is don’t miss it.

4/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin. Algonquin Books; First Edition edition (April 1, 2014). ISBN 978-1616203214. 272p.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

VINTAGE by Susan Gloss

April 20, 2014

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Violet lives and breathes Hourglass Vintage. It’s all hers. It’s her baby, her concept and creation. Even before the shop was a reality, Violet was gathering and collecting items to sell. Items that all have a story. But now she’s in danger of losing it all.

April adored the wedding dress she discovered at Hourglass Vintage but with the wedding cancelled and a baby on the way, she’s not sure what to do. With a little help, April is offered a position as an intern at Hourglass Vintage. Violet accepts her return of the dress but finds it harder to accept the changes April suggests about running the store.

Amithi’s discovery of Hourglass Vintage comes at an opportune time. Thanks to events she’s yet to share with others, things that were once dear to Amithi are a burden to her now. She’s sure these things can find a new home with Violet’s customers, though.

These three women and so many more are brought together by Violet’s little shop and they will all have to work together if they are to save it before it’s too late.

Gloss introduces readers to a slew of women from all different walks of life, each of them undergoing a pretty big transition and the one thing that connects them all is Violet’s charming shop. As the story progresses Gloss shares more of their stories, drawing the reader into each of their lives. And yes, they are all fictional creations but it’s almost impossible not to get attached to them. Vintage is a fun and sweet read.

4/14 Becky Lejeune

VINTAGE by Susan Gloss. William Morrow (March 25, 2014). ISBN 978-0062270320. 320p.

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A CIRCLE OF WIVES by Alice LaPlante

April 19, 2014

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I loved LaPlante’s first novel, Turn of Mind, and it took two years to get the second – but it was worth the wait.

Dr. John Taylor is a renowned plastic surgeon who shuns vanity procedures; instead he uses his skills to help children. But when Taylor is found dead in a Palo Alto hotel, apparently of a heart attack but with some suspicious bruises and a needle mark, a young detective, Samantha Adams, is assigned the case. Her normal caseload includes an occasional burglary or dog barking complaint, so she is a little out of her depth here but determined.

Taylor is a pillar of the community, as his wife Deborah, until it is discovered that he was a closet polygamist, with two other wives in other cities. Deborah knew about the others and shocks Samantha when she explains that she helped coordinate John’s time with them. But the other wives, Helen and MJ, had no knowledge of Deborah or each other.

Each wife and the detective get to tell their own stories here, and motives abound. And to complicate things further, Taylor’s partners, who basically made the money for the partnership by doing facelifts and breast augmentations and other popular procedures, had been pressuring him to allow them to add hire more plastic surgeons to grow their side of the practice but he held veto power and used it.

Practically every character has motive but none seem to have opportunity, creating quite the conundrum for Samantha.

The writing is crisp and the characters well developed. All the varied relationships are explored and themes of trust, love, passion, jealousy and more will give book groups lots to discuss.

This is another excellent literary thriller from LaPlante.

4/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

A CIRCLE OF WIVES by Alice LaPlante. Atlantic Monthly Press; First Edition edition (March 4, 2014). ISBN 978-0802122346. 325p.

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HIDDEN by Catherine McKenzie

April 11, 2014

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It was an almost normal Friday evening when Jeff Manning set off to walk home from work. Almost, in that he had had to fire the person who hired him at the company, but otherwise normal. A few hours later the police arrive at the Manning house with devastating news: Jeff has been killed in a car accident.

Claire is grief stricken at the loss of her husband. She tries to keep herself together for the sake of her twelve-year-old son, Seth, but she never imagined she’d be without her husband.

A few towns over Tish waits to hear how the firing went. When Jeff doesn’t call, Tish is immediately concerned. She worries that Jeff may no longer be interested in her but it’s not until the following Monday, when the company announces the tragedy, that Tish learns the truth.

Catherine McKenzie’s latest is a heart wrenching read about families and relationships. The story is told from three viewpoints—Claire’s, Tish’s, and Jeff’s—bringing the reader through each of the character’s lives and relationships as well as their intersections, allowing the reader an in depth look into the choices they’ve made along the way.

And it’s a sad story, to be sure. Jeff, dead at such a young age and Claire forced to face the possibility of her husband’s infidelity while unable to confront him over it. And Tish who must deal not only with the loss of someone she loves but must face the reality of her feelings and how they will affect her family if brought to light.

Hidden not only lives up to the expectations set by each of McKenzie’s three previous books (all of which have been personal favorites of mine) but also shows great growth on the part of the author. The previous three have all dealt with somewhat serious topics, they’ve also included enough comic relief to make them lighter in general. Hidden tackles infidelity, death, and so much more but in a more serious tone than the previous releases.

4/14 Becky Lejeune

HIDDEN by Catherine McKenzie. New Harvest (April 1, 2014). ISBN 978-0544264977. 304p.

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THE SECRET OF MAGIC by Deborah Johnson

March 10, 2014


Regina Robichard is a young, idealistic black lawyer working for the NAACP and her mentor/boss, Thurgood Marshall shortly after the end of World War II. Marshall receives a lot of mail, but one letter in particular touches Regina.

One of her favorite childhood authors, M.P. Calhoun, has written to ask Marshall to investigate the death of a young black soldier on his way home from the war to small town Revere, Mississippi. Enclosed is a photo of the young man with his father, and Regina latches on to it as a talisman, determined to find justice in the deep South.

Regina has her own interesting history. She never knew her father, he was lynched before she was born and her mother became a political activist. But she remembers with great fondness the book she read and reread as a child, “The Secret of Magic,” a tale of murder and a magical forest.

Living in New York City does not really prepare her for life in rural Mississippi and how blacks are treated. But Regina perseveres, despite threats, another murder and a vicious attack in her quest for fair treatment for a minority many Mississippians still feel they own.

This is fast reading that tugs at the heart with reminders of how much things have changed, and how much maybe they haven’t. My love affair with Amy Einhorn books continues.

3/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE SECRET OF MAGIC by Deborah Johnson. Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam; First Edition edition (January 21, 2014). ISBN 978-0399157721. 416p.

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