Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books, September 2, 2011
Sep 1, 2011Week ending September 2, 2011
E-Originals | Fiction | Nonfiction | Audiobooks
E-ORIGINALS
Giordano, Adrienne. A Just Deception. Carina. (Private Protectors, Bk. 2). Sept. 2011. c.183p. eISBN 9781426892165. EPUB $5.99. ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
In this second book in the series, following Man Law, former Navy SEAL Peter Jessup never suspected a routine security install would introduce him to lawyer Isabelle DeRosa, an emotionally broken woman with both major sex appeal and major intimacy issues. When Isabelle's cousin Kendrick is murdered, the Feds send her undercover to his Ohio compound, now run by Kendrick's business partner, Seth Donner, who claims to lead a charitable organization helping poor families. Seth's disturbing and controlling behavior toward the young, pregnant women he shelters leaves no doubt that the compound is a front for something very perverse. Peter will protect Izzy at all costs, but Izzy's determination to do whatever it takes to save these girls may just be too much for Peter to handle.
Verdict Although the plot is slow-going at first, readers will be rooting for Giordano's flawed characters to prevail in this perfect blend of sexy romance and page-turning suspense. The next series installment, Risking Trust, is scheduled for November 2011. The introduction of new characters allows each title to be enjoyed as a stand-alone.—Kara Kohn, Plainfield P.L., IL
Holt, Cheryl. Nicholas. Samhain. 2011. c.250p. ISBN 9781609285876. EPUB $5.50. HISTORICAL ROMANCE
All Emeline Wilson wants is to make her home a better place to live. What a shame that Nicholas, the Earl of Stafford, could not care less. Even worse, she finds the pompous scoundrel unbelievably attractive. Nicholas just wants to punish the well-born snobs who spurned him and his brother as children. He is even set to marry the richest, most beautiful woman in society—and then proceed to ignore her. Unfortunately, the infuriating Emeline keeps stealing his attention. Set in a time of vast class differences, Holt's (Promise of Pleasure) latest brings to life a neglected village full of people straining to let their personalities run free. Nicholas and Emeline are delightful as they push against their attraction, and the supporting cast is equally engaging. In addition, Holt throws in two villains that the reader will simply love to hate.
Verdict An exciting plot complicated by Emeline and Nicholas's roller-coaster relationship keeps the pages turning. A great weekend read.—Emily Thompson, MSI, Ann Arbor, MI
Redford, Jodi. Maximum Witch. Samhain. (That Old Black Magic, Bk. 3). Oct. 2011. 174p. eISBN 9781609285302. EPUB $5.50. PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Patrolling the Atlantic coast, sheriff and shark shapeshifter Max Truitt is surprised to discover a young witch trapped in the clutches of a leviathan at the bottom of the ocean. More surprising, she is alive and breathing underwater. The death by drowning of Willa Jameson's parents has left her with a lifelong terror of water. She also fears that her flashes of unrecognized memories, along with the sex-obsessed voice in her head, forecast some big trouble. As Max and Willa find themselves drawn to each other (and to Max's best friend, Boone), they also discover that Willa's mysterious past is leading them toward the discovery of a plan to bring down a tidal wave of hurt—literally.
Verdict Redford (The Seven Year Witch) delivers a solid story with a bit of mystery and some adventurous sex. Collections that are looking to include a lighter take on sexy romps in the style of Laurell K. Hamilton or Sunny will find this a solid addition.—Kristi Chadwick, C/W MARS Network, MA
FICTION
Benedict, Helen. Sand Queen. Soho, dist. by Consortium. 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9781569479667. $25. F
Set in 2003, Benedict's latest novel (after The Edge of Eden) tells of an American prison in Iraq from the point of view of Kate, a young Army Specialist who guards the prison, and Naema, an Iraqi medical student whose family members have been arrested by U.S. forces. Drawing her book on the three years of research and interviews she used for The Lonely Soldier: The Private War of Women Serving in Iraq, the author describes the hardships and struggles in the daily lives of each woman. Kate finds herself in a war not only against the prisoners but also the unforgiving desert climate, her aggressive male colleagues and superiors, and her conscience. Naema has suffered drastic changes in her life since the war began and finds that most days are worse than the day before, particularly after her father and brother are taken away.
Verdict Benedict succeeds in showing that the horrors of war leave everyone a victim, no matter which side they're fighting on. Although this novel is not for the reader in search of a happy ending, it is an eye-opening glimpse into a life that many Americans have never seen.—Katie Wernz, Kent State Univ., OH
Bockoven, Georgia. The Year Everything Changed. Morrow. 2011. c.416p. ISBN 9780062069320. pap. $14.99. F
Jessie Reed is dying, and his final wish is to reconcile with his four estranged daughters. The women, ranging in age from late forties to early twenties, all have different mothers and don't know they have sisters—only two of them are aware that Jessie is their father. When he brings them together, it is anyone's guess how they will react to one another, let alone to him. Elizabeth, the oldest, remembers Jessie as the man who left her family and never responded to her requests to see him. Christina, the youngest, also feels abandoned and thinks of Jessie as dead. Ginger and Rachel, although both 36, had very different upbringings—Ginger was raised by loving parents and didn't know she was adopted, while Rachel had a traumatic childhood with an unstable mother. As they learn more about Jessie and one another, the women are forced to reevaluate much of what they thought they knew about their families and themselves.
Verdict Bockhaven's latest (after Another Summer) is sure to please fans of women's fiction with its intricate and often bittersweet portrayal of these sisters' lives.—Karen Core, Detroit P.L.
Caldwell, Laura. Claim of Innocence. Mira: Harlequin. Sept. 2011. 448p. ISBN 9780778329329. pap. $7.99. F
After a self-imposed sabbatical, Izzy McNeil (Red, White & Dead) wants to resume practicing law and gets her wish in a big way by partnering with her friend Maggie Bristol after Maggie's grandfather is taken ill. They are defending a woman accused of killing her best friend. But there are many layers to this case, and Izzy struggles to piece it together while dealing with her father, who recently returned after being thought dead; her much younger boyfriend; her unraveling mother; and an ex-fiancé who wants to get back into her life.
Verdict This fast-paced mystery inside a mystery will wow fans of John Grisham (The Confession) and Michael Connelly (The Lincoln Lawyer) and will keep them on pins and needles until the very end. Although part of a series, Caldwell's latest reads well as a stand-alone.-—Debbie Haupt, St. Charles City/Cty. P.L., MO
De Feo, Ronald. Calling Mr. King. Other. Sept. 2011. c.304p. ISBN 9781590514757. pap. $14.95. F
An assassin's lot is not a happy one. Just ask Peter Chilton (aka Mr. King), who's originally from New York but has been living abroad. For years he's been efficiently and lucratively engaged by the Firm as a hit man, jetting to exotic places and getting a skewed lesson in geography (The Place des Vosges? Know it well; blew a man's head off there once). More recently, though, he's been having second thoughts, to the extent that the Firm thinks it might be time for a little R&R. So it's off to New York and then Barcelona. He's forced to slow down and start looking over his shoulder. In short, he ends up an anxious flâneur, warily wandering the streets and bookstores of both New York City and Barcelona, becoming an amateur expert on Georgian construction and Barcelona's swooning architecture.
Verdict It's J.J. Connolly's Layer Cake (with its anonymous hit man, dreams of retirement dancing in his head) with an icing of Fodor's Barcelona. This quirky, promising debut novel argues that assassins are people, too, and sometimes, like it or not, that means they're aspiring art wonks.—Bob Lunn, Kansas City, MO
Hite, Ann. Ghost on Black Mountain. Gallery: S. & S. Sept. 2011. c.352p. ISBN 9781451606423. pap. $15. F
Hobbs Pritchard can turn a girl's head, as he sweeps 17-year-old Nellie Clay of Asheville, NC, into a hasty marriage, despite warnings from her mother who sees death in Nellie's tea leaves. But Nellie soon learns that Hobbs—a moonshiner, thief, and worse—is nearly universally hated by the residents of his Black Mountain community, for good reason. When ghosts—appearing particularly to Shelly Parker, the psychically gifted daughter of a black conjure woman—begin to urge Nellie to leave Black Mountain and Hobbs's behavior turns violent, Nellie takes irrevocable action that has ripple effects for generations.
Verdict Multiple female narrators add dimension and perspective to Hite's first novel, and the sightings and visits from the spirits are often appropriately eerie. But this artfully woven tale suffers because key character Hobbs is portrayed as more mean than evil, especially in his actions toward Nellie, yet his evil nature is critical to subsequent events. A readable ghost story that could use a stronger core.—Michele Leber, Arlington, VA
Michaels, Leigh. The Wedding Affair. Sourcebooks Casablanca. Sept. 2011. 384p. ISBN 9781402244216. pap. $7.99. HISTORICAL ROMANCE
A wedding at the country seat of the Duke of Somervale causes quite a stir. Unfortunately, Lady Olivia Reyne can't pay her rent, so an improper proposition from her odious landlord puts her more in the mood for violence than a house party. She meets Simon, the Duke of Somervale, when her three-year-old daughter falls in front of his horse. Hoping to circumvent the members of his sister's bridal party bent on capturing a duke, Simon makes Olivia an offer that might solve both of their problems. Meanwhile, Olivia's friend Kate Blakely, the late vicar's daughter, finds her invitation to assist the duchess with the event as a chance to assess possible employment. Too bad Andrew Carlisle is on the guest list. Penelope Townsend sees the respite in the country as an opportunity to find common ground with her husband, the Earl of Townsend. He wed her for her father's money, but there must be more to marriage than the indifference they have shared thus far.
Verdict Michaels's (Just One Season in London) charming novel introduces three independent women fighting to protect what they hold dear and find the love that makes it all worthwhile. The simultaneous retelling of the story from each of their perspectives creates an intriguing and absorbing romantic tale. Recommended for all romance fans. [Library marketing.]—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal
Olear, Greg. Fathermucker. Harper: HarperCollins. Oct. 2011. c.352p. ISBN 9780062059710. pap. $13.99. F
With his second novel, Olear turns from thrillers (Totally Killer) to "Dad Lit" and coins a new term for stay-at-home dads: fathermuckers. Josh Lansky is a (mostly) willing coparent to two preschoolers: Roland, who has Asperger's, and Maude, who has attitude. His wife, Stacy, is on an extended business trip, and Josh is barely keeping things together when a mother drops a bombshell at the weekly playgroup: Stacy might be having an affair. Josh racks his brains for what went wrong—his fear of mice, the lame birthday he planned for her, the affects of parental exhaustion on their sex life—and plays out scenarios to identify the other man. Throughout, he chronicles one manic day in ultraliberal New Paltz, NY, complete with Facebook updates, getting "busted" by another mom in the drive-thru line at McDonalds, and repeat humiliations being called "Mr. Mom" by the dimwit exterminator.
Verdict Fathermucker is witty, realistic, and charming, replete with a father's genuine love for his family. An entertaining choice for book clubs members of both genders, particularly those with young children.—Christine Perkins, Bellingham P.L., WA
Schiavone, Michael. Call Me When You Land. Permanent. Oct. 2011. c.240p. ISBN 9781579622213. $28. F
Schiavione's first novel pulls no punches in its depiction of a family self-destructing in front of the reader. Katie Olmstead is a single mother and a failed artist with a serious drinking problem. Her 15-year-old son, C.J., is angry at his mother and by extension the entire world. The death of C.J.'s long-missing father and his bequest of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle to his son escalate the Olmsteads' combustible existence to an unmanageable level while other family members attempt to intervene.
Verdict The powerful examination of addiction and the toll it takes on a family is beautifully written, with characters who are as real as the next-door neighbors. Schiavone makes the reader care about Katie and C.J. without making excuses for them. Like Roddy Doyle's Paula Spencer, Amy Koppelman's I Smile Back, and so many other novels that limn alcoholism, from F. Scott Fitzgerald to Peter Benchley, this novel depicts people who have lost control. Readers unafraid of reading about families falling to the bottom and don't mind a stream of four-letter words will enjoy this novel of descent and tentative redemption.—Andrea Caron Kempf, formerly with Johnson Cty. Community Coll. Lib., Overland Park, KS
NONFICTION
Bastianich, Lidia Matticchio & Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Lidia's Italy in America. Knopf. Oct. 2011. c.384p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780307595676. $35. COOKING
In Bastianich's seventh cookbook, she and her daughter and frequent coauthor, Manuali, collect 175 recipes rooted in old-world Italy and adapted by immigrants and Italian Americans from across the United States. Along with recipes rich in olive oil, anchovies, garlic, and tomatoes are brief lessons in the history of pizza and how the artichoke came to America. The recipes are most practical for those who plan to spend an afternoon cooking, and while many have ingredients found in well-stocked grocery stores, a few require access to special cheeses, prosciutto, mackerel, and calamari. Cooks may wish to skip the folksy interviews with Gloucester, MA, fishermen and cannoli merchants in New Orleans, which are included because this is a companion book to Bastianich's new public television series.
Verdict Bastianich's love for the tastes of Italy and her desire to share this experience with American cooks come together in this cookbook–cum–guidebook to Italian American food culture. Expect demand. [Eleven-city tour; see Prepub Alert, 4/4/11.]—Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley Sch. Lib., Fort Worth, TX
Deamer, David. First Life: Discovering the Connections Between Stars, Cells, and How Life Began. Univ. of California. 2011. c.288p. illus. index. ISBN 9780520258327. $28.95. SCI
Deamer (chemistry, Univ. of California-Santa Cruz) tackles some of the planet's biggest questions: What is life and where did it first begin? He presents some working definitions for life and attempts to pinpoint life's first appearance on Earth billions of years ago. Then his book takes off, drawing readers into an almost vertiginous odyssey that travels from the furthest reaches of the universe to the volcanic heat furnaces on the sea floor to the ancient ice of the Antarctic—it's all here. He covers virtually every scientific discipline (e.g., geology, physics, chemistry, biology, astrology) before he introduces astrobiology, a relatively new area of study that he suggests holds the key to understanding the connection between the origins of life on Earth and the wider universe.
Verdict While occasional bursts of highly technical language may discourage some readers, Deamer is an excellent storyteller. His obvious passion for the scientific process makes this a book that everyone can understand and enjoy and draw inspiration from. Recommended.—Marianne Stowell Bracke, Purdue Univ. Libs., West Lafayette, IN
El-Hibri, Hana (text) & Norbert Schiller (photogs.). A Million Steps: Discovering the Lebanon Mountain Trail. Interlink: Interlink Pub. Group. Sept. 2011. 288p. photogs. ISBN 9781566568395. $60. TRAV
The Lebanon Mountain Trail, a 275-mile hiking path running the length of Lebanon, was developed in 2006–08 from a variety of existing roads, trails, and paths along with constructed connectors. To raise awareness of the trail and promote conservation in Lebanon, El-Hibri, an experienced mountaineer, here relates her month-long ecotour as she hiked with a core team (frequently supplemented with day and section hikers) and was exposed to traditional foods, Lebanon's iconic cedar forests, the snow-capped mountains that inspired Khalil Gibran, gorgeous waterfalls, and stunning fields of wildflowers. Her trek from guesthouse to guesthouse through rural and mountainous country is beautifully photographed by prolific Middle Eastern photojournalist Schiller. The text is a diary-style collection of vignettes from the hike and lacks the detail or intrigue of a crafted narrative.
Verdict This coffee-table book is primarily a showcase for the numerous landscape photos that will turn your preconceived notions of Lebanon on their head. It beautifully presents the diversity of the rural Lebanese landscape, showing the potential for the Lebanon Mountain Trail and the country's nascent ecotourism industry.—Sheila Kasperek, Mansfield Univ. of Pennsylvania
Fields, Charles. Cape Cod and the National Seashore: A Photographic Essay. c.144p. ISBN 9780982996409. $50.
Fields, Charles. Nantucket: A Photographic Essay. c.96p. ISBN 9780982996416. $80.
ea. vol: Fields, dist. by IPG. 2011. photogs. PHOTOG
These two large-format books capture the spirit of Cape Cod and Nantucket in Massachusetts through stunning, often breathtaking images. While both places are renowned for their natural and small-town beauty (one would be hard-pressed not to take great pictures), Fields's images are a class above not only the amateur but also the professional photographer. Paired with his exquisite technical expertise, he distinguishes these two titles from other coffee-table books with his own personal touch. As Fields states, "This photographic essay is my Cape Cod—my personal and unique connection to the land and the people." Indeed, a poetic quality pervades each and every one of the images, especially the misty seascapes at dusk and dawn. The pictures are beautifully presented; landscapes are interspersed with images of daily activity and quiet village scenes. Detailed, substantive captions are provided in a key at the end of each book.
Verdict Part of a four-volume set that includes Martha's Vineyard: A Photographic Essay and Vietnam Journeys, these books exemplify the best in fine art photography and will dazzle anyone interested in photography or the New England seashore. Highly recommended.—Raymond Bial, First Light Photography
Hayes, William. Popular Mechanics What Went Wrong: Investigating the Worst Man-Made and Natural Disasters. Hearst: Sterling. 2011. c.240p. illus. index. ISBN 9781588165459. $24.95. SCI
Popular Mechanics presents readers with a collection of disasters, both natural and human-made. Complete with photographs to illustrate the devastation, the book is divided in two parts-"Nature's Fury" and "Man's Error"-with each having roughly a half-dozen chapters. Hayes emphasizes the engineering aspects of each disaster: how people prepare for and deal with natural disasters as well as how people could have prevented human-made ones. The book also features individual stories (for those with a ghoulish bent) that recount the personal toll of these catastrophes. Each chapter consists of a detailed overview of a specific incident, a list of the ten most significant cases like it in history, and survival tips should readers find themselves in a similar situation, discussing free falls in the aviation section and serious injuries in earthquakes.
Verdict Practical and engaging, this book will appeal to readers of all ages-especially those with an interest in engineering. Recommended.—Marcia R Franklin, MS, MLIS, St. Paul
The History of Rome in Painting. Abbeville. 2011. 496p. ed. by Maria Teresa Caracciolo & Roselyne de Ayala. illus. index. ISBN 9780789211033. $185. FINE ARTS
One of a three-book "History in Painting" series that includes Paris and Venice, this almost-chronological history of Rome is presented in image and essay, from the city's legendary foundation in 753 BCE through the 1950s and 1960s. Easily understood, signed essays written by a team of art historians introduce the art of various eras. From the Capitoline wolf to third-century mosaics of charioteers to Impressionist vistas of the Forum to Picasso's Rape of the Sabine Women, the selected images are supplemented by short entries with social, political, and art historical information. Dimensions and/or dates of paintings are omitted if uncertain from the provenance data provided with each image. While biographies of 175 artists and an index of names are included, one drawback is the lack of an index for the artworks themselves. Other detractors include the weight of the book, making it difficult to handle, and the tendency of the gatefolds to crease inappropriately.
Verdict Though a beautiful book, the size and expense will deter many casual readers. For the most devoted fans of Roman history and art.—Nancy J. Mactague, Aurora Univ. Lib., IL
Richie, Donald. Viewed Sideways: Writings on Culture and Style in Contemporary Japan. Stone Bridge, dist. by Consortium. Sept. 2011. c.280p. ISBN 9781933330983. pap. $16.95. SOC SCI
Renowned film critic Richie (A Hundred Years of Japanese Film) addresses the difficulties in dissecting a culture that is, he writes, "considered by both natives and visitors as more alien than most." A long-term resident (since 1947) of Japan, he still finds the country one with many paradoxes after years of observation. In the essay "Interpretations of Japan," Richie considers the "theoretical tool kit[s]" that have been used to try to understand the culture and avoids the trap of "psychological reductionism" with perspicacious perspectives. This collection of pieces written between 1962 and 2006 is divided into five parts, with one devoted entirely to the study of various aspects of Japanese cinema. The others cover such disparate subjects as social behavior, rituals, and art. Richie's analysis of Japan's cultural diversity juxtaposed with that of the West may be group generalization, but his takes on TV commentators, the frequent rebuilding of the shrines at Ise, and Noh and Kyōgen theater broaden our understanding of the mind-set of a people. Not to be missed is his explanation of Japanese usage of Janglish, which is hilarious if not politically correct.
Verdict An indispensable guide to Japanese cinema and culture.—Victor Or, Surrey Libs., BC
Roberts, Dorothy. Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-create Race in the Twenty-First Century. New Pr., dist. by Perseus. 2011. c.400p. index. ISBN 9781595584953. $29.95. SCI
While answering many questions, the completion of the Human Genome Project has also presented science and society with a host of new issues, including different ways to define human identity. Roberts (law, Northwestern Univ.) examines how race has historically been used as a method of social and political categorization. Recent studies have shown that there is no genetic basis for the organization of people into races, and the difficulties in clearly defining racial difference are abundant. Yet many researchers continue to advocate for genetic solutions to health issues that can be more prevalent in one racial group than another. Despite laudable goals, these studies fail to admit that these disparities are more likely related to continuing inequities in social and political resources than to differences in our genetic makeup.
Verdict With media attention focused on the advent of medicine "personalized" to patients' genes and DNA's use in law enforcement, this fascinating book is a must-read for those looking for an enlightened discussion of race in the 21st century.—Tina Neville, Univ. of South Florida St. Petersburg Lib.
Smith, Amanda. Newspaper Titan: The Infamous Life and Monumental Times of Cissy Patterson. Knopf. Sept. 2011. c.720p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780375411007. $37.50. COMM
Eleanor Josephine Medill "Cissy" Patterson (1881–1948) was the first female editor of a major U.S. metropolitan daily newspaper. Smith (editor, Hostage to Fortune: The Letters of Joseph P. Kennedy) here profiles the flamboyant socialite and spoiled granddaughter of Chicago Tribune founder Joseph Medill. After eight years of research, Smith extensively documents the story of the colorful and influential publisher of the Washington Times-Herald. Set within the framework of two world wars, Patterson's life and career—with many scandals, controversies, and excesses—have the makings of an engrossing read. However, the story gets bogged own with extraneous detail and sketches of figures tangential to her life.
Verdict For a more lively account of Patterson and her famous journalistic family, biography fans and saga lovers should turn to Megan McKinney's forthcoming The Magnificent Medills. [See Prepub Alert, 2/28/11.]—Donna Marie Smith, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL
Welch, Chris. Clapton: The Ultimate Illustrated History. Voyageur: Quayside. Sept. 2011. 256p. illus. index. discog. ISBN 9780760340462. $40. MUSIC
Welch, a reporter/editor for the British music paper Melody Maker during the 1960s and 1970s, delivers an oversized, lavishly illustrated biography of guitar icon Eric Clapton. He devotes much of the text to and shares the most insights on Clapton's career pre-1974: his humble beginnings and stints with John Mayall, the Yardbirds, Cream, and Blind Faith. Welch rushes through the remainder of the guitarist's more pop-oriented career up to the present. Throughout, he collects 400 color photos of posters, album covers, and concert scenes of Clapton and his bands.
Verdict A good companion to Clapton's best-selling 2007 autobiography (Clapton: The Autobiography), this book taps Welch's firsthand knowledge of his subject and adds new material via interviews with Clapton's early bandmates. Appealing for music fans, but not essential.—Dave Szatmary, Univ. of Washington, Seattle
AUDIOBOOKSVan Natta, Don, Jr. Wonder Girl: The Magnificent Sporting Life of Babe Didrikson Zaharias. 10 CDs. library ed. unabridged. 11½ hrs. Dreamscape Media. 2011. $44.99; digital download. SPORTS
Babe Didrikson (1911–56), born in south Texas to Norwegian immigrants, was one of the most famous and accomplished athletes of all time-garnering three Olympic medals in track and field at the 1932 games and becoming an extraordinary golfer, with 48 tournament wins. She was a pioneer for women in sports at a time when women were expected to sit on the sidelines. She married George Zaharias, a professional wrestler and promoter, who handled her career, which was cut short by her death from cancer at 45. In the atmosphere of American sports from the 1930s to the 1950s, Didrikson's story is wonderful to hear. This production will introduce her supremely confident personality and tremendous talent to several new generations of women athletes. Performer Hillary Huber's voice is wonderfully matched to Didrikson's Texas twang and the many people she met along the way.
Verdict Highly recommended for libraries with extensive sports biography, women's history, and Americana collections. ["Bright and engaging, this biography brings Zaharias, her amazing accomplishments, and brash statements to life as no other book has," read the review of the Little, Brown hc, LJ 6/15/11.—Ed.]—Barbara Valle, El Paso P.L., TX
