Jody Fenton, Boutique Money

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich will thrill both new and regular Janet fans. Diesel is back and this time he needs the help of Lizzie Tucker, the pastry chef who has just moved to Boston’s North Shore into her Great Aunt Ophelia’s house.

For those of you new to Janet, her popular Stephanie Plum series has been running for 16 years with the latest Sizzling Sixteen out earlier this year. Diesel popped into Stephanie’s life one Christmas in what is called the Between the numbers series of books. Each year between the main Stephanie novels with their numbered titles has been Plum Lovin, Plum Spooky and Plum Lucky which introduced us to Diesel.

Diesel is a whole lot of testosterone wrapped up in a very buff package. Diesel has some rather endearing and frustrating unmentionable talents.

For existing fans, Wicked won’t disappoint. It is filled with the same fast paced style we are used to, the slightly crazy characters, in this case Lizzie’s coworker Glo who thinks because they live near Salem she can cast spells, bad boy Wulf is back in town and a special appearance by Carl the Monkey.

While Lizzie has recently inherited her Great Aunt Ophelia’s house which gives her the perfect opportunity to leave New York and start again, is Aunt Ophelia looking out for Lizzie? Lizzie’s joined Dazzles bakery as their pastry chef with her special talent for cupcakes Lizzie makes the best cupcakes with 1 regular customer buying 2 dozen a day from Dazzles bakery.  What’s the special something in Lizzie’s cupcakes and why is Wulf chasing Lizzie and her best cupcake customer?

If you’re new to Janet’s books you’ll love meeting the characters in Wicked. Like all Janet’s books, the characters include a cast of regulars and some who just drop in from novel to novel but all of her books stand alone in their stories and you don’t need to start at One for the Money to enjoy Wicked Appetite. It stands alone as a fast paced enjoyable read, perfect for a Sunday afternoon.

Available 14th September, Hachette RRP$32.99

Jody

Kristy McCormick

I’m not sure my review will do this book justice – because quite simply it was amazing. At first glance a thriller – with a murder and a mysterious disappearance the main features. But just like the city in which this book is set, nothing is as it seems and there is more to this book, and this city, than meets the eye.

City of Veils is the second novel by Zoë Ferraris, and although it is a follow on novel, you do not need to have read the first book to understand the couple of characters that are featured again. (But, don’t worry, I will be going back to read it!) The book opens with the discovery of a woman’s body on the beach in Jeddah. Tortured and left half-naked beneath her burqa, it appears the woman is an abused housemaid left to die alone (an all too common scenario apparently).

Katya is a fledgling lab worker in forensic sciences at the police station. With few women employed in the field, she is determined to prove herself worthy of her position. She discovers the dead woman is actually a film-maker from a wealthy family and had been missing for several days. Leila Nawar, against the wishes of her devout brother, set out to show the true face of Jeddah – the lives of women behind the veils and the secrecy, but appears to have angered someone along the way.

The police set out determined to find her killer, with Detective Inspector Osama Ibrahim the man leading the way. A fair and intelligent man, he is not overly devout and values the role of women in his work. He gratefully accepts the help of Katya and her friend, Nayir. Nayir is a Bedouin desert guide – a pious man he takes his religion seriously and although he has feelings for Katya he struggles to align these with his doubts about her desire to be independent and apparent inability to be a ‘good Muslim woman’.

A side story to this murder investigation is the mysterious disappearance of American expat Eric Walker. Working in Jeddah as a security guard, he collects his wife Miriam from the airport and then disappears. She is bereft – an American woman living in a country where just going out onto the street alone is an experience fraught with danger. As these characters cross paths and the two mysteries appear to have some connection you are irrevocably drawn into their lives, and their lives are far from dull.

Although the mystery in this book is engrossing with tightly woven stories it is the vivid descriptions of life in Jeddah that really made this book for me. It is a cunningly crafted thriller that is literally bursting with knowledge – I learnt so much. With only limited knowledge of life in Saudi Arabia, and of Muslim culture in general, this book was fascinating. Jeddah is described as a relatively liberal city, with less emphasis placed on religious piety. But still, the differences between the women’s and men’s lives are phenomenal. Women largely stay at home to care for the house and children, they are not allowed on the street without headscarves and burqas (mind you the burqa’s come with built in Bluetooth devices!), have separate sitting rooms within their own homes and are allowed to work in government decreed jobs only. And the extremes of piousness are just that – extreme. Some of the men in the story feel impure for simply glancing at a woman’s uncovered face, yet others are comfortable working side by side as equals. It is a truly fascinating look at a culture and belief system that many of us condemn, and yet really know nothing about in terms of the real intricacies of day to day life.

So, overall I have to say I was sorry to see this book end, sorry that my journey to this world had ended. And in terms of feeling like you had really experienced what the characters had – wait til you read the desert scenes, they left me feeling panicky and anxious as I contemplated going through what Miriam and Nayir did. Anyway, enough said, you’ll have to go read it!

Available now: Hachette RRP$32.99

Kristy

Kristy McCormick

Chanel Sweethearts is the third novel from Cate Kendall (otherwise known as the dynamic writing duo Michelle Hamer and Lisa Blundell), and as the back cover states it is ‘a sassy, engaging read from the bestselling authors…’

So it fits right in here. This book jumped out at me at just the right time. A bit under the weather last weekend I needed something that I could just curl up on the couch with, something I didn’t have to work too hard at but could still help me feel a bit less miserable. And it was just the thing.

Chanel Sweethearts is the story of country girl Jess Wainwright. A talented artist / designer she lives in the town where she grew up, having made a successful business out of the old, very run down general store. Now a thriving cafe and gallery it is the centre of this small town and Jess runs it with passion and a distinctive flair for knowing what people want. She has great friends (even if they are a bit out there), and is close again with old friend Nick after losing touch for a while.

But after a hell of a year where she lost not only the man she thought she loved but the stepsons she adored, something is missing. Jess wants more. And when an old flame appears out of the blue and offers her an opportunity too good to be true, Jess jumps at the chance to move to the city and work as a top designer. Keen to reinvent herself as the sophisticated city chick, Jess tries hard at work to impress her boss, finds herself a flat in a trendy suburb and flirts with the old flame.

But is life in the city really all it’s cracked up to be? As her life takes yet more dramatic (and tragic) turns, Jess begins to wonder if she’s done the right thing. She misses her friends, misses the country air, and is beginning to wonder if there was more to her friendship with Nick than she thought.

Chanel Sweethearts is a terrific story of one woman’s attempt at finding who you really are, what matters most to you and realising that perhaps what you wanted all along was right there under your nose. I read the book in record time, despite feeling miserable, and thoroughly enjoyed every word. The characters were great and you could relate to them and the joys and heartache in their lives – all of it believable. And the town of Stumpy Gully is just like every small town you’ve ever been to – with a warm community feel and an odd assortment of characters that make it unique.

I have not read Cate Kendall’s previous books but will be sure to look them up when I get a chance, having enjoyed this one immensely.

Available now: Random House RRP$32.95

Kristy

Kristy McCormick

Sadie Drew is not the world’s best wife. She doesn’t really cook (or clean), refuses to pick up after her husband, wears flannelette PJ’s to bed and is determined to hang onto her career as a florist even after having kids. She has never been particularly concerned about this though, and apparently neither has her husband. That is until he takes a new job, and while he is aiming for a directorship it seems his wife is not quite presenting the image that she should.

How to be Married by Polly Williams is an hilarious account of one woman’s attempt to be the ‘perfect wife’. When Sadie is confronted by the ‘Anderson Wives’, as the wives of the men who work at Tom’s company are collectively known, she is in for a shock. There is Perfect Pam – a gorgeous and very accomplished home-maker, known for her dinner parties and immaculately kept house. Then Tara – a glamorous, twenty-something trophy wife, desperate to fit in but not really knowing where to start. And Ruth – the wife with a ‘proper job’, a lawyer whose husband used to stay home with the kids. And then there’s Sadie – clumsy, accident-prone and more comfortable in torn jeans and trainers than designer wear.

When Sadie has a chance encounter with an elderly woman in a park (during a freak storm no less), she feels she may just have found the path to enlightenment. Enid, seventy-odd years old and widowed, offers Sadie the opportunity to provide her with flowers – and the odd bit of marriage advice. Sadie starts to visit Enid regularly and what begins as some light-hearted banter becomes a full scale project – to get Sadie up to the standard of the other Anderson Wives.

As the project moves along, Sadie’s life is taken in directions she would never have predicted. There are the unexpected friendships with the other wives, the ever diminishing attention from her husband, and the unwavering support from Enid and her hunky gardener nephew. Sadie manages to find herself in the most unlikely predicaments – truly no-one could have such bad luck all the time – but manages to recover with mostly grace and good humour. And while she desperately tries to be someone she really isn’t, in order to help her husband and save her marriage, is she losing sight of what it is she and her husband really want?

How to be Married is an insightful and honest look into the complexities of marriage, motherhood, and just what it means to be a ‘good wife’. It is often hilarious, at times touching and without doubt a book that every married woman (and man) could relate to at some level. I loved it, and given that I am far from being the ‘perfect wife’ it’s reassuring to know that sometimes that’s OK too!

Available now: Hachette RRP$29.99

Kristy

Kristy McCormick

Given the amount I read, I always get excited when I discover a book that I love by an author I haven’t heard of but who has written earlier novels. It means I can go back and look up her other books, knowing I’m going to find something I like. And I will definitely be on the look out for other books by author Emily Giffin because I loved reading this one!

Heart of the Matter by Emily Griffin is the story of two women – women who don’t know each other but whose lives become irrevocably entwined through a set of fateful circumstances.

Tessa Russo is the wife of successful paediatric surgeon Nick. They have two young children, and Tessa is grateful each time her husband is called into work that it’s not her children needing his services. Having given up her own job to be a stay at home mum, Tessa is supportive of Nick’s career and understands (or at least tries to) his often erratic hours and call-outs interrupting their own family time. So when Nick is called to the hospital for an emergency during the course of their anniversary dinner, she prays for someone else’s child and little realises that just one call is about to turn her world upside down.

Valerie Anderson is a hard working single mum. A lawyer, she managed to put herself through school and is raising her six year old son who is the centre of her world. A tragic accident turns her world upside down too, and as she struggles to come to terms with the fact that her son may be forever scarred, Nick Russo walks into their lives. As a plastic surgeon he offers hope for Valerie and Charlie, and she begins to believe that they just may get through this.

Through the course of Charlie’s treatment, Valerie and Nick are drawn closer together in their mutual concern for her child. And, in a parallel life, Nick and Tessa seem to be growing further apart as she struggles to deal with her new identity as a stay-at-home mum and he is increasingly busy at work.

The story Giffin tells is not a new one – it deals with the usual pitfalls of motherhood, married life, the fears we all have for our kids, dealing with other parents, infidelity and extended family relationships. But the way she tells it makes it real. The story is told from the points of view of Tessa and Valerie, in alternating chapters. They are both warm, compassionate and believable women – and in any other novel would probably be best friends. But in this one, that is not to be and as the story of these two women (and one man) unfolds it is hard to know who you’re cheering on from the sidelines. And, as you’re deciding who to cheer on, the pages seem to turn themselves!

This book managed to make me laugh and cry – that often indicates a good read for me – and I absolutely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a wonderful, engrossing and touching read.

Available now: Hachette RRP$32.95

Kristy

Tina Gamble

The Young, Loaded and Fabulous crew are back… and so is all the delicious drama!

With the school break over, Queen Bee’s Alice and Tally are ready to start the new term (or at least, the new season’s social activities). The last thing they expected though was the new housemistress Mrs Hoare, yes that’s right, Hoare.

Spouting new rules in her wake, the fierce Mrs Hoare seems determined to ruin everybody’s fun. Could this be an end to the girl’s glitz, glamour and parties? Heck no. But what would the point be of having rules if you couldn’t get creative in breaking them?

It would seem that things at St Cecilia’s is about to get very interesting.

In this third instalment by Kate Kingsley, Kiss & Break Up, the readers are thrown back into the fabulous world of London’s rich, famous and most influential teens. With new relationships starting to form, and tensions starting to peak, new revelations are revealed that leads others to wonder, is Alice losing her control?

It is no secret that I am a fan of this series, and after reading Kiss & Break Up, I’m happy to say that I still am a big fan. And who wouldn’t be? Parties, glamour, romance, and tensions – it’s enough to have any teen girl hooked.

The only minor comment I would have about this book is that there was less cattiness and backstabbing in this book. Sure, I suppose it shows that maybe their maturing and growing up, but to tell you the truth, I kind of really enjoyed it. This book is slightly less sharp and biting than the other novels; though there is a lot more focus on the relationships.

Some of which I am dying to see more of. I wont give away those involved, but one possible couple is rather unexpected, and I’m interested to see how it all plays out. It adds an extra twist, which could make for an interesting fourth novel.

Love. Disasters. And all things in-between. These are some of the things that make up Kate Kingsley’s new novel, Kiss & Break Up. With the winter chill moving in, the crew all snuggle up to avoid the cold. But is this really a good thing for the crew?

A deliciously wicked mix of Gossip Girls and British Teen Drama Show, Skins, this book will bring out everyone’s inner cattiness, as they cheer, sigh and boo for all their favourites in the YLF crew.

This book is some of the best fun you can have without leaving your home.

Available now: Hachette RRP$16.99

Check out my previous reviews for Young Loaded & Fabulous and Secrets & Liars.

Tina

Kristy McCormick

I feel as though I’ve just been on holiday. To a gorgeous Italian village, with the most amazing views, perfect weather and to-die-for food! Recipe for Life is a gorgeous book and Nicky Pellegrino has an incredible knack for making the reader feel as though they have been transported into her world.

Recipe for Life is the story of two women – Alice, a promising young chef for whom life has dealt a few blows; and Babetta, the elderly woman who has worked for years tending the gardens of a crumbling Mediterranean villa, Villa Rosa.

Alice learns that life is fragile after she experiences a traumatic event and moves to London where she plans to make the most of every second. Discovering her passion for food and cooking, she sets out to make a career of it, only to forget about allowing time for the rest of her life. She is persuaded by her close friend Leila to take some time off to spend a summer in the villa Leila’s mother has purchased in Italy. It is there that Alice meets Babetta and, despite not speaking the others language, they forge a friendship – built upon their love of food and the pleasure it provides.

Babetta has lived for years with her moody husband in the caretakers cottage beside the Villa Rosa. They have tended the grounds as owners have come and gone, and lived an independent if somewhat reclusive life providing for themselves. With the arrival of Alice, Leila and Leila’s mother Babetta fears for her future, but soon realises that the new owners need her as much as she needs them.

Over the course of a hot, fragrant summer Babetta and Alice work side by side in the garden and in the kitchen, both discovering truths about themselves and their lives. Alice returns to London reluctantly at the end of her time, having discovered that there is more to life than work and that food, and happiness, are things to be savoured.

Years pass, and both Alice and Babetta’s lives progress in ways they could not have predicted. When Alice and Leila finally return to Villa Rosa and the village of Triento, they are each carrying secrets, secrets that will bind them to this place and the people who live here forever.

Recipe for Life is a truly enjoyable read. The characters are flawed enough to be believable, and the descriptions of life in Italy (and London) are so realistic that I felt as though I was going to step out my front door and be there. But, it also made me want to eat the freshest, most authentic Italian food I could find and had me busily trying to convince my husband that a holiday in Italy was just what we needed. Loved it.

Available now: Hachette RRP$32.99

Kristy

Andrea Parks

Everyone’s got a story. Who you tell it to and what they do with it is another story entirely…The Queen of New Beginnings by Erica James.

A minor celebrity, Clayton escapes London to avoid the public backlash from his shameful behaviour (related to his ex-wife and ex-writing partner’s blossoming relationship). He is a scriptwriter who gained major success with a very popular sit-com with “Friends”-like stature. Now he is out of work, has writer’s block, a broken heart, and no idea what to do next.

Enter playful Alice Shoemaker. She meets Clayton when she fills in as a housekeeper at Clayton’s temporary home in the country – Cuckoo House. As it turns out, this is Alice’s family home and while happy to finally have access to it, she has a somewhat haunted history of heartbreak here.

Clayton and Alice are intrigued by one another from their first meeting (of course they don’t realize it at first and don’t really like one another…). Both characters have equally compelling reasons for isolating themselves in the English countryside.

Alice eases into a friendship with Clayton that gives them both a much-needed feeling of security. She is able to tell the story of her life at Cuckoo House that helps her to reconcile her past with her stagnant present. Clayton too is able to unload some of his emotional baggage to Alice and begins to heal from his own personal horror story.

Once their history is shared, their love story takes over. The novel progresses nicely, with the expected (and unexpected) complications and triumphs that keep this genre ever-popular.

Clayton and Alice are genuine, likable characters and this story is peppered with great minor characters like Stacey, Clayton’s ex, and George, the village’s eccentric old lady and her randy rooster, Percy, among others.  There are some laughs to be had in this enjoyable story. As always, I love a happy ending!

Available now: Hachette RRP$32.99

Andrea

Andrea Parks

We have such blind faith – and trust – in the people that we love and with whom we surround ourselves. Belief that they are acting in our best interests and that they love us as much as we do them…that they play by the same rules that we do.

In Never Look Away by Linwood Barclay, David Harwood is a struggling reporter working for a struggling newspaper in a small American town.  He is following leads on a politically-charged story that has more than a few noses out of joint – some pretty bad guys have a lot to lose.  David is visited and threatened by at least one faction of the bad boys’ gang. Then, right in the middle of this looming intrigue, his wife, Jan, disappears.

When David sets off for the theme park on a fun daytrip with his wife and beautiful young son, he could never have anticipated the sequence of events that would turn his world upside down.  David and his four-year old son, Ethan, wait for Jan to return from the car with a backpack full of lunch and other necessities. Wait, and wait. She still does not come back. It’s everyone’s worst nightmare. The police are initially sympathetic but as layer after layer of the story peels back, David looks guiltier and guiltier. At the same time, ever the investigative reporter, he uncovers some truths of his own: unflattering and just plain inconceivable.  David must come to accept these truths but he’s on a deadline. He is in a race to find tangible proof of what he’s discovered – before he is arrested for murder.

In the theme park, time stands still but from that point forward, the clock ticks audibly. The rest of the story moves forward in a desperate and thrilling plunge towards the whole, awful truth with a satisfying wrap-up.  Never Look Away successfully thrilled me. It also makes me happy to support a fellow Canadian author – especially when they make it big internationally – and so I look forward to reading more from Linwood Barclay.

Available now: Hachette RRP$32.99

Andrea

Kristy McCormick

This is the ninth book in the impressive Women’s Murder Club series by James Patterson. And this latest instalment, 9^th Judgement, will not let fans down.

I’ve read several of the books from this series, but not all, and I am now wondering why I didn’t bother to check the others out. Perhaps I will. But if you haven’t read them don’t despair because Patterson always gives you just enough background to understand the main characters enough to see you through the story.

A woman and her baby are found dead in their vehicle in the parking lot of a shopping mall. Ruthlessly shot dead, there are no witnesses to the crime and the only evidence a cryptic message written in lipstick on the windshield. Detective Lindsay Boxer is called in to work the case – but it seems such a random, senseless killing that she can’t work it out.

Before Lindsay can really get started though, there’s another murder. The wife of a famous actor is found shot dead in her bedroom, apparently the victim of a robbery gone wrong. There have been numerous burglaries in recent months – all the victims high profile wealthy citizens. But none has ended like this before, so why now?

More senseless murders, always sickeningly involving mothers and their children, follow and Lindsay and her team are desperate to find the person responsible before more innocent lives are lost.

In true Womens Murder Club style, Lindsay turns to her best friends for support and advice. Of course they all have a vested interest in both cases. Claire Washburn is the forensic pathologist assigned the gruesome task of conducting autopsies on the bodies – looking for clues that might lead them to the killer. Cindy Thomas is crime reporter extraordinaire – always hanging out for the next big story, she too wants to nail this guy (or guys). And Yuki Castellano, a lawyer working for the DA’s office believes in justice – especially when it’s a law school friend who’s been murdered.

And so these women meet over beers and nachos, discuss the cases and gradually get a feel for what’s going on. But it’s Lindsay who will suffer the most in this one. As they start to close in on the killer (with still no sign of the cat burglar) the case starts to get personal. And with Lindsay’s own life on the line, will they find him before it’s too late?

This book is classic James Patterson – the plot develops quickly and the suspense keeps building right until the end. He has managed to successfully weave two separate cases (well almost separate – you’ll understand when you read it!) into this one though – they are both equally riveting, but the ending and the way these characters wind up being connected is unanticipated to say the least.

The women in this story are tough and work in situations that would have most of our stomachs turning. But they are believable characters for all of that – they have relationships and families to consider as well. I liked this book a lot – although being a fan of James Patterson and the Womens Murder Club series definitely helped. But if it’s an action packed murder mystery with plenty of twists thrown in then this is one for you!

Available now: Random House RRP$32.95

Kristy