Mary Anne Yarde's Blog: The Coffee Pot Book Club , page 15

Welcome to Day #10 of the blog tour for Widow’s Lace by Lelita Baldock #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalMystery @BaldockLelita @CraftygasheadZo @JudithArnopp

 

March 8th – March 19th 2021

Publication Date: 23 March 2020
Publisher: Independently Published
Page Length: 242 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery
Amazon UK • Amazon US • Barnes & Noble

A hundred year old mystery, the widow left behind, a fallen soldier, the abandoned fiancée, an unnamed body and the young student determined to find the truth.
In 1886 famous English poet Edward Barrington moves from Derbyshire, England to a farm on the Finniss River, in South Australia. Two years later he disappears.
25 years later Archie Hargraves abandons his fiancée Clara and travels from England to meet with Edward’s widow, Rosalind. He plans to write a biography and make a name for himself, independent from his wealthy father. Returning to England in 1914 he abandons his work to join the war in Europe. His journal of notes from Australia is never released.
Ellie Cannon, a young PhD candidate at Sydney University, is writing a thesis on one of Barrington’s last known poems, The Fall. It’s not going well. Struggling with her relationship with her mother and loss of her father, Ellie is on the brink of failure.
Then a body is found by the Finniss River, 130 years after Edward’s disappearance. Could it be the famous poet?
The discovery draws Ellie into the worlds of Edward, Archie and Clara, taking her across Australia and England in her search for the truth.
Covering life in remote South Australia, the social pressures of 1900s Britain and the historical role of women, Widow’s Lace is an historical fiction, mystery cross-over dealing with themes of obsession, fear, love, inner-secrets and regret. But also the hope that can come from despair.
I can't believe we are coming to an of our tour.
Our first stop is over on Zoe's Art, Craft & Life for a fabulous review.
Click HERE!
Our last stop of the tour is over on Judith Arnopp's Official Blog for one final sneak-peek between the covers!
Click HERE!
Tour Schedule

Welcome to Day #10 of the blog tour for A Sword Among Ravens (The Long-Hair Saga) by Cynthia Ripley Miller #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour @CRipleyMiller @Beatric09625662 @stu_rudge

 

 

March 8th – March 19th 2021

Publication Date: 9th December 2020
Publisher: BookLocker
Page Length: 267 Pages
Genre: Romantic Historical Mystery
Amazon UK • Amazon US • Barnes & Noble
In a grave, on the edge of a Roman battlefield, an ancient sword has been discovered. Legend claims it belonged to King David of Israel and carries a curse—those who wield it will tragically die—but not the chosen.   
AD 455. Arria Felix and her husband, Garic the Frank, have safely delivered a sacred relic to Emperor Marcian in Constantinople. But now, Arria and Garic will accept a new mission. The emperor has asked them to carry the sword of King David of Israel to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem where Arria will dedicate it in her murdered father’s memory.
As Arria and Garic travel into the heart of the Holy Land, they face many challenges and dangers. Their young daughter is missing then found in the company of a strange and suspicious old monk. A brutal killer stalks their path. And a band of cold-blooded thieves is determined to steal the sword for their own gains. But when Arria confronts the question of where the sword should truly rest—old friendships, loyalties, and her duty are put to the test like never before. At every turn, Arria and Garic find themselves caught in a treacherous mission wrapped in mystery, murder, and A Sword Among Ravens.

I can't believe we are on the final day of our tour for A Sword Among Ravens.
Our first stop of the day is over on Candlelight Reading for a fabulous review.
Click HERE!
Our second stop is over on Stuart Rudges' Official Blog for a final sneak-peek between the covers.
Click HERE!
Our final stop of the tour is over on Impressions in Ink for another wonderful review.
Click HERE!
Tour Schedule

Welcome to Day #5 of the blog tour for The Test of Gold by Renee Yancy #HistoricalRomance #TheTestOfGold #BlogTour @YancyRenee

 

Join The Coffee Pot Book Club on tour with...

The Test of Gold

By Renee Yancy

March 15th – March 26th 2021

Publication Date: 15 March 2021

Publisher: Vinspire Publishing

Page Length: 335 pages

Genre: Historical Romance

Raised in the shadow of a mother who defied convention, but won’t allow her own daughter the right to make the same choices, heiress Evangeline Lindenmayer has been groomed since childhood to marry into the British aristocracy. 

When Lindy challenges her mother’s long-laid plans by falling in love with a poor seminary student, the explosion is bigger than the Brooklyn Bridge fireworks on Independence Day.

We are starting this tour off with two reviews!

Head on over to B for Book Reviews for a fabulous interview post

Click HERE!

Head over to CelticLady Reviews, where The Test of Gold is in the Spotlight.

Click HERE!

Tour Schedule

#BookReview - Bloodlines (The Shadow of the Raven, Book 4) by Chris Bishop #HistoricalFiction @CBishop_author

Publication Date: 11 February 2021
Publisher: RedDoor Press 
Page Length: 304 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction 

Your bloodline flows not from your heart but from the very core of your existence.

WESSEX 893 as King Alfred readies his defences against another Viking invasion.

Among his many concerns is the plight of Edward, his stable boy, who he believes to be the bastard son of Matthew, a renowned warrior who died fighting for the Saxon cause. If Edward’s heritage can be proved, Edward he would stand to inherit a vast fortune which Alfred fears would attract every fraudster in the realm. Worse still, given his noble lineage, the boy could well be used to usurp him as king. 

Alfred therefore sends Edward to the burh at Wareham on the pretext of having him train Fleet, a magnificent black stallion, so spirited it’s thought to be all but unrideable. The boy soon proves his skill with horses but is considered too puny to be a warrior. However when the fyrd find themselves outnumbered, isolated and confronting a Viking warband, Edward’s quick thinking and extraordinary courage leaves no doubt about his bloodline.

"So, is that Matthew’s legacy – secrets and suspicions?"

King Alfred had no choice. Until he was sure, he must keep his suspicions to himself. But he would keep young Edward close, safe from those who might use the boy to their own advantage. No one would expect a stableboy of being the heir to the second most noble and wealthiest family in Wessex. It was better for everyone, including Edward, not to know his true lineage. 

But Alfred would not be able to keep his secret forever. Every day, Edward looked more and more like his father. He also had the same gentle disposition. However, for now, the boy would remain a stableboy, and when the time was right, Alfred would restore to Edward what was rightfully his…

From a whispered prophecy to the truth behind the deception, Bloodlines by Chris Bishop is a lavish depiction of one of the most volatile times in British history. It is told, for the most part, from the viewpoint of a stableboy.

When I learnt there was to be another book in The Shadow of the Raven series, I could not be more excited, but I was also left wondering who would take Matthew’s place—the protagonist in the first three books. Of course, the title suggests this is story is about the children that Matthew would never see, nor hold, nor care for. It was initially slightly disconcerting to be back amongst the principal players of this story without Matthew being there, but the story takes a delightful turn as we discover that Matthew’s legacy lives on through his son.

Despite the vast and wonderfully portrayed historical backdrop, this novel focuses on the life of a humble stableboy who keeps his head down and does his best to avoid another beating. He has no idea who his father is, except that he was one of Alfred’s warriors, but he does know that his mother was a whore (although not from choice). Edward is an extremely gentle boy who has a gift when it comes to horses. He understands them and shows maturity beyond his age. Unbeknownst to him, this calming disposition and loving heart have been inherited by his father (whose story, as I have said, is told through the previous books in this series). And thus, Edward makes the best of his situation. He works hard because he enjoys his work, and he is as content as one could be in his situation.

Fate, or the genetic inheritance of the individual, certainly in the case of Edward and Coenred, is explored in explicit detail during the length of this novel. Both boys have similar backgrounds, both are orphans and both are stableboys, but that is as far as the similarities go. Edward’s gentleness and compassion mean that there can be no uncertainty that he is his father’s son, and it is his actions that convince King Alfred that he is Matthew’s heir. Whereas, Coenred, who has Viking blood running through his veins, is calculating and cruel. He delights in torment and torture. He deliberately provokes the stray dog that lives in the stable and the high-spirited horse that is worth a small fortune but is seemingly untamable. When he sees Edward succeeding, especially with the horse, where he has failed, his jealousy knows no bounds. Coenred is a direct contrast to Edward, and his deplorable actions mean the reader can summon very little sympathy for him. Coenred is the stereotypical Viking—he is violent, bloodthirsty and untrustworthy. Edward, on the other hand, has an almost angelic quality. He may not know his true ancestry, but his actions certainly ascertain his nobility.

At its essence, Bloodlines depicts the seemingly inevitable struggle between the good “Saxons” and the evil “Vikings”. The Vikings are unquestionably wicked and immoral, as well as being notably less noble than the Saxons. Unfortunately, they are just as brave and determined. But there is no sense that the Vikings are a worthy enemy. Their actions are barbaric, and they leave destruction in their wake. The fact that the Vikings are depicted in such a detrimental light is not surprising, considering this series is told from the Saxon perspective. The Vikings were the bane of King Alfred’s reign, and therefore they are portrayed as cruel and without mercy. However, King Alfred is not so arrogant that he does not see the threat posed by his own people. His hold on his throne may seem strong, but in truth, his tenacious grip could easily be challenged, which is the main reason why he keeps Edward’s parentage a secret until he has secured a small circle of trusted men to protect Edward from those who might manipulate him for their own gain.

The narrative structure is continually changing, which allows the reader to see the whole story told from several different, albeit Saxon, perspectives. We walk with King Alfred and his noble lords. We witness an inexperienced nobleman’s mistake in battle as he desperately tries to make a name for himself. There are twins whose prophecy must be fulfilled, and there is a bastard son who is unaware of just how noble his lineage is. I thought this approach worked really well. Bishop, by doing so, has given his story a rounded realism which would have been difficult to have achieved if the story had been told through only one perspective.

Another Viking invasion threat is a theme that runs throughout this novel, as it did during Alfred’s life. Alfred and his noble lords know that despite granting concessions and gifting land and money, the Vikings will only be appeased once they have toppled Alfred from his throne and seized Wessex. Therefore, it is imperative that all fortifications are strengthened. With the possibility of a war on all fronts, Alfred has to deploy his troops with military precision. The one thing that everyone fears is having a traitor in their midst, who will tell the enemy about not only a fort’s weakest areas but how to use this to their advantage. I thought this menacing threat brought home what a dangerous era this was to live through. The Viking raiders were merciless and were a very real threat to Wessex’s stability and the lives of her people.

Bloodlines by Chris Bishop demanded all of my attention, and its non-stop action meant that it was a real page-turner. If you enjoy The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell, then The Shadow of the Raven series must be on your to-read lists.

I Highly Recommend.

Review by Mary Anne Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club

Amazon UK • Amazon US • Red Door



Chris Bishop was born in London in 1951.  After a successful career as a Chartered Surveyor, he retired to concentrate on writing, combining this with his lifelong interest in history.  His first Novel, Blood and Destiny, was published in 2017 and his second, The Warrior with the Pierced Heart was released in July 2018.  Both form part of a series entitled The Shadow of the Raven.
Chris is a member of the Historical Writers’ Association as well as the Historical Novel Society.
Connect with Chris: Website • Blog • Twitter • Goodreads.

Welcome to Day #9 of the blog tour for Widow’s Lace by Lelita Baldock #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalMystery @BaldockLelita @MaddieS39950549

 

March 8th – March 19th 2021

Publication Date: 23 March 2020
Publisher: Independently Published
Page Length: 242 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery
Amazon UK • Amazon US • Barnes & Noble

A hundred year old mystery, the widow left behind, a fallen soldier, the abandoned fiancée, an unnamed body and the young student determined to find the truth.
In 1886 famous English poet Edward Barrington moves from Derbyshire, England to a farm on the Finniss River, in South Australia. Two years later he disappears.
25 years later Archie Hargraves abandons his fiancée Clara and travels from England to meet with Edward’s widow, Rosalind. He plans to write a biography and make a name for himself, independent from his wealthy father. Returning to England in 1914 he abandons his work to join the war in Europe. His journal of notes from Australia is never released.
Ellie Cannon, a young PhD candidate at Sydney University, is writing a thesis on one of Barrington’s last known poems, The Fall. It’s not going well. Struggling with her relationship with her mother and loss of her father, Ellie is on the brink of failure.
Then a body is found by the Finniss River, 130 years after Edward’s disappearance. Could it be the famous poet?
The discovery draws Ellie into the worlds of Edward, Archie and Clara, taking her across Australia and England in her search for the truth.
Covering life in remote South Australia, the social pressures of 1900s Britain and the historical role of women, Widow’s Lace is an historical fiction, mystery cross-over dealing with themes of obsession, fear, love, inner-secrets and regret. But also the hope that can come from despair.
Head over to Oh look, another book! for a fabulous review.
Click HERE!
Tour Schedule

Welcome to Day #9 of the blog tour for A Sword Among Ravens (The Long-Hair Saga) by Cynthia Ripley Miller #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour @CRipleyMiller @inkjunkie1984 @TheBookBandits1

 

 

March 8th – March 19th 2021

Publication Date: 9th December 2020
Publisher: BookLocker
Page Length: 267 Pages
Genre: Romantic Historical Mystery
Amazon UK • Amazon US • Barnes & Noble
In a grave, on the edge of a Roman battlefield, an ancient sword has been discovered. Legend claims it belonged to King David of Israel and carries a curse—those who wield it will tragically die—but not the chosen.   
AD 455. Arria Felix and her husband, Garic the Frank, have safely delivered a sacred relic to Emperor Marcian in Constantinople. But now, Arria and Garic will accept a new mission. The emperor has asked them to carry the sword of King David of Israel to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem where Arria will dedicate it in her murdered father’s memory.
As Arria and Garic travel into the heart of the Holy Land, they face many challenges and dangers. Their young daughter is missing then found in the company of a strange and suspicious old monk. A brutal killer stalks their path. And a band of cold-blooded thieves is determined to steal the sword for their own gains. But when Arria confronts the question of where the sword should truly rest—old friendships, loyalties, and her duty are put to the test like never before. At every turn, Arria and Garic find themselves caught in a treacherous mission wrapped in mystery, murder, and A Sword Among Ravens.

We are stopping over on two amazing blogs today.
Our first stop is over Historical Fiction With Sprit, where you can have a sneak-peek between the covers.
Click HERE!
Our second stop is over on The Book Bandit's Library for a fabulous review.
Click HERE!
Tour Schedule

Welcome to Day #4 of the blog tour for The Test of Gold by Renee Yancy #HistoricalRomance #TheTestOfGold #BlogTour @YancyRenee @m_morganautho

 

Join The Coffee Pot Book Club on tour with...

The Test of Gold

By Renee Yancy

March 15th – March 26th 2021

Publication Date: 15 March 2021

Publisher: Vinspire Publishing

Page Length: 335 pages

Genre: Historical Romance

Raised in the shadow of a mother who defied convention, but won’t allow her own daughter the right to make the same choices, heiress Evangeline Lindenmayer has been groomed since childhood to marry into the British aristocracy. 

When Lindy challenges her mother’s long-laid plans by falling in love with a poor seminary student, the explosion is bigger than the Brooklyn Bridge fireworks on Independence Day.

We are starting this tour off with two reviews!

Head on over to Let Your Words Shine and find out 5 fun things you didn't know about author Renee Yancy!

The Test of Gold is on the spotlight over on Books, Lattes and Tiaras.

Click HERE!

Head over to Mary's Tavern for a fabulous guest post!

Click HERE!

Tour Schedule

Welcome to Day #1 of the blog tour for Embers by Josephine Greenland #Excerpt #YoungAdult #BlogTour @greenland_jm @maryanneyarde @MaddieS39950549

 

March 18th - May 20th 2021
Publication Date: 4th March 2021
Publisher: Unbound
Page Length: 336 Pages
Genre: Young Adult / Crime / Mystery
Amazon UK • Amazon US • Waterstones • UK Bookshop
Two siblings, one crime. One long-buried secret.   17-year-old Ellen never wanted a holiday. What is there to do in a mining town in the northernmost corner of the country, with no one but her brother Simon – a boy with Asperger’s and obsessed with detective stories – for company?   Nothing, until they stumble upon a horrifying crime scene that brings them into a generations-long conflict between the townspeople and the native Sami. When the police dismiss Simon’s findings, he decides to track down the perpetrator himself. Ellen reluctantly helps, drawn in by a link between the crime and the siblings’ own past. What started off as a tedious holiday soon escalates into a dangerous journey through hatred, lies and self-discovery that makes Ellen question not only the relationship to her parents, but also her own identity.
We are so excited to be taking Josephine Greenland's fabulous book, Embers on tour.
Our first stop of the tour is over on Oh look another book! where you can take a sneak-peek between the pages.
Click HERE!
Tour Schedule

Welcome to Day #7 of the blog tour for Jude & Bliss by Mal Foster #HistoricalFiction #Victorian @malfosterwriter @authorrochelle

 

FEBRUARY 4TH – APRIL 8TH 2021

Publication Date: 12 November 2020

Publisher: Publish Nation

Page Length: 234

Genre: Historical Fiction
Amazon UK • Amazon US • Book Depository

In the Victorian era, for many young women, going into domestic service was a significant source of employment where they found suitable work but with extended hours for a reasonable salary, receiving free accommodation as well as enjoying the perks and prestige of working for the aristocracy or other members of the upper or middle-classes. As a matter of course, employers had a moral obligation, but one without a legal requirement to ensure their servants were kept clean, healthy and well-nourished. However, for one poor girl, that, unfortunately, was not the case. In 1896, Jude Rogers, a wide-eyed but vulnerable sixteen-year-old from Woking, Surrey, secures a position as a domestic servant at a large terraced house in Half Moon Street, near London's Piccadilly. Following a brief settling-in period, she quickly realises everything is not quite as it seems. As time moves ruthlessly forward, what happens next is almost beyond comprehension. Jude finds herself in the most impossible of situations and finally succumbs to the pure evil dealt out by her employer. This story is NOT for the faint-hearted!
Today, we are stopping over on The Historical Fiction Blog
Click HERE!

Check out Donovan Cook's fabulous book — Son of Anger (The Ormstunga Saga, Book 1) #HistoricalFiction #Vikings @DonovanCook20

 

Publication Date: 12 November 2020
Publisher: Independently Published
Page Length: 347 pages
Genre: Medieval Historical Fiction

Ulf is like a storm, slowly building up its power, he grows more dangerous with each passing moment. And like all storms, he will eventually break. When he does, he will destroy everything in his path.

Ulf is one of a long line of famous Norse warriors. His ancestor Tyr was no ordinary man, but the Norse God of War. Ulf, however, knows nothing about being a warrior.

Everything changes when a stranger arrives on Ulf’s small farm in Vikenfjord. The only family he’s ever known are slaughtered and the one reminder of his father is stolen -- Ulf’s father’s sword, Ormstunga. Ulf’s destiny is decided.  

Are the gods punishing him? All Ulf knows is that he has to avenge his family. He sets off on an adventure that will take him across oceans, into the eye of danger, on a quest to reclaim his family’s honour. 

The gods are roused. One warrior can answer to them. The Son of Anger. 

Amazon UK • Amazon US • Barnes & Noble

Donovan Cook was born in South Africa, but raised in England. An English tutor working and living in Russia, he has been a fanatic reader of historical fiction his whole life. Prior to this, Donovan spent three years working on cruise ships, which gave him the opportunity to explore different countries and learn about their cultures. In his free time, Donovan enjoys reading, watching rugby, scuba diving and working on small DIY projects. His debut novel, Son of Anger, comes from a fascination of medieval history and an over-active imagination. 

Social Media Links:

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads