Mary Anne Yarde's Blog: The Coffee Pot Book Club , page 53

#BookReview — A Sword Among Ravens: Book #3 of The Long-Hair Saga by Cynthia Ripley Miller #HistoricalFiction #AncientRome @CRipleyMiller

  

A Heroine . . . A Mystery . . . A Mission

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.

“A curse on the one who wields David’s Sword and not be chosen…”

It was too late now for Lucius Valerius Marcian to heed the warning inscribed upon the blade of the ancient weapon, for he was dead.

With sword and fire, King David had besieged and conquered the Canaanite City of Jerusalem, so it seems only right that David’s Sword should be returned to the Holy City. But who could Emperor Flavius Valerius Marcian trust with such a sacred and dangerous mission? For he knew that many would pay good money to own such a holy relic.

Emperor Flavius Valerius Marcian can think of only one person whom he could entrust with such a sacred artefact and that was the wife of his late son, Arria Felix, and her new husband, Garic the Frank. 

However, Emperor Flavius Valerius Marcian may have just unwittingly given them a death sentence. For although Arria and Garic may seem inconspicuous, there are those who can see through their pretence, and they will stop at nothing to see that the sword comes into their possession.

Still, the curse on the sword is no fable. It is not a story to frighten children. It is very real, and it does not discriminate between those who have good intentions and those who have not…

Jerusalem – the meeting-place where it is said that God speaks to man is the evocative setting for Cynthia Ripley Miller’s fabulous new book, A Sword Among Ravens (Book Three of the Long-Hair Saga).

Oh, this book! It stirs the imagination of the reader and takes them back in time to an era where the Jews were barred from their Holy City, and even the most sacred of artefacts came with a price tag. Although fictional in the telling, the idea of a sacred Sword of David intrigued me. The secrets that the Sword of David concealed, and the power of the curse, made this book a gripping read from start to finish.

Arria and Garic’s journey to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is thwarted with difficulties and setbacks. Death also stalks them in the shadows and nobody is safe, not while the Sword of David is in their possession. The curse of this sword is seemingly two-fold – the original curse is that of legitimacy, approval, but the second is the value of the weapon — there are those who will willingly kill to possess it. The greed of man, the lengths that some are prepared to go to get their hands upon such a relic is explored in great depth, which made this book not only a wondrous adventure but it also made it a tale of morality. Was such a weapon worth a man’s life? Would it have been better if the weapon had remained in unconsecrated ground, lost and forgotten? Miller asks her readers these questions at the same time as she sweeps them away in a narrative that can only be described as enthralling. Miller has given her readers a book that is an exploration of human integrity on the one hand and dishonesty on the other. 

The incomparable grace of the terrestrial may be nothing when compared to the glory of the celestial, but Miller has given her readers a Jerusalem that is rich, vibrant, and very real in the telling. The historical detailing of this book has to be admired, for Miller demonstrates an understanding of the Holy City, and the religious tensions, of this period. Miller writes with not only a great deal of elegance but also authority, which brought this era back to life in all of its splendour, but also its darkness. Miller explores the cruel exclusion of the Jews from the Holy City and the dominance of the Christian religion during this time. Jerusalem is a city which has meant so much to so many for thousands of years, and this snap-shot in time gives the reader a small sense of what it must have been like all those years ago. The hours of research that have so obviously gone into this book have definitely been worth it. I thought Jerusalem’s depiction was exquisite. When history is written with such careful attention to the detail, then there is no such thing as too much, but saying that however, this is a book that feels right in its delivery. Miller has balanced the history and the story with a novelist’s intuition for what keeps a reader turning those pages.

There is a vast cast of characters in this book which is always a gamble, but in this case, it has certainly paid off. Miller has given a very balanced account of all of her characters – so be prepared to meet, and get to know, the protagonists and the antagonists as well. I loved this approach because Miller has given her readers an understanding of why her characters are compelled to do what they do. I thought this made the story all the more realistic in the telling, and it certainly made this book very hard to put down.

The protagonist in this story is Arria, who is a wonderfully brave and honest woman who serves her Emperor with unfailing loyalty. At times, this loyalty does put her at odds with one of her friends, who argues most elegantly about where the Sword of David really belongs. However, saying that, Arria does appreciate her friend’s argument, and she can understand where he is coming from, which endeared her to me. Likewise, Arria is a very forgiving woman — she is an advocate for second chances — and she feels compelled to help even those who are perhaps beyond help. This loving, gentle nature made her a protagonist that a reader can really appreciate and get behind. I thought that Arria’s portrayal was marvellous, and I enjoyed reading about her.

There are several antagonists in this tale, all of whom have their own reasons for wanting the Sword of David for themselves. But it was the portrayal of Kalev Ben Jonah, who goes by several aliases in this novel, that I found the most intriguing. He is determined to get his hands upon the sword no matter what, but like in the story of David and Goliath, he has no comprehension of what he is truly up against. I thought Kalev Ben Jonah’s depiction was compellingly complicated and absolutely fabulous.

Although this is Book 3 in the series, A Sword Among Ravens stands very firmly on its own two feet, so one can very confidently read it as a standalone. However, having read the previous books, I would have to say that you would be doing yourself a grave disservice if you did not start with Book 1 - On the Edge of Sunrise.

A Sword Among Ravens (Book Three of the Long-Hair Saga) by Cynthia Ripley Miller is tense, it is powerful, and I could not put it down. This book is a reward for any reader who enjoys quality Historical Fiction.

I Highly Recommend.

Review by Mary Anne Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club.

Released December 2020...!

Cynthia Ripley Miller is a first generation Italian-American writer with a love for history, languages, and books. She has lived in Europe and traveled extensively. She holds two degrees and taught history and English. Her short fiction has appeared in the anthology Summer Tapestry, at Orchard Press Mysteries.com and The Scriptor. A Ring of Honor-Circle of Books Award winner and Chanticleer International Chatelaine Award finalist. She has reviewed for UNRV Roman History, and blogs at Historical Happenings and Oddities: A Distant Focus and on her website.  
Cynthia is the author of On the Edge of Sunrise, The Quest for the Crown of Thorns, and A Sword Among Ravens, books 1-3 in her Long-Hair Saga series set in Late Ancient Rome, France, and Jerusalem. Cynthia lives outside of Chicago with her family, along with a cute but bossy cat. Also connect with Cynthia on: Twitter and Facebook. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Day #7 of the blog tour for Anke: The Beginning by Anas Hamshari and Caroline Snodgress #HistoricalFiction #ShortStories #CoffeePotBookClub @ExoticReads @CaigJamie

 

 

 

Anke: The Beginning

By Anas Hamshari and Caroline Snodgress

October 15th – December 17th 2020

Amazon

Publication Date: September 16th 2020

Publisher: Exotic Reads

Page Length: 111 eBook / 170 paperback

Genre: Historical Fiction

Living in the city of Mechelen, just south of once-prosperous Antwerp, in the aftermath of the Thirty Years’ War, Anke Verhaegen, an ambitious nineteen-year-old, is determined to make the most of her life.

When her brother Johan suggests crossing the Atlantic to New Netherland, Anke knows this is her destiny. Together, the two set about attempting to secure passage across the sea.

Before long, their plans are in motion, and hopes are high. Yet, with vengeful enemies, secrecy, and danger on the high sea waiting to be faced, will Anke really be able to secure a better life for herself?

Today we are over on The Whispering Bookworm for an exclusive interview with Anas Hamshari and Caroline Snodgress.

Click HERE!

Welcome to Day #6 of the blog tour for Bright Helm (The Byrhtnoth Chronicles: Book 4) by Christine Hancock #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @YoungByrhtnoth @ADarnGoodRead

 

BRIGHT HELM
(THE BYRHTNOTH CHRONICLES: BOOK 4)
BY CHRISTINE HANCOCK
OCTOBER 22ND – 24TH DECEMBER 2020AMAZON UK • AMAZON US

Separated by anger and unanswered questions, Byrhtnoth and Saewynn are brought together by a tragic death.

Re-united, they set out on an epic voyage to discover the final truth about his father. 

The journey takes them far to the north, to Orkney, swathed in the mists of treachery, and to Dublin’s slave markets where Byrhtnoth faces a fateful decision.

 How far will he go, to save those he cares for?

Today we are over on A Darn Good Read where Christine Hancock is talking about the inspiration behind her fabulous novel.

Click HERE!

Welcome to Day #5 of the blog tour for - Three Monkeys (DCI Jack Callum Mysteries Book 1) by Len Maynard #HistoricalFiction #Crime @len_maynard @jroberts1324

Three Monkeys

(DCI JACK CALLUM MYSTERIES BOOK 1)BY LEN MAYNARD
OCTOBER 28TH – DECEMBER 30TH  2020AMAZON UK • AMAZON US

Publication Date: 22nd July 2020

Publisher: Sharpe Books

Page Length: 270 Pages

Genre: Historical Crime

1958.

A girl’s body is found in Hertfordshire.

Her eyes and mouth have been sewn shut. Candle wax has been poured into her ears to seal them.

DCI Jack Callum, policeman and dedicated family man, who cut his teeth walking the beat on the violent streets of London, before moving his family away from the city, to a safer, more restful life in the country, leads the investigation into this gruesome crime that shatters the peace of the sleepy English town.

Images of three monkeys are sent to the police to taunt them: see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. Something more sinister than a mere isolated murder seems to be going on as more victims come to light.

Who is doing this and why?

At the insistence of the first victim’s father, a local dignitary, officers from Scotland Yard are brought in to bring about a speedy conclusion to the case, side-lining Jack’s own investigation.

In a nail-biting climax, one of Jack’s daughters is snatched. Before she can become the next victim, Jack has to go against the orders of his superiors that have constantly hampered his investigation, and risk his own career in an attempted rescue at the killer’s own home.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Len Maynard was born in North London in 1953.

In 1978, a book of short ghost stories, written in collaboration with Michael Sims, was published by London publisher William Kimber. For the following forty years the pair wrote ten more collections of ghost stories before moving into novels in 2006, completing over thirty more books, including the successful Department 18 series of supernatural/crime crossover novels as well as several standalone novels and novellas in the supernatural and crime genres. Always a keen reader of crime novels, and with a passion for the social history of the twentieth century it was fairly inevitable that, when he decided to branch out and write under his own name, some kind of combination of these two interests would occur.  The six DCI Jack Callum Mysteries were the result of several years of total immersion in the world he created for Jack Callum, his family, his friends (and enemies) and his work colleagues. He has also written a trilogy of adventure thrillers set in the Bahamas (also available from Sharpe Books) He is currently at work on the seventh book in the DCI Jack Callum series.

Check out today's blog tour stop over on The Books Delight!

Click HERE!

Welcome to Day #7 of the virtual blog tour for The Brittle Sea by Tom Kane #HistoricalFiction #TheBrittleSea #Titanic @TigerBites @LombardEmma

The Brittle SeaBy Tom Kane
OCTOBER 14TH – DECEMBER 16TH 2020AMAZON (KINDLE) • AMAZON (PAPERBACK) 

Publication Date: 19th June 2020

Publisher: TigerBites

Print Length: 295 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

The Titanic disaster is the catalyst that sparks a bloody feud between two families in early 20th century America.

Magda Asparov is travelling from her home in the Ukraine to be the chosen bride of American businessman Matthew Turner III. But the ill-fated voyage of the unsinkable ship has far reaching consequences for her and her savior.

Magda has lost her memory and a new personality, Maggie, has taken hold. The Captain of her rescue ship, Richard Blackmore, has fallen for Maggie.

A mental illness, betrayal, murder, and corruption destroy Blackmore's life until all that remains is for him to seek revenge.

Today we're stopping over Emma Lombard's Official Blog for a sneak-peek between the covers of The Brittle Sea.

Click HERE!

Welcome to Day #10 of the blog tour for The Sign of the Blood (A Dangerous Emperor, Book #1) by Laurence O'Bryan #BlogTour #HistFic @LPOBryan @CraftygasheadZo @pamlecky

 

 THE SIGN OF THE BLOOD

(A DANGEROUS EMPEROR, BOOK #1)BY LAURENCE O'BRYAN
SEPTEMBER 22ND – NOVEMBER 24TH 2020
AMAZON

Publication Date: 22nd November 2018

Publisher: Ardua 

Print Length: 469 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

The first Christian emperor faces ruthless enemies on his journey to power.

Cool mist settles over the legion advancing toward the Persian army. Constantine, the son of an emperor, the Roman officer leading the attack, tells his men to halt - something is wrong.

Before long, the battle rages. He frees a slave named Juliana. She is half Persian and half Roman. As they are pursued to Britannia over land and sea, he learns that she can see the future - his future.

It is 306A.D., long before Constantine the Great converted to Christianity and became the first Christian emperor.

To ensure he survives, he must eliminate his enemies. But who must die first? The priestess, Sybellina, who joined them in Rome and practices dark and seductive magic? Or the brutal legion commanders who surround his father? Or, as Juliana suspects, are those who want him dead even closer?

A gripping historical novel about Constantine’s bloody rise to power, the woman who helped him, and the real reason he supported a persecuted Christian minority, a decision which changed the world into the one we know. 

Head over to Pam Lecky’s Official Blog where you can have a sneak-peek between the covers of The Sign of the Blood.

Click HERE!

Our final stop of the tour is over on Zoe's Art, Craft & Life for a fabulous review.

Click HERE!

Welcome to Day #8 of the blog tour for A Feigned Madness by Tonya Mitchell #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @tremmitchell @cathiedunn

 

  

  

A Feigned Madness

 By Tonya Mitchell

October 6th — December 8th 2020

Amazon UK • Amazon US 

Publication Date: 6th October 2020
Publisher: Cynren Press
Print Length: 392 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Thriller

The insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island is a human rat trap. It is easy to get in, but once there it is impossible to get out. —Nellie Bly

Elizabeth Cochrane has a secret. 

She isn’t the madwoman with amnesia the doctors and inmates at Blackwell’s Asylum think she is.

In truth, she’s working undercover for the New York World. When the managing editor refuses to hire her because she’s a woman, Elizabeth strikes a deal: in exchange for a job, she’ll impersonate a lunatic to expose a local asylum’s abuses.

When she arrives at the asylum, Elizabeth realizes she must make a decision—is she there merely to bear witness, or to intervene on behalf of the abused inmates? Can she interfere without blowing her cover? As the superintendent of the asylum grows increasingly suspicious, Elizabeth knows her scheme—and her dream of becoming a journalist in New York—is in jeopardy.

A Feigned Madness is a meticulously researched, fictionalized account of the woman who would come to be known as daredevil reporter Nellie Bly. At a time of cutthroat journalism, when newspapers battled for readers at any cost, Bly emerged as one of the first to break through the gender barrier—a woman who would, through her daring exploits, forge a trail for women fighting for their place in the world.

Check out what Ruins and Reading has to say about A Feigned Madness:

"A Feigned Madness is a story that stays in your mind. You can't help but compare her discovery to our present world, and the many injustices that still go on around us. Elizabeth is a forceful, determined character, but she is portrayed with a modern and social outlook that many of us can identify with.

A highly recommended read that I will revisit again..."

You can read the rest of the review 

HERE!

Welcome to Day #2 of the Blog Tour of — Betrayal #histfictioneers #Betrayal #HistoricalFiction #CoffeePotBookClub @HistFictioneers @LisaReadsBooks

 

BETRAYAL
BY JUDITH ARNOPP, CRYSSA BAZOS, ANNA BELFRAGE, DEREK BIRKS,HELEN HOLLICK, AMY MARONEY, ALISON MORTON, CHARLENE NEWCOMB, TONY RICHES, MERCEDES ROCHELLE, ELIZABETH ST. JOHN, ANNIE WHITEHEAD

NOVEMBER 17TH - JANUARY 19TH

Publication Date: November 17, 2020

Publisher: Historical Fictioneers

Page Length: 486

Genre: Historical Fiction

Betrayal, treachery, treason, deceit, perfidy—all names for the calculated violation of trust. And it’s been rife since humans trod the earth. A promise broken A mission betrayed A lover’s desertion A parent’s deception An unwitting act of treason Betrayal by comrades Betrayal by friends Could you resist the forces of misplaced loyalty, power hunger, emotional blackmail, or plain greed? Is there ever redemption, or will the destruction visit future generations and even alter history? These questions are still with us today. Read twelve tales by twelve accomplished writers who explore these historical yet timeless challenges from post Roman Britain to the present day.

Our second stop of the tour is over on Madwoman in the Attic where you can check out a fabulous review of Betrayal.
Click HERE!

Welcome to Day #1 of the blog tour for Discovery (The Orphan Train Saga, Book 1) by Sherry A. Burton #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour @SherryABurton @ADarnGoodRead

 

DISCOVERY THE ORPHAN TRAIN SAGA, BOOK 1 BY SHERRY A. BURTON

NOVEMBER 18TH – JANUARY 20TH 2021
AMAZON UK • AMAZON US • BARNES & NOBLE

Book Title: Discovery

Series: The Orphan Train Saga, Book 1

Author: Sherry A. Burton

Publication Date: December 25, 2018

Publisher: Dorry Press

Print Length: 229 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

While most use their summer breaks for pleasure, third grade teacher Cindy Moore is using her summer vacation to tie up some loose ends concerning her grandmother’s estate. When Cindy enters the storage unit that holds her grandmother’s belongings, she is merely looking for items she can sell to recoup some of the rental fees she’s spent paying for the unit.

Instead, what she finds are secrets her grandmother has taken to the grave with her. The more Cindy uncovers, the more she wants to know. Why was her grandmother abandoned by her own mother? Why hadn’t she told Cindy she’d lived in an orphanage? And how come her grandmother never mentioned she’d made history as one of the children who rode the Orphan Trains?

Join Cindy as she uncovers her grandmother’s hidden past and discovers the life that stole her grandmother’s love.
Take a sneak-peek between the covers of Discovery over on A Darn Good Read.
Click HERE!

Welcome to Day #9 of the blog tour for he Queen's Almoner by Tonya Ulynn Brown #HistoricalFiction #TheQueensAlmoner #BlogTour @MrsBrownee2U @authorrochelle

 

The Queen's AlmonerBy Tonya Ulynn Brown

September 28th – 30th November 2020Amazon UK • Amazon US • Barnes and Noble

Publication Date: June 30, 2020

Publisher: Late November Literary  

Print Length: 320 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Sometimes loyalty to the queen comes at a cost.

Thomas Broune is a Reformer and childhood friend of the young queen, Mary Stuart. When Mary embarks on a new life in her estranged homeland of Scotland, Thomas is there to greet her and offer his renewed friendship. But the long-time friends grow closer, and Thomas realizes his innocent friendship has grown into something more. Yet he is a man of the cloth. Mary is the queen of the Scots. Both of them have obligations of an overwhelming magnitude: he to his conscience and she to her throne. 

When he must choose between loyalty to his queen or his quiet life away from her court, he finds that the choice comes at a high price. Driven by a sense of obligation to protect those he loves, and crippled by his inability to do so, Thomas must come to terms with the choices he has made and find a peace that will finally lay his failures to rest.
Today we are stoping over on The Historical Fiction Blog for a review.
Click HERE!