Mary Anne Yarde's Blog: The Coffee Pot Book Club , page 66
October 5, 2020
Welcome to Day#2 of the blog tour for The Queen's Almoner by Tonya Ulynn Brown #HistoricalFiction #TheQueensAlmoner #BlogTour @MrsBrownee2U @Beatric09625662
The Queen's Almoner
By Tonya Ulynn Brown
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.
We are stopping over on the fabulous Candlelight Reading today for a sneak-peek between the covers of The Queen's Almoner!
Click HERE!
October 4, 2020
Book Review: Footprints in the Sand (The Lucy Lawrence Mysteries Book 2) by Pam Lecky #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalThriller @pamlecky
Footprints in the Sand
(The Lucy Lawrence Mysteries Book 2)
By Pam Lecky
Cairo 1887
A melting pot of jealousy, lust and revenge. Who will pay the ultimate price?
Lucy Lawrence throws caution to the wind and embarks on a journey of self-discovery to the land of the pharaohs.
Travelling to Cairo as the patron of the charming French Egyptologist, Armand Moreau, Lucy discovers an archaeological community plagued by professional rivalries and intrigue. It is soon apparent that the thriving black market in antiquities threatens Egypt’s precious heritage.
When the Egyptian Museum is burgled, Lucy is determined to solve the case, much to the annoyance of the local inspector of police, and the alarm of Mary, her maid. But when an archaeologist is found murdered in the Great Pyramid, Lucy is catapulted into the resulting maelstrom. Can she keep her wits about her to avoid meeting a similar fate?
“As a patron you could be one of the first to enter a tomb last sealed thousands of years ago. The first to see a pharaoh’s treasures. Perhaps hold in your hand a sacred scarab revealed in the wrappings of a mummy.”
It sounded so exciting, so glamourous. How could she possibly refuse? And besides, French Egyptologist, Armand Moreau, could be very persuasive, and Lucy Lawrence had always been fascinated with history and archaeology. To go to Egypt, to be a part of an archaeological dig was a childhood dream. This was her one chance to make that dream come true.
Despite her maid’s misgivings, Lucy sets off on an adventure of a lifetime. But an archaeological dig is not as romantic as Moreau had made it out to be. Underneath the Egyptian sun, Lucy finds herself in the middle of an archaeological feud between Moreau and his English rival, Reginald Whitmore. To make matters worse, someone is stealing artefacts from the dig and selling them on the black market.
Surrounded by rogues and charlatans, Lucy is determined to embrace every single second of this foreign yet fascinating world. Unbeknownst to Lucy, however, there is more than professional rivalry and reputation at stake. Someone is out for revenge, and they will not be content until they have it…
With flawless attention to the period that this book is set in along with a propulsive plot that grabs the reader from the opening sentence and takes them forever onward to its dramatic climax, Footprints in the Sand (The Lucy Lawrence Mysteries Book 2) by Pam Lecky is an example of Historical Fiction at its very best.
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series, No Stone Unturned, I was really looking forward to reading the second book in The Lucy Lawrence Mysteries Series. I was anticipating a wonderful read, but Lecky has exceeded all of my expectations. From a perfectly respectable hotel in Nice, France, to the majestic beauty of the pyramids at Giza, Lecky has presented her readers with a novel that is as enthralling as it is addictive — I simply could not put it down. The adventure, the sense of time and place, along with the gripping narrative, enthralled me from the opening sentence to the very last full-stop. This is the kind of book that keeps giving—a real treat for lovers of quality Historical Thrillers.
Unlike most Historical Thrillers, the protagonist in this series is a woman — and how refreshing that is! Lucy is a rather meddlesome woman who always wants to be in the thick of the action, which leads to some rather unfortunate and dangerous incidents. Despite the fragility of her sex, the era the book is set in, and the perils that she faces, Lucy strives ever onwards to discover the truth and to unearth the villains. At times, this puts her at odds with the police, who would rather she left the detective work to them. But even poor Inspector Vauquelin realises that he cannot keep the redoubtable Madame Lawrence, from poking her nose into business that she has no right to pry into! However, I think her inability to leave something alone, makes her incredibly appealing to the reader.
There is an amazing cast of colourful characters in this book, and Lecky ensures that her readers care about them all – even those whose actions are delightfully suspicious. One of my favourite secondary characters is Lucy’s disgruntled maid, Mary. Mary is dragged from pillar to post by the whims of her mistress, and she makes it quite clear she is not happy about it. I thought Mary's depiction was fabulous – and her reaction to Egypt and the pyramids could not have been more different than Lucy’s! Through Mary, Lecky also demonstrates the class structure of the 19th Century. Lucy does not take into consideration Mary’s wishes at all, despite Mary’s obvious distaste for Egypt and her desperate desire to go home. At times this made Lucy appear incredibly self-centred in her approach to her maid, which I thought was very telling of the time. However, despite this, Mary is unfailingly loyal. When Lucy’s world is turned upside down, Mary is the one constant, and for that reason, I adored her.
Another character that caught my eye was the charismatic Frenchman, Armand Moreau. Moreau could charm the birds out of the tree if he had a mind to. He is one of those people who somehow makes the day seem brighter just by being alive, and for that reason, women hold him in high esteem — at least they do when they first meet him. But despite the broken hearts he leaves behind, he is married to his job. His passion, his excitement, is contagious and it was very easy to understand why Lucy became so enthralled with his project. However, as is often the case, Moreau has secrets, and as Lucy slowly discovers these secrets, she has to ask herself if she ever really knew him at all. Moreau was a character that drove this story forward. I thought his depiction was brilliant.
There are several antagonists in this book, but like all good thrillers, they are not always obvious. When I thought I had figured out who the antagonists were, Lecky would pull me up short, with a fabulous plot twist – this is a novel that kept me guessing right up until that final moment.
As I have already touched upon, the historical backdrop of this book is wonderfully portrayed. Lecky’s knowledge of not only the late 19th Century but also the history of ancient Egypt shines through in every single page. I really did feel like I had fallen through time and found myself in the 19th Century. Luckily, I had a very competent tour guide in Lecky.
Footprints in the Sand (The Lucy Lawrence Mysteries Book 2) by Pam Lecky is a dazzling book that is not only an immensely pleasurable one to read but the ending is also extremely satisfying. I truly hope there are more books to come in this beguiling series.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club
Pick up your copy of
Footsteps in the Sand
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Pam Lecky
Pam Lecky is an Irish historical fiction author, writing crime, mystery, romance and the supernatural. Pam is represented by the Hardman & Swainson Literary Agency in London. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Society of Authors and has a particular love of the late Victorian era/early 20th Century.
Her debut novel, The Bowes Inheritance, was awarded the B.R.A.G Medallion; shortlisted for the Carousel Aware Prize 2016; and long-listed for the Historical Novel Society 2016 Indie Award.
Her short stories are available in an anthology, entitled Past Imperfect, which was published in April 2018.
June 2019, will see the release of the first book in the Lucy Lawrence Mystery series, No Stone Unturned, a fast-paced Victorian mystery/crime, set in London and Yorkshire. The sequel, Footprints in the Sand will be released later this year.
Connect with Pam:
Website • Amazon • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram
October 1, 2020
Check out Natalia Richards' fabulous book — The Falcon’s Flight: A novel of Anne Boleyn, Book #2 #HistoricalFiction #Tudors @nat_wieczorek
The Falcon’s Flight
By Natalia Richards
Anne Boleyn's life is threatened, intrigue, gossip and treachery abound, and her destiny is finally revealed.
A young Anne Boleyn and her sister are sent to Paris to attend Mary Tudor, the new Queen of France. Unclear where her loyalties should lie, Anne soon makes an enemy of the queen. When the widowed Mary returns to England, Anne stays on in France to serve the new queen, Claude, but Anne's sister's actions put the girls' new court career at risk.
A dangerous love affair follows and Anne finds an unlikely ally in the French king's mistress.
But nothing ever goes to plan...
The Falcon’s Flight is the second part of Natalia Richard’s vivid retelling of Anne Boleyn’s early life. Book one, The Falcon’s Rise, vividly portrayed Anne’s early life in England, and at Mechelen with Margaret of Austria. The Falcon’s Flight takes us on to Anne’s ever eventful life on the continent.
Pick up your copy of
The Falcon’s Flight
Add The Falcon's Flight to your 'to-read' list on
Natalia Richards
As a curator and historian for over 30 years, Natalia have worked in many museums in Derbyshire and later in London. She also worked free-lance for the History Channel USA as a researcher, co-ordinator, and interviewer on the award-winning production 'Secrets of War.' However, her passion since a very early age has been the study of the Tudors, particularly Anne Boleyn and the court of King Henry VIII.
She did not begin writing seriously until around 2008 and originally planned to write about Anne Boleyn at the English court. However, a great deal had already been written about this period, and she began to look at Anne’s earlier life from the period 1500 to 1514. Since research as a curator has always been Natalia’s passion, she wanted to write as factual a novel as possible and spent years visiting sites such as Blickling in Norfolk, Hever Castle, Rochford Manor, and the palace of Margaret of Austria, in Mechelen, just outside Brussels. It was here that Anne was sent as a young maid-of-honour, and Natalia was honoured to gain access to rooms not normally open to the public. The result of her research was The Falcon's Rise, her first book. She has followed it up with part two The Falcon's Flight, covering the period 1514-1521, which will be published on 19 May 2020. She had a wonderful time in France researching this book and visiting the château Anne herself knew. She hopes you enjoy reading about these places as much as she enjoyed writing about them.
In her spare time, Natalia loves travelling, rambling, and visiting historic houses, as well as constantly reading and researching the Tudor period.
Connect with Natalia: Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram.
Title: The Falcon’s Flight
Author: Natalia Richards
Publication Date: 19th May 2020
Publisher: MadeGlobal Publishing
Page Length: 474 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Take a sneak-peek between the covers of Judith Arnopp's fabulous book — The Heretic Wind: the life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England #HistoricalFiction #Tudors@JudithArnopp
The Heretic Wind:
the life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England
By Judith Arnopp
Adored by her parents and pampered by the court, the infant Princess Mary’s life changes suddenly and drastically when her father’s eye is taken by the enigmatic Anne Boleyn.
Mary stands firm against her father’s determination to destroy both her mother’s reputation, and the Catholic church. It is a battle that will last throughout both her father’s and her brother’s reign until she is almost broken by persecution. When King Edward falls ill and dies Mary expects to be crowned queen.
But she has reckoned without John Dudley, the Duke of Northumberland, who before Mary can act, usurps her crown and places it on the head of her Protestant cousin, Lady Jane Grey.
Furious and determined not to be beaten, Mary musters a vast army at Framlingham Castle; a force so strong that Jane Grey’s supporters crumble in the face of it, and Mary is at last crowned Queen of England.
But her troubles are only just beginning. Rebellion and heresy take their toll both on Mary’s health, and on the English people. Suspecting she is fatally ill, and desperate to save her people from heresy, Mary steps up her campaign to compel her subjects to turn back to the Catholic faith.
All who resist will face punishment for heresy in the flames of the Smithfield fires.
Excerpt
In the following excerpt Mary has been sent to Hatfield to serve in the household of the Princess Elizabeth. She has just been informed that the king is visiting the palace and she must stay in her chamber as he does not wish to see her.
“The gentlemen from court are here, my lady and my lord Cromwell wishes to speak to you.”
“Indeed,” I raise my brows in surprise. I had thought I was to remain here in my chamber but I do not contradict her. Hastily, I straighten my hood and arrange my tired gown before following the girl downstairs to a dark antechamber in a little used part of the house. They are so determined that my father shall not see me that they keep me hidden, like a dirty secret.
Cromwell and another man wait at the hearth, neither bow to me when I enter. I firm my chin, lift my head and look down my nose at them. I am Mary Tudor. I am not some kowtowing girl to be so rudely used.
“I hope you are in good health, Lady Mary.”
I can scarcely prevent my lip from curling into a snarl when I make reply.
“I am not, sir. I am most rudely treated and grieving for the company of my mother, as well you know. My chamber is not befitting to my station and my gowns are too small and need replacing. The servants here are rude. Anne Shelton treats me as her inferior.”
Cromwell smiles insincerely, his face creasing into peaks and furrows. He clasps his hands as if he is about to pray … to the devil I presume.
“Lady Mary, you are disobedient to the king’s wishes. If you wish your circumstances to improve then you must denounce your title and acknowledge the king’s union with your mother was illegal. Then and only then, will you be taken again into your father’s favour …”
“As his bastard.”
He inclines his head. “The marriage was no marriage, your birth no different to that of your brother, Fitzroi yet, look at the benefices he receives. Your father honours him as his son, as he would honour you as his daughter if you would only cease to be so stubborn.”
“I was born within wedlock, sir, I am no bastard! My mother is a God faring woman, she would never stoop to immorality. She is a princess of Spain and the rightful Queen of England and would never lie!”
He throws open his hands, revealing red work-worn palms and I remember he is the son of a blacksmith. What times are we living in when the son of a blacksmith can grind a princess of the realm into the dust? I stand a little straighter.
“You waste your time, sir, with your bullying and bombast. You do not frighten me. You can mistreat me all you like; you can send me to the tower and threaten me with death but I will never renounce my title or my position as the true born princess of the realm and my father’s legitimate heir.”
His face pales, his lips a slash of bitter red and I know he silently curses me. I curse him in return. As he opens his mouth to speak, I forestall him, stepping forward and looking directly into his shifty eye.
“I wish to greet my father, sir. Pray inform that the Princess Mary await his convenience.”
He smirks and thrusts his face closer, his tainted breath blasting directly into mine. “Oh no, Lady Mary. You shall not see the king. You will remain here at Hatfield and see nobody until you do as I say. You will serve the infant princess and I shall instruct Lady Shelton to heap any humiliation she pleases onto your head. Until you realise that you have no claim on your father, you will be kept away from him. I am confident that he will neither miss nor even enquire as to your health. He has a new heir now.”
He pushes past me so violently I almost lose my footing. The chamber door clangs closed behind him, the sound of it reverberating through the hall, through my body, and lodging deep in the darkest places of my mind. I clench my trembling hands. He will pay for this, one day. As God is my witness, he will pay.
When the sounds of their footsteps have faded away, I pick up my skirts and run from the chamber, skim swiftly through the corridors to the upper floor, and tumble onto the terrace where I sometimes take the air. They might refuse to convey to the king my entreaty for a meeting but he shall see me. I will make sure of it. This terrace overlooks the front of the house, I need only linger here until it is time for him to leave and then …
Hours pass and I am quite cold before the doors open and household spills down the steps to wave the king on his way. His horse is brought from the stable, he sidesteps, tossing his head and chomping on the bit. He is fresh from waiting around in the stable and the groom struggles to keep him steady. Father will enjoy a heady gallop back to court.
A babble of fawning conversation floats up to me, a chorus of laughter. I lean over the edge but all I can see is the fluttering feather on his cap and then his voice, louder than the rest, drifts up to where I am waiting. I close my eyes, and glory in the sound of it.
Clinging to the balustrade, I stand tiptoe to gain a better view. He seems smaller from my advantage point, shrunken somehow yet his hair is as bright, his shoulders just as wide as I remember. The big brave laughing man of my childhood. Despite everything, I smile.
He has one arm thrown around Cromwell’s shoulder, listening as the obnoxious toad spits poison into his ear. Father nods and smiles again before raising his hand to Lady Shelton who falls into a deep curtsey of farewell, her black skirts pooling around her like a puddle of oil. My heart leaps as he turns away, seizes the pommel, and takes a last look round. He is leaving! He cannot leave!
I lean further forward, raise my hands, call out and wave frantically. “Father! Father!”
At the last moment the movement catches his eye and he hesitates, lets go the saddle and for a moment, as if frozen to the spot, he looks at me. Our eyes lock, his face drooping into a thousand sorrows. As my heart breaks, my mouth turns upside down and my grief and longing for him emerges in a wail of misery. I blink to clear my eyes and, lifting my fingers to my lips, I capture a kiss within them and let it fly toward him. It is an old game we used to play and unable to help himself he reaches out … and catches it.
Pick up your copy of
The Heretic Wind
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Judith Arnopp
Judith Arnopp’s historical fiction is set in the Tudor period featuring prominent women like Margaret Beaufort, Anne Boleyn, and Mary Tudor but she also includes prostitutes, nuns and spies who made up the underbelly of Tudor England.
Her favourite reader comment is that the characters seem to ‘walk off the page, take you by the hand and lead into their world.’ This is precisely what Judith set out to do.
After studying medieval history to masters level at university ten years ago she began writing professionally and in that time has produced twelve HF books, contributed to several non-fiction anthologies and takes part in author workshops and talks on the Tudor period. She also makes Tudor clothing and is a keen gardener. Judith is currently working on a novel written from the point of view of Henry VIII himself entitled, A Matter of Conscience: the Aragon Years. It should be available early in 2021.
Her novels include:
The Heretic Wind: the life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England
Sisters of Arden: on the Pilgrimage of Grace
The Beaufort Bride: Book one – the life of Lady Margaret Beaufort
The Beaufort Woman: Book two -the life of Lady Margaret Beaufort
The King’s Mother: Book Three -the life of Lady Margaret Beaufort
A Song of Sixpence: the story of Elizabeth of York
Intractable Heart: the story of Katheryn Parr
The Kiss of the Concubine: a story of Anne Boleyn
The Winchester Goose: at the court of Henry VIII
Connect with Judith:
Website • Twitter • Instagram • Facebook
Title: The Heretic Wind:the life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England
Author: Judith Arnopp
Publication Date: January 26, 2020
Publisher: Independently Published
Page Length: 330 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Check out Barbara Monajem's fabulous #NewRelease — Lord Bellweather's Lady: A Magical Regency Romance #RegencyRomance @BarbaraMonajem
Lord Bellweather's Lady
A Magical Regency Romance
By Barbara Monajem
How does a lady escape a fate worse than death? She runs away to the fairies...
When Augusta Furlough flees her vile brother to plead with the fairies to take her in, she’s rescued by a handsome stranger on a huge, dark charger, and whisked away to his home. Grateful but suspicious of his motives, she’s determined to leave and try the fairies once again.
Lord Bellweather, the half-human liaison with the fairies, spent most of his youth in their realm. Now he’s taking his place in the human world and must adapt to its peculiar customs. What better prospect for marriage than a delightful lady who understands human society and also believes in fairies?
But it’s not that simple, for Augusta is branded a madwoman, and Bellweather is also part hellhound, a ferocious otherworldly beast with which not even a desperate madwoman could fall in love.
Excerpt
Forced to choose between marriage to a diseased libertine or confinement in a lunatic asylum, Augusta leaves her vile brother’s house to plead with the fairies to take her in. But a strange man stops her, and then her brother pursues her. She flees into the ocean, and the waves hurl her against the treacherous rocks known as the Devil’s Maw.
Augusta woke to find herself hanging head-down over the shoulder of a whistling man. For a while she did nothing, muzzy and tired but feeling extraordinarily safe. Which made no sense at all….
She snapped wide awake. She clutched at the man’s wet shirt and twisted her head round. Far below, waves pounded; they must be almost at the top of the cliffs.
He was taking her home.
“No!” she cried. “Put me down!”
“What, awake already?”
She squirmed in his grasp, straining upward. “Let me go!”
“Stay still,” he ordered. “It won’t be much longer. My horse is waiting. He’s a big fellow—won’t mind in the least carrying both of us.”
She dug her hands into his sides and heaved, which proved useless, as she flopped helplessly back down again. “I won’t go with you,” she panted. “I won’t.” She flailed and squirmed, and got several good blows on his backside, but again it did no good. “Why didn’t you let me die, you stupid beast?” How had he managed to get her free of the Giant’s Maw?
“Are you sure you want to die? I got the impression you didn’t.” She felt his shrug under her belly. “I suppose I could toss you back in the drink.”
The man was talking like a lunatic. Did she sound like that to people? “Let me down, for God’s sake. I can’t speak properly when my nose keeps bumping your coat.”
He swung her up with a grunt, but kept a firm grip on her, carrying her like a baby now. “There we go. Is that better?”
Yes, but all that heaving and swinging made her dizzy, and it was most disconcerting to be held in this man’s arms, his face so close to hers. It was too dark to see him properly, but she could tell he was smiling. His long, fair hair hung in wet clumps, and his eyes shone oddly in the moonlight. “Put me down,” she commanded. “I must leave at once.”
“Leaving is what we’re doing. There’s my faithful charger.” A huge, dark horse came into view at the top of the path, snorting a greeting. “Look what I found, Agamemnon. A lady! We’re taking her home.”
“No!” Augusta grabbed the man’s hair and yanked, and abruptly he let her go. She landed hard on the turf, but clambered up and backed away from him. “I can’t go home. You must believe me. It means certain death.”
“Are you quite sure?” he said. “It seems frightfully unlikely—” He broke off at the sound of blundering footsteps. Two men burst into sight, their lantern bobbing crazily.
Augusta fled, scrambling through the gorse, seeking a path, any path. The moon went behind a cloud, and she ran blindly on.
“You there!” Jonathan shouted. “Catch her. She’s a dangerous lunatic. She must be subdued at all costs.”
Sobbing with terror now, Augusta lunged for the cliffs. Path or no path, she was going over the edge. Hooves pounded behind her, merciless in their approach. She leapt crazily outward, but a powerful arm scooped her out of the air. She screamed and sobbed. “Let me go, let me die!”
Her persecutor slowed his horse. “Stop struggling, woman. I have you safe.” With both hands he pulled her close against him, while Agamemnon sidled beneath them.
She bit his ear, hard.
“Ouch!” But he didn’t let go, controlling both her and the horse with ease. “I said, I have you safe.”
Longing rolled through her, an urge to believe him and to give in, but that was absurd. She wasn’t safe at all. “Please release me,” she wept. “Please.”
“Excellent, my good man.” At Jonathan’s hated voice, terror washed through her again. “Hand her over. We’ll take care of her from now on.”
“Hand her over, after I went to all the trouble of rescuing her, not only once but twice? I think not.”
He wasn’t going to give her to her brother? Augusta gaped at him, shivering uncontrollably.
“What the devil?” Jonathan stormed closer. “Don’t be a fool. She’s my sister.”“No, please, no, please, no, please.” She was whispering now, burying her face against the man.
He tightened his arm. “Is that so? Well then, you’re no competition at all. Up, Agamemnon. Let’s go.”
Jonathan ran now, shaking his fist. “Give her to me!”
“No,” the man said. “She’s mine now—the spoils of war, the victor’s prize, et cetera. She’s going home with me.”
~~~
Miss Furlough sagged against Worthington, out like a snuffed candle. There had been a bit of a delay in the spell’s taking effect. She’d woken much too soon from the previous one as well. He must be out of practice.
Meanwhile, the irate brother plunged toward them through the gorse, his servant with the lantern lumbering behind. It was most amusing. With a flick of his fingers, he put out their lantern. Simple magic. Let them stumble home in the dark.
He wheeled Agamemnon and rode away.
Pick up your copy of Lord Bellweather's LadyAmazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU •Kobo • Barnes and NobleAdd Lord Bellweather's Ladyto your 'to-read' list on Goodreads
Barbara Monajem
Barbara Monajem wrote her first story at eight years old about apple tree gnomes. She published a middle-grade fantasy when her children were young, then moved on to mystery, fantasy, and Regency romance for adults. She lives near Atlanta, Georgia with an ever-shifting population of relatives, friends, and feline strays.
Connect with Barbara:Website • Facebook • Twitter • BookBub Author Page • Goodreads.
Publication Date: October 1st 2020Publisher: Independently PublishedPage Length: 220 PagesGenre: Regency Romance
September 30, 2020
Have a sneak-peek between the covers of Carrie Callaghan's fabulous book — Salt the Snow #BiographicalFiction #Historical @CarrieCallaghan
Salt the Snow
By Carrie Callaghan
American journalist Milly Bennett has covered murders in San Francisco, fires in Hawaii, and a civil war in China, but 1930s Moscow presents her greatest challenge yet. When her young Russian husband is suddenly arrested by the secret police, Milly tries to get him released. But his arrest reveals both painful secrets about her marriage and hard truths about the Soviet state she has been working to serve. Disillusioned and pulled toward the front lines of a captivating new conflict, Milly must find a way to do the right thing for her husband, her conscience, and her heart. Salt the Snow is a vivid and impeccably researched tale of a woman ahead of her time, searching for her true calling in life and love.
Excerpt
Chapter 1
February 27, 1934
Crammed into the back seat with two other reporters, Milly wished the chauffeur would drive faster.
Instead, the automobile slowed as it turned onto Pushechnaya Street. Outside, only a few lights blurred past, their glow amplified by the white snow piled high on the sidewalks. Inside the chauffeured Ford, the raucous voices seemed to get louder.
“Pipe down, you drunkards,” Milly said. She wasn’t nearly as tight as the rest of the group, though sure, she’d had a few dishes of vodka. “You’ll wake up the block.” If she was lucky, Zhenya would still be awake, waiting for her in the small room he shared with his mother. Not that she had any real hopes of getting a tumble out of him.
Seema, who was sitting between Milly and another American newspaperman who’d been at the party, reached over to ruffle the black frizz of Milly’s hair.
“All that glorious hair.” Seema giggled. Her own black hair was straightened and pulled into loose finger waves, prettier even than Josephine Baker’s.
“Old ladies like me have to have something to keep our spirits afloat.” Milly hoped she sounded more witty than self-pitying. It didn’t bother her to be thirty-seven; she just liked making cracks about it.
The chauffer pulled the Ford over to the curb.
“You’re lucky I put up with you rotten louts,” Milly said, then opened the door. The brutal Russian cold flooded into the car. She swung her legs carefully onto the icy street, stood, and snapped the door shut. Before she could tap a farewell on the window, the automobile rolled off.
She had her boots on, so she stepped right through a dip in the snowbank and onto the sidewalk. The cold burned her nose and made her glasses fog up, and yet there was still something beautiful about a Moscow night. As soon as the weather warmed, she and Zhenya would have to go for one of their nighttime walks again. It had been so long since they had, and by springtime he would have fewer opera rehearsals to occupy him. She cleared her glasses with the wool of her gloved fingertips.
There, parked a little way down from where she stood, was a black automobile. Milly’s breath caught. None of Zhenya’s neighbors owned a car—no ordinary Russian did. The Soviet Union was still learning how to make cars, and there weren’t enough imports to go around for anyone except the government. The light of the single streetlamp caressed the smooth curves of the Ford. A shiver even colder than the winter air drilled through her.
She hurried inside the building’s unlocked exterior door and shook the snow from her boots while the snoring of one of the first-floor residents droned down the hallway. Then she hurried up the flight of stairs to Zhenya’s floor. By the top, she was taking the steps a wobbly two at a time.
Then, when she reached the top, she froze.
Pick up your copy of
Salt the Snow
Amazon UK • Amazon US • Barnes and Noble • Bookshop
Add Salt and Snow to your ‘to-read’ list on
Carrie Callaghan
Carrie Callaghan is the author of the historical novels A Light of Her Own (2018) and Salt the Snow (2020). Her short stories have been published in multiple literary journals, and she is a senior editor with the Washington Independent Review of Books. She lives in Maryland with her family and three ridiculous cats. She loves seasons of all kinds, history, and tea.
Connect with Carrie:
Website • Twitter • Instagram • Facebook.
Publication Date: 2nd April 2020
Publisher: Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
Page Length: 304 Pages
Genre: Biographical Fiction
#BookReview: Quillan Creek and the Little War (Time Stones Book I) by Ian Hunter #YoungAdult #TimeTravel @IanHunterAuthor
Quillan Creek and the Little War
(Time Stones Book I)
By Ian Hunter
Jessie Mason has troubles enough in her young life. Orphaned and shunned, her aunt has been the one constant in her life. But when her aunt inexplicably disappears, and Jessie discovers her mother's Time Stone, events at the upstate New York children’s home land Jessie in mortal peril.
Her escape is a summons, to a world of conflict, upheaval and fear, 250 years in her past, and to three unlikely companions: Tip, Kes and Abe. The aged shaman, Nishkamich, takes them under his wing, promising an education in the powers of the stones which they each possess. Jessie, disbelieving all explanations of where she is, reluctantly agrees to remain in the hostile Onondaga village and listen to his instruction.
Over one long summer, Jessie warms to her strange new life, and the growing bond between her unpredictable fellow apprentices. But as Tip and Abe reveal the paths of destruction which brought them to the village, the friends have to consider that their stones are being ruthlessly hunted through history. Disturbed by these revelations, Nishkamich leaves in search of the truth, and their education ceases.
In ice and snow, a hunting trip suddenly becomes a deadly trial which will test their friendship, their wits, and the limits of their endurance, in the face of nature’s unforgiving winter and one man’s determination to seize what is theirs.
“…they are guardians too, their hearts and minds are just as strong as yours.”
It was a gift, a source of great power. But with such power came great responsibly and unfortunately no handbook.
One minute, Tiponi was trying to find a way not to spend the day weaving baskets with her mother and the next she was fleeing for her life, alone.
Jessie Mason was alone. She did not have a family. She did not have any friends. All she had was the courage to battle on and a strange yet beautifully coloured stone. But then the earth rumbled, and she fell through a crevice, and everything changed.
It was not every day that you found yourself in the company of Custer, Lieutenant-Colonel, of the Seventh Cavalry. After that, the day took a decidable downwards turn for Abe, and the only thing he had left of his former life were the clothes that he was in and a stone.
The unworthy were returned to the earth, but Kesejowaase was beginning to suspect that the Great Spirit did not have a hand in this magic. Who were these strangers that the ground spat out? And how did they know the tongue of the Haudenosaunee? There was only one person who could unravel this mystery, and that was Nishkamich, the tribe's shaman.
Nishkamich knew of the stones, he knew of their power, for he had one of his own. But his time in this world was nearing an end, and he had to teach those who would come after him everything he knew.
However, it soon becomes clear to Nishkamich that the stones are being hunted by a man who wanted them for his own malicious intention. He must never be allowed to take them…
From a harrowing slaughter to the realisation of a terrible truth, Quillan Creek and the Little War (Time Stones Book I) by Ian Hunter is in all ways a time-travel fantasy triumph!
Hunter weaves the elements of frontier adventure, fantasy, warfare and the racial conflicts of the era into a story that is next to impossible to put down. The dark foreshadowing at the beginning of this book and the utter confusion of the protagonists as they search for answers makes this the kind of novel where the reader really feels that they too are on this incredible journey of discovery. This is a book that captured my attention from the opening sentence, and it continued to hold it until that emotionally powerful final full stop. This is the kind of book that one would forgo sleep to finish.
The forbidding landscape of the Haudenosaunee tribe is a stark contrast to modern-day America. The air is cleaner, the life is more in tune with nature, and there is a wonderful balance that is missing in the fast-paced high-tech life we all know. However, this is the beginning of the end for the Haudenosaunee tribe as they contend not only with their enemies but foreign invaders who bring war, disease, and death. And this is where our brave protagonists, who all come from very different times, find themselves. It is here, in this frontier setting, that the heroes of this story come together and change the very definition of family — they quickly realise that family is not defined by blood. It is defined in loyal friendship and unbreakable bonds.
Jessie Mason is a character who one can instantly relate to because she is from modern times. When she finds herself in a vastly different world the first thing she notices is that the lake, which she knows well, is full of life — whereas in her time there is no life, the lake is polluted. Jessie is also one of the most pragmatic characters, and she approaches this adventure with an open mind, and she embraces the opportunity of what has been given to her even if she does not understand it. Jessie was wonderfully portrayed, and she is a fabulous role model for young adults, for she triumphs despite her adversaries, whether that be in modern times or the past and she is a genuinely lovely person. There is no pretence about her at all. I thought her depiction was brilliant.
Of all the characters in this story, it is Kesejowaase that is the most conflicted for he had envisaged a vastly different life for himself than the one he finds himself living, and yet he does not shrink from his responsibilities, nor does he fight against it. His loyalty to his friends and his family are absolute, and he will do everything possible to make sure everyone is safe. His selfless acts of courage and his bravery makes for a very appealing protagonist.
The wilds of the frontier is the perfect backdrop for a story that is rife with action, adventure and magic. The enthralling narrative, and the equally compelling prose, paints a historical setting that is rich in authenticity. The attention to the historical detail has to be commended. Hunter has brought the frontier back to life in both its glorious and darker detail, although he is forever mindful of his book’s intended audience — the language used in this novel reflects that. There are moments of trepidation, fear, and battles, but there is nothing unsuitable for a young adult audience.
I thought Hunter really captured this era and what it must have been like to live through it. The relationship between the various tribes and the influence that the white traders were beginning to have on the native people was realistically portrayed. A beaver’s fur could buy things that the Haudenosaunee now needed because they were in the middle of what we would call an arms war — they needed the modern white-mans' weapons if their people were to have any chance of survival. The greed of man and the wilful destruction of the wildlife and the natives is also touched upon, which I thought validated the legitimacy of the setting that Hunter has so masterfully created.
Quillan Creek and the Little War (Time Stones Book I) by Ian Hunter is an enthralling adventure that begs to be read again and again. I cannot wait to get my hands on Book #2 of what promises to be an absolutely brilliant series.
I Highly Recommend
Review by Mary Anne Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club
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Quillan Creek and the Little War
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Ian Hunter
Books have been an important part of my life as long as I can remember, and at 54 years old, that’s a lot of books. My earliest memories of reading are CS Lewis’, “The Horse and His Boy” – by far the best of the Narnia books, the Adventures series by Willard Price, and “Goalkeepers are Different” by sports journalist Brian Glanville. An eclectic mix. My first English teacher was surprised to hear that I was reading, Le Carré, Ken Follett, Nevil Shute and “All the Presidents’ Men” by Woodward and Bernstein at the age of 12. I was simply picking up the books my father had finished.
School syllabus threw up the usual suspects – Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, Hardy, “To Kill a Mockingbird” – which I have reread often, and others I don’t immediately recall. By “A” level study, my then English teachers were pulling their hair out at my “perverse waste of talent” – I still have the report card! But I did manage a pass.
During a 35 year career, briefly in Banking and then in IT, I managed to find time, with unfailing family support, to study another lifelong passion, graduating with an Open University Bachelors’ degree in History in 2002. This fascination with all things historical inspired me to begin the Time Stones series. There is so much to our human past, and so many differing views on what is the greatest, and often the saddest, most tragic story. I decided I wanted to write about it; to shine a small light on those, sometimes pivotal stories, which are less frequently mentioned.
In 1995, my wife, Michelle, and I moved from England to southern Germany, where we still live, with our two children, one cat, and, when she pays us a visit, one chocolate labrador. I have been fortunate that I could satisfy another wish, to travel as widely as possible and see as much of our world as I can. Destinations usually include places of historic and archaeological interest, mixed with a large helping of sun, sea and sand for my wife’s peace of mind.
Connect with Ian:
Website • Twitter • Goodreads.
Welcome to Day #7 of the blog tour for Drake: Tudor Corsair #HistoricalFiction #SirFrancisDrake #CoffeePotBookClub @gwendalyn_books @tonyriches
Drake - Tudor Corsair
(The Elizabethan Series Book 1)
By Tony Riches
1564
Devon sailor Francis Drake sets out on a journey of adventure.
Drake learns of routes used to transport Spanish silver and gold, and risks his life in an audacious plan to steal a fortune.
Queen Elizabeth is intrigued by Drake and secretly encourages his piracy. Her unlikely champion becomes a national hero, sailing around the world in the Golden Hind and attacking the Spanish fleet.
King Philip of Spain has enough of Drake’s plunder and orders an armada to threaten the future of England.
Check out what
Gwendalyn's Books has to say about Drake - Tudor Corsair
" Mastery written, the author transports you with his vibrant atmospheric imagery. I was completely drawn into Francis Drakes escapades, as he takes on the English’s sea rival in this swashbuckling riveting book. "
Read the rest of the review
September 29, 2020
Do you love romance? Check out Anya Silverthorne's fabulous book — The Baroness of New York #Victorian #HistoricalRomance @AnyaSilverthorn
The Baroness of New York
By Anya Silverthorne
Baroness Adele von Mueller learns the sweetest love is forbidden....
Baroness Adele von Mueller
It's 1903 and free-spirited 18-year-old Baroness Adele von Mueller has just arrived to live with her spinster aunt in New York City. After a previous impropriety tarnishes her reputation with the German nobility, her father sends her overseas to give her one last chance to marry into money and save the family's name. Instead, Adele finds herself falling for charming and wickedly handsome Nick Mason, the foreman of a paper factory, who is as gorgeous as he is poor. As family secrets are revealed, Adele learns there's much more riding on her marrying wealthy than just keeping the family's name..
Nick Mason
Nick Mason has a habit of falling in love with every girl he sees. An orphan, former newspaper seller and now a foreman at a paper mill, he's nursing a bruised heart after being dumped by a laundry girl. But when he meets Baroness Adele disguised on a night out as a maid in her family's house, he knows right away there's something different about her. Once she reveals her true identity, he's even more intrigued. Nick has fallen for white women before, but never one so wealthy, and never one he knew he couldn't live without. With most people firmly against their love, he must visit her in secrecy to make their romance blossom.
Nick and Adele must stand up to a society and a family that won't accept their love for what it is: true and enduring. Can they withstand the storm, or will they be forced apart by a deck that's stacked against them in this steamy Victorian romance?
This historical interracial romance/Victorian romance novel marks Anya Silverthorne's debut.
Readers should be aware that Baroness is the first in a series. As such, it ends on a cliffhanger that is NOT HFN or HEA. But if you stick with the characters in the series, you'll ultimately get a satisfying HEA!
Pick up your copy of
The Baroness of New York
Add The Baroness of New York to your ‘to-read’ list on
Anya Silverthorne
Anya Silverthorne makes her debut with The Baroness of New York. She enjoys writing fiction about the late Victorian and early Edwardian era. In "real life," she is a historian of a completely different time period.
Connect with Anya:
Instagram • Twitter • Facebook.
Want news delivered straight to your inbox? Join her mailing list HERE!
Welcome to Day #2 of the blog tour for The Sign of the Blood (A Dangerous Emperor, Book #1) by Laurence O'Bryan #BlogTour #BookReview @LPOBryan @tonyriches
The Sign of the Blood
(A Dangerous Emperor, Book #1)
By Laurence O'Bryan
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.
Today we are stopping over on The Writing Desk for a fabulous Author Interview!
Click HERE!
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