Jean M. Roberts's Blog, page 19
May 8, 2023
Book Tour: Pagan Warrior by MJ Porter
Welcometo the Book’s Delight and a stop on the Coffeepot Book Tour for MJ Porter andtheir book; Pagan Warrior.
TheDetails:
BookTitle: Pagan Warrior
Series:The Seventh Century
Author:MJ Porter
PublicationDate: 25th May 2015 (new cover from January 2022)
Publisher:MJ Publishing
PageLength: 294
Genre:Historical fiction/Action and adventure
Audiobooknarrated by Matt Coles
Blurb:
Frombestselling author, MJ Porter comes the tale of the mighty pagan king, Penda ofMercia.
Britain.AD632.
Penda,a warrior of immense renown, has much to prove if he is to rule the Merciankingdom of his dead father and prevent the neighbouring king of Northumbriafrom claiming it.Unexpectedly allying with the British kings, Penda races to battle the allianceof the Northumbrian king, unsure if his brother stands with him or against himas they seek battle glory for themselves, and the right to rule gained throughbloody conquest.
There will be a victor and a bloody loser, and a king will rise from the ashesof the great and terrible battle of Hædfeld.
Buy Links:
UniversalLink: books2read.com/PaganWarrior
AmazonUK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pagan-Warrior-Gods-Kings-Book-ebook/dp/B00U7XGI6U/
AmazonUS: https://www.amazon.com/Pagan-Warrior-Gods-Kings-Book-ebook/dp/B00U7XGI6U/
AmazonCA: https://www.amazon.ca/Pagan-Warrior-Gods-Kings-Book-ebook/dp/B00U7XGI6U/
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Pagan-Warrior-Gods-Kings-Book-ebook/dp/B00U7XGI6U/
Barnesand Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pagan-warrior-m-j-porter/1140925428?ean=2940160854236
Waterstones:https://www.waterstones.com/book/9781914332166
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/pagan-warrior-1
iBooks:https://apple.co/3MrGUPM
iTunes:https://apple.co/3IQnXqA
Audio:https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/x/B0B3ZCM3J5
Bookshop.org:https://bookshop.org/p/books/pagan-warrior-m-j-porter/7958750?ean=9781914332166
Author Bio:
MJPorter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventhto Eleventh-Century England, as well as three twentieth-century mysteries. Being raisedin the shadow of a building that was believed to house the bones oflong-dead Kings of Mercia, meant that the author's writing destiny wasset.
Follow MJ Porter on Social Media:
Website:www.mjporterauthor.blog
Twitter:https://twitter.com/coloursofunison
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/mjporterauthor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mj-porterauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m_j_porter/
Pinterest:https://www.pinterest.co.uk/coloursofunison/_saved/
BookBub:https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mj-porter
AmazonAuthor Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/MJ-Porter/e/B006N8K6X4/
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7163404.M_J_Porter
Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/MJPorterauthor
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mjporterauthor
Narrator,Matt Coles:
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/mattcolesvoiceovers/
Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@mattcolesvoiceovers
Website:www.mattcolesvoiceover.com
May 5, 2023
Book Tour #Giveaway: So Sorry For Your Loss by Dina Gachman
“SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS”byDina Gachman
Grief & Bereavement / Love & Loss / Parenting & RelationshipsPublisher: Union Square & Co.Page Count: 240 pagesPublication Date: April 11, 2023
Scroll down for a giveaway!
A heartfelt exploration about what it means to process grief, by a bestselling author and journalist whose experience with two devastating losses inspired her to bring comfort and understanding to others.Since losing her mother to cancer in 2018 and her sister to alcoholism less than three years later, author and journalist Dina Gachman has dedicated herself to understanding what it means to grieve, healing after loss, and the ways we stay connected to those we miss. Through a mix of personal storytelling, reporting, and insight from experts and even moments of humor, Gachman gives readers a fresh take on grief and bereavement—whether the loss is a family member, beloved pet, or a romantic relationship. No one wants to join the grief club, since membership comes with zero perks, but So Sorry for Your Loss will make that initiation just a little less painful.
In the spirit of Elizabeth Kubler Ross books like On Grief and Grieving, or C.S. Lewis’s A Grief Observed, So Sorry for Your Loss is the perfect gift for someone who is grieving. With her blend of personal experiences, expert advice, and just a little bit of humor, Gachman has provided a compassionate and compelling resource for anyone looking for grief books.
PRAISE FOR SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS:
Gachman perceptively puts words to the uncomfortable realities of loss…and deconstructs its social myths, helping readers feel less alone. Those facing loss will find solace here.” —Publishers Weekly
“So Sorry for Your Loss is a monument to the work of remembering and a testament to the immutable love of family and the grief that forever changes us.” —Lauren Hough, New York Times bestselling author of Leaving Isn’t the Hardest Thing
“So Sorry for Your Loss is a meditation on loss that reminds us how to go on living.” —Deirdre Fagan, author of Find a Place for Me and The Grief EatersCLICK TO PURCHASE ON:Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Bookshop
Dina Gachman is a Pulitzer Center Grantee and a frequent contributor to the New York Times, Vox, Texas Monthly, and more. She’s a New York Times bestselling ghostwriter and the author of Brokenomics: 50 Ways to Live the Dream on a Dime. She lives near Austin, Texas, with her husband and son. Photo credit Jessica Comiskey.Website ◆ Instagram Twitter ◆ Goodreads
Excerptfrom So Sorry for Your Loss
by DinaGachman
In the months after my mom,and then, later, Jackie, died, I would catch myself feeling,basically, nothing. Itworried me. How could nothingness feel so awful? What kind of a raw deal isthat? In grief, you’re either distraught or, if you’re not distraught, you’refeeling guilty that you’re not feeling tormented.
Robinson calls the numbing aspect“a natural and normal part” of grief. It happens frequently in the immediateaftermath of loss. She says that it’s “adaptive,” in that it allows you tofunction and get through your daily routine, especially if you’re a caregiverand you have to plan a funeral or take care of a child, or both. It’snecessary, but it also shouldn’t cause you to dissociate completely fromexperiencing grief because it just “kicks the can down the road.” The emotionsdon’t go away simply because you ignore them.
The numbness can make youfeel like there is something deeply wrong with you because you are not doubledover sobbing every second of the day. My dad is no psychologist (he sells steelcoils), but he is basically an expert on grief at this point. His theory isthat we temporarily go numb to survive the pain. It helps us function for awhile before the next wave slams us back. I also think that after experiencingsuch deeply felt, traumatic emotions, everyday existence tends to be mistakenfor numbness. You’re spent, cried out, wrung dry. A baseline, whatever yourbaseline is, can feel like you’re flatlining, when really you’re just at yourbaseline. I’ve learned that the experience of feeling guilty about feelingnothing doesn’t seem to last long, so don’t worry. Another session ofgut-wrenching tears is probably right around the corner!
Numbness or detachment canalso be a sign of prolonged grief, which is a state of heightened mourning thatcan actually be harmful. It can stop you from getting back into life, and doingthings like going to work or seeing friends. Shear, head of Columbia’s Centerfor Prolonged Grief, says, “Prolonged grief disorder means there is an initial,all-encompassing kind of grief. We like to say that grief emerges naturally andfinds a place in your life; it doesn’t disappear. Prolonged grief is when itjust stays in a domineering role in your life and it interferes with yourability to move forward in a way that’s meaningful.”
Periods of what might feellike emotional numbness, though, can be “a very natural
coping mechanism.” Shearsays some troubling signs are when people feel disconnected from work, friends,or things that used to bring them joy. They don’t feel okay moving forward ordoing positive things for themselves, even after months or years. ProlongedGrief Disorder was added to the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual ofMental Disorders, fifth edition) in 2022, and it caused some controversy,mainly because some people felt it was pathologizing grief. If it helps someonewho is truly suffering, and they can get their insurance to cover treatment ormedications, though, I’m all for it.
_________________________________________________________________
GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!Three winners each receive a signed copy of So Sorry for Your Loss (US only; ends midnight, CST, 5/12/23)
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May 1, 2023
Muskets and Masquerades by Lindsey S. Fera
Welcometo a stop on the Coffee Pot Book Tour for Muskets and Masquerades by LindseyFera. This is book two of her American Revolution trilogy. Hope you enjoy the great excerpt we have for you today!
The Details:
BookTitle: Muskets and Masquerades
Series:Muskets Trilogy
Author:Lindsey S. Fera
PublicationDate: 18th April 2023
Publisher:Pompkin Press
PageLength: 500
Genre:Historical Fiction / Historical Romance
The Blurb:
Jack and Annalisa are married only fivemonths when, enroute to France, a shipwreck separates them. On differentshores, each believes the other dead. But when Annalisa learns Jack is alive,she returns to America and discovers much has changed. After a betrayal, sheflees town as her alter ego, Benjamin Cavendish, and joins the ContinentalArmy.
Unbeknownstto Annalisa, Jack has also joined the Continentals, harboring shameful secretsfrom his days in mourning. Against the backdrop of war with Britain, façadesmount between Jack and Annalisa, and the merry minuet of their adolescencedissolves into a masquerade of deceit, one which threatens to part themforever.
The Excerpt:
Muskets and Masquerades
Excerpt
Annalisa wiped the sweat and grime fromher face and, clutching her musket, hurried after George and Quinnapin. Herbrother sought General Benedict Arnold, who rode wildly up and down the linesatop his brown gelding. Annalisa thought the general might fall from his horsewith the force of his vigor.
“Rally, men, rally! To Breymann’sRedoubt!” General Arnold galloped into the fray toward British and Hessianlines.
Annalisa regarded George and Quinnapin.They’d all been fighting most of the afternoon, and the British had retreatedback to Freeman’s Farm, all their advancements from the first battle gone.Breymann’s Redoubt, to the British far right, appeared weaker than Balcarre’sRedoubt, heavily defended by both British and Hessians forces, and situatedmid-field.
“He’s daft,” George said, “but if wecan overtake that fortification, we’ll be behind British lines. This will be adecisive victory, Little One.”
With lips pursed, Annalisa nodded. Hermusket loaded and bayonet affixed, she sprinted into the fray with Quinnapin;George fell behind.
“By my side, Cav,” George shouted overthe deafening boom of cannon and musket-fire. He wielded his firelock on acharging Hessian, but the soldier sliced Annalisa’s right arm.
“Fie!” She hollered.
Her brother discharged his fowler onthe assailant, and with a sputter, the German fell. George turned to her.“Quick, your neckpiece.”
Blood spilled from the gash as sheuntied the linen cravat from her neck, and with George’s help, wound it tightlyabout her arm.
“I’ll be fine,” Annalisa said, thoughit burned.
She loaded her musket then fired,striking a Redcoat in the chest, then thrust her bayonet into an oncomingHessian. Beside her, George reloaded his fowler with expert quickness, firingthree volleys a minute at the onslaught.
“Quinn!” Annalisa fired her Brown Besson advancing British. Quinnapin swung his tomahawk into their opponent, an echoof their coordinated efforts at Freeman’s Farm.
The battlefield ebbed with smoky,sulfuric discharge of gunpowder, the scent mingling with coppery blood. Suchsights and smells often returned Annalisa to Bunker Hill, but she peered ahead.At the foreground of their ambuscade, General Arnold rode recklessly about thefield. If only we had someone like him at Bunker Hill. Then we may haveproved victorious that day.
Cloistered amidst her charging militia,Annalisa lost sight of General Arnold, and fired upon a Hessian foolish enoughto advance, despite his retreating army. The soldier toppled to his knees andlanded upon his face. He gurgled and gasped into the earth. Pitying him,Annalisa bayonetted him, and his gurgle ceased. Would that this unknownGerman have done similarly for me had I fallen. With a shiver, she cradledher wounded arm, stepped over his body, and hastened after George.
Quinnapin, who just maimed aLobsterback, cleared his blade on the soldier’s red coat. Beside him, Georgenodded to her arm, now soaked with blood.
“Would that I’d killed that Hessianbefore he got to you,” he said.
“Worry not, ’tis but a scratch,” shereplied, recalling his gruesome injury from Lexington and Concord, of whichhe’d said the same. Her right bicep throbbed viciously beneath the tied cravat,but she was confident she could treat it once they returned to camp.
“They retreat!” a militiaman shoutedabove the roar of explosive gunpowder.
As the sun made a lazy departure towardthe horizon, the Redcoats and Hessians hurried from the field, leaving behindthe dead and wounded. Freeman’s Farm, empty of Burgoyne’s army, left theContinentals and militia behind Breymann’s Redoubt. Her body beginning to ache,Annalisa wound her good arm about George and together, they hobbled through thebody-littered field. This must be how Oliver was presumed dead.
Quinnapin sidled up beside them. “Thatlooks to be a nasty wound, Cav. Have you enough within your supplies to remedyit?”
“I do.” With nothing to distract her,the searing burn of the gash amplified, but she withheld a grimace. The cutis deep, but not long.
“Cav!” Afamiliar voice rang through the evening smog, and William, encrusted in bloodand dirt, bounded toward them with Bartlett at his heels.
“What is it, Wilhelmina?” Georgeasked.
“’Tis General Arnold,” he replied, hisface pink beneath a layer of grime. “He’s been badly wounded.”
Annalisa stared at Quinnapin, whosehealing capability far eclipsed her own.
“How bad is his injury?” Quinnapinasked, catching her glance.
“We know not, only that he was shot inthe leg, and had fallen from his horse,” Bartlett answered for William.
“Where’s Jack?” George asked.
“I know not,” William replied. “I’venot seen him since this morning.”
Bile rose into Annalisa’s throat. Whatif he’s wounded, or dead? I must search this field for him…
“Josiah and Isaac are with CaptainFleming and the rest of the Massachusetts regiment burning British tents,”William added. “Arnold is with the Connecticut regiment. You must go, quickly.”
Annalisa hesitantly followed Quinnapinas he weaved through the confusion of men and tents.
“He has surgeons and doctors enough,I’m sure,” Annalisa said. “How could they know to ask for us?”
“We’ve a reputation, Cav,” Quinnapinreplied, looking back. “We healed many after Freeman’s Farm.”
The sky quickly darkened, as autumn iswont to do, but the mask of night hardly obscured the vestige of battle.Campfires and lanterns lit the smoky landscape in eerie glow, and Annalisachoked on the sulfur still clogging the air. She quivered, unsure if it was heruntreated wound, or the otherworldly nature surrounding her.
I’d rather be any place but here,tonight. And we must find Jack…
Buy Links:
UniversalLink: https://books2read.com/u/mYxkoV
AmazonUS: https://www.amazon.com/Muskets-Masquerades-Lindsey-Fera-ebook/dp/B0BWKGCSH1/
AmazonUK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Muskets-Masquerades-Lindsey-Fera-ebook/dp/B0BWKGCSH1
AmazonCA: https://www.amazon.ca/Muskets-Masquerades-Lindsey-Fera-ebook/dp/B0BWKGCSH1/
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Muskets-Masquerades-Lindsey-Fera-ebook/dp/B0BWKGCSH1/
Barnesand Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/muskets-and-masquerades-lindsey-s-fera/1143036124?ean=9798986756509
Author Bio:
LINDSEY S. FERA is a born and bred New Englander, hailingfrom the North Shore of Boston. As a member of the Topsfield Historical Societyand the Historical Novel Society, she forged her love for writing with herintrigue for colonial America by writing her debut novel, Muskets &Minuets, a planned trilogy.
When she's not attending historical reenactments or spoutingoff facts about Boston, she's nursing patients back to health. Muskets &Masquerades is her sophomore novel.
Follow Lindsey on Social:
Website:https://www.lindseyfera.com/
Twitter:https://twitter.com/AuthorLinzFera
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLinzFera/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bostonduchess/
AmazonAuthor Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Lindsey-S-Fera/author/B09598KYNM
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21491352.Lindsey_S_Fera
April 30, 2023
#Book Tour #Review: Widow's Weeds by Allie Creswell
The Details:
The Widow’s Weeds by Allie Cresswell
Published: Independently Published
Publisher: April 2023
Series: Yes, Book Three in the Widows Series
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Pages:457
Available: Paperback, ebook
Trigger warnings: spousal abuse, alcoholism
The Blurb:
One evening, Viola goes missing.
The explanation—a visit to her son—seems doubtful and her women friends’messages go unanswered. A spiky, caustic woman, Viola’s heavy drinking makesher tiresome company, but they know nothing of her troubled past.
Yet, Maisie misses Viola. Recently, their shared love of gardening hasalmost blunted Viola’s barbs, and Maisie is much in need of a close friend. Herhouse is a building site, her daughter’s wedding is looming. Most worrying isher friendship with handsome, formidable Oliver Harrington. She cannot work outwhat he wants from it, nor, really, what she wants, either. She barely has timeto wonder where Viola has gone.
As Maisie grapples with her present-day preoccupations, Viola’s taleunfolds: a dark landscape of tragedy and suffering. Their two stories collidein an explosive finale. Can the two women rescue each other?
This third book in the Widows series stands alone. A story of weeds andwildflowers, tenacity and tenderness, and containing potentially upsettingdetails of domestic abuse, alcoholism, and bereavement, this is ultimately anaffirmation of the strength and power of women’s friendships.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Review:
Thank you to Allie Cresswell for a copy of her book for review.
Viola loves to garden, she lives to garden, it helps her cope and keeps her sane. Viola has an ugly secret which she’s kept hidden from her friends, and then, she disappears.
Masie also loves to garden, a recent widow with money to spend, she’s indulging herself by remodeling her house, but has she taken on too much? Her daughter’s impending marriage, the attention from a handsome, but somewhat domineering man, and the problems of her friends are weighing down on her and come to a head in spectacular fashion with the reappearance of Viola.
I really enjoyed this book about women, finding out who they are and their place in the world. They learn how to fight back when abusive, controlling men try to keep them down. They learn how to recognize and help others caught in the same cycle of violence. It’s an important lesson on the value of female friendship and support of women helping women.
The writing is very dense with lots of descriptive passages and deep dives into the emotional life of the women. I found it well written and well edited. Although part of a series, I can be read as a stand alone.
I highly recommend this moving story to readers of women’s fiction.
-----------------------------------------------------
Author Bio:
Allie Cresswell was born in Stockport in the northwest of England andhas been writing fiction since she could hold a pencil. She studied EnglishLiterature at Birmingham University and did an MA at Queen Mary College,University of London. She was a pub landlady, a print buyer, ran a B & Band a group of holiday cottages before training to teach literature to lifelonglearners. Now she writes full time. Her historical and contemporary fiction hasbeen flatteringly compared to Alice Munroe, Daphne du Maurier and Jane Austen.She has been the recipient of several Readers’ Favourite awards. She lives inCumbria. The Widow’s Weeds is her fourteenth novel.
Buy Links:
April 28, 2023
#Review #Giveaway: Blind Trust by Natalie Waters
Christian Fiction / SuspensePublisher: RevellDate of Publication: April 11, 2023Number of Pages: 320 pages
Scroll down for Giveaway!
Lyla Fox knows she has a reputation at the SNAP Agency for impulsivity, but when she receives a threatening letter from a man she helped put in prison, she can't stop herself from going all in to find out why he's coming after her. Unfortunately, she's going to need the help of the one person who questions her reckless choices more than anyone else. Explosives and weapons specialist Nicolás Garcia agrees to help Lyla in order to keep her safe, but her recklessness continues to be a major concern, especially when her investigation into a conspiracy puts a target on her back. Dealing with bombs is dangerous. Working with Lyla is proving to be just as treacherous--to both the mission and his heart.
Natalie Walters closes out her SNAP Agency series with a bang with this nail-biting story of a deadly government conspiracy, an unlikely couple, and an ending that will leave you breathless.Click to Purchase!Amazon│Baker Book House│ Christianbooks.com││Barnes & Noble │ Other Revell Affiliates│
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The Short Story: Slow build to a nail-biting conclusion.
My Review: Lyla Fox is an agent with the Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency. She has a reputation for putting herself at risk and endangering her life. As the SNAP team works to untangle an international arms case, a crucial piece of evidence falls into Lyla’s hands and she becomes the number one target. Nicolas, her co-worker, is desperate to keep her alive, but she’s not making it easy for him.
The story builds slowly for the first half of the book with lots of attention given to the relationship between Lyla and Nicolas. Everyone can see that they are in love, except themselves and Nicolas questions his future at the agency and his ability to work with Lyla.
The second half comes alive and the plot thickens as Lyla and the team dig deeper, following a trail that leads to Ireland, the Middle East and the upper echelons of Washington D.C. and uncovers secrets which will rock Lyla to her core.
I enjoyed Blind Trust. The intricate plot kept me guessing where the clues would lead the team and the ending was a real surprise. Readers who enjoy a good angsty romance will fall heavy for Lyla and Nicolas and their ‘will they, won’t they’ relationship and will cheer at its satisfying conclusion.
Blind Trust is a clean read with Christian themes. I recommend it to readers who enjoy action-packed suspense thrillers with a hefty dose of romance.
Natalie Walters is the author of Lights Out and Fatal Code, as well as the Harbored Secrets series. A military wife, she currently resides in Texas with her soldier husband and is the proud mom of three. She loves traveling, spending time with her family, and connecting with readers on social media. Photo credit Emilie Hendryx Haney.◆ WEBSITE ◆ INSTAGRAM ◆ FACEBOOK ◆◆ TWITTER ◆ PINTEREST ◆ GOODREADS ◆◆ BOOKBUB ◆
--------------------------------------GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!ONE WINNER:All 3 books in the SNAP Agency series(Lights Out, Fatal Code, Blind Trust)+$25 Bookshop.org gift card.(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 5/5/23)
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CLICK TO VISIT THE LONE STAR LITERARY LIFE TOUR PAGEFOR DIRECT LINKS TO EACH POST ON THIS TOUR, UPDATED DAILY, or visit the blogs directly:
Character Spotlights
04/25/23
BONUS Promo
04/26/23
Excerpt
04/26/23
BONUS Promo
04/27/23
Review
04/28/23
Author Interview
04/29/23
Review
04/30/23
Author Video
05/01/23
Review
05/02/23
Playlist
05/03/23
Review
05/04/23
Review
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April 23, 2023
Book Tour: The Scots of Dalriada by Rowena Kinread
Welcome to a stop on the Coffee Pot Book Tour forThe Scots of Dalriada by Rewena Kinread.
The Details:
BookTitle: The Scots of Dalriada
Author:Rowena Kinread
PublicationDate: January 26th, 2023
Publisher:Vanguard Press
Pages:287
Genre:Historical Fiction
The Blurb:
THREE BROTHERS
Fergus, Loarn and Angus, Princes of the Dalriada, are forced into exile bytheir scheming half-brother and the druidess Birga One-tooth.
THREE FATES
Fergus conceals himself as a stable lad on Aran and falls helplessly in lovewith a Scottish princess, already promised to someone else. Loarn crossesswords against the Picts. Angus designs longboats.
TOGETHER AMIGHTY POWER
Always on the run the brothers must attempt to outride their adversaries bygaining power themselves. Together they achieve more than they could possiblydream of.
Fergus Mór (The Great) is widely recognised as the first King of Scotland,giving Scotland its name and its language. Rulers of Scotland and England fromKenneth mac Alpín until the present time claim descent from Fergus Mór.
Full of unexpectedtwists and turns, this is a tale of heart-breaking love amidst treachery,deceit and murder.
Buy Links:
UniversalLink: https://books2read.com/u/47VXAL
AmazonUK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BS78THF3
AmazonUS: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BS78THF3
AmazonCA: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0BS78THF3
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0BS78THF3
Author Bio:
Rowena Kinreadgrew up in Ripon, Yorkshire with her large family and a horde of pets. Keen on travelling,her first job was with Lufthansa in Germany.
She began writingin the nineties. Her special area of interest is history. After researching herancestry and finding family roots in Ireland with the Dalriada clan,particularly this era.
Her debut fictionnovel titled “The Missionary” is a historical novel about the dramatic life ofSt. Patrick. It was published by Pegasus Publishers on Apr.29th, 2021 and hasbeen highly appraised by The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post and the Irish Times.
Her second novel“The Scots of Dalriada” centres around Fergus Mór, the founder father ofScotland and takes place in 5th century Ireland and Scotland. It is due to bepublished by Pegasus Publishers on Jan.26th, 2023.
The author liveswith her husband in Bodman-Ludwigshafen, Lake Constance, Germany. They havethree children and six grandchildren.
Connect with Rowena on Social Media:
Website:https://www.rowena-kinread.com/
Twitter:https://twitter.com/RowenaKinread
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/rowena.strittmatter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rowena-kinread-6b054b228/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rowenakinread/
My Review:
Thanks to the author for providing a copy of the novel.
The Scots of Dal Riata is the story of the legendaryKing, Fergus Mor, who according to myth was the first king of Scotland. Theauthor weaves an interesting tale of Fergus’ rise to power in the mid to late 5thcentury. With scant records, Kinread builds a world full of intrigue, violence, and love.Fergus, the son of King Erc, lives in constant threat of danger from the handsof his elder half-brother. While on the run, Fergus meets the beautifulRhianna, who is forced to wed a serial abuser. He is as determined to free heras she is to escape her marriage. The book is a fun read with tons of actionand a good love story. I enjoyed reading about the time period of which solittle is known and recommend it to readers who enjoy a good action yarn. Note: There is a fair number of anachronisms that may put off some die-hardhistory buffs.
#Book Review #Giveaway: River of Crows by Shanessa Gluhm
Fiction / Suspense / Thriller / HumorPublisher: TouchPoint PressDate of Publication: April 18, 2023Number of Pages: 427 pages
Scroll down for Giveaway!
In 1988, Sloan Hadfield’s brother Ridge went fishing with their father and never came home. Their father, a good-natured Vietnam veteran prone to violent outbursts, was arrested and charged with murder. Ridge’s body was never recovered, and Sloan’s mother— a brilliant ornithologist— slowly descended into madness, insisting her son was still alive.Now twenty years later, Sloan’s life is unraveling. In the middle of a bitter divorce, she’s forced to return to her rural Texas hometown when her mother is discharged from a mental health facility.
Overwhelmed by memories and unanswered questions, Sloan returns to the last place her brother was seen all those years ago: Crow’s Nest Creek. There, she is shocked to hear a crow murmuring the same syllable over and over: Ridge, Ridge, Ridge.
When the body of another boy is found, Sloan begins to question what really happened to her brother all those years ago. What she discovers will shock her small community and turn her family upside down.
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Shanessa Gluhm works as a librarian at an elementary school in New Mexico where she lives with her husband and children. It was during her own elementary days when a teacher encouraged Shanessa to share a story she wrote with the class. She hasn’t stopped writing since.Her debut novel, Enemies of Doves was an IAN Book of the Year Finalist in the category of first novel, an NIEA Finalist for cross-genre fiction, and first place winner in the Chanticleer Clue Awards for mystery, suspense, and thriller fiction.
When Shanessa is not writing she enjoys birdwatching, reading, and watching true crime documentaries.
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The short story: Dark, twisty and unexpectedlygreat!
My review:
Starting with a great cover this booksucked me in with a haunting prologue, the meaning of which is not fullyunderstood until the last page. I could hardly put it down!
Facing a divorce, Sloan Hadfield returns toher East Texas hometown to sort out her mother, recently released from a psychhospital. Going home, a place she’d fled after high school, means facing herdemons, owning up to her mistakes, and realizing the past is not all what itseemed.
Sloan’s happy life crumbled when her brotherRidge disappears, his body never found and her father accused of his murder. Littleby little, the reader learns more about Sloan and her family as author ShanessaGluhm takes us back and forth in time. Just when you think you have the storysorted, Gluhm hits you with another zinger. Sloan’s journey of discovery ispainful as she peels back the layers of parent’s life, forcing her to considerher parent’s actions in a new light.
Gluhm fills the pages of this book with amazingcharacters and their motivations, machinations, deceptions and lies, and leavethe reader with a shocking conclusion! Highly recommend this to readers ofsuspense/thrillers.
I rate this book 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!ONE WINNER:$20 Barnes and Noble gift card+ eBook copy of A River of Crowson winner’s preferred platform(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 4/28/23)
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04/18/23
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04/19/23
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04/21/23
The Real World According to Sam
Review
04/22/23
Review
04/23/23
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04/24/23
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04/25/23
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04/27/23
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April 19, 2023
#Review #Giveaway: The Gold Rose by Jodi Lea Stewart
THE GOLD ROSEbyJodi Lea Stewart
Historical Fiction / WWII / Action & Drama / International MysteryPublisher: Progressive Rising Phoenix PressDate of Publication: February 21, 2023Number of Pages: 372 pages
Scroll down for Giveaway!
Since the early 1940s, THE GOLD ROSE, a secret rescue agency with Asian origins, has used unique systems to ferret out and save victims in every corner of the world. Charlotte Hunt-Basse has faced dangerous and often deadly challenges in her decade as an agent with the agency, not the least of which was the past rescues of two of her assignments, Pinkie and Babe. Two-year-old Pinkie is discovered abandoned on a dirt road during a violent storm. She is whisked off to Mexico by oil heir Clint Sutton and his girlfriend, Angelina, as they attempt to escape the lies of Clint's father's second wife. Three years later, Pinkie is stolen away to Argentina by an aging Romani. Pinkie suffers from the malice of her captor but wins the fatherly love of a Buenos Aires circus owner and his fiance. Shortly after landing in the crosshairs of THE GOLD ROSE, Pinkie's life takes two more shocking twists. When the agency locates Pinkie again, Agent Charlotte must throw all caution to the wind to rescue her.
Babe, the child of Texas-based missionaries, is hidden by two Chinese families during the Japanese invasion and ensuing Communist takeover of China. She is forced by the second family to live incognito as a "boy" for several years to save her from soldiers invading China from the North. Martial arts are banned, but the grandfather of the family teaches Babe Yǒng Chūn in deepest secrecy. The civil war escalates, and Babe finds herself on a dangerous quest for survival as she journeys alone through enemy territory toward the faintest hope of rescue.
CLICK TO PURCHASE ON:Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Author Website
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Jodi Lea Stewart is a fiction author who centers her themes around the triumph of overcoming adversity through grit, humor, and hard-rock tenacity. Born in Texas and growing up in Arizona smelling cedar berries and cow pens on a large cattle ranch wedged between the Navajo Nation and the White Mountain Apache Tribe, most of her friends were Native American and Hispanic, with a few Anglos thrown in for good measure. On the ranch, she climbed petroglyph-etched boulders, sang to chickens, bounced two feet in the air in the backend of pickups wrestling through washed-out terracotta roads, and rode horseback on the winds of her imagination through the arroyos and mountains of the Arizona high country. Later, she left her studies at the University of Arizona in Tucson to move to San Francisco, where she learned about peace, love, and exactly what she didn’t want to do with her life. Moving back to her native Texas, Jodi graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Business Management, raised three+ children, worked as an electro-mechanical drafter, penned humor columns for a college periodical, wrote regional western articles, and served as managing editor of a Fortune 500 corporate newsletter. Her lifelong friendship with all shades of folks, cowpunchers, southern belles, intellectuals, and "outlaws" propels Jodi into writing comfortably about the Southwest, the South, and far beyond. She currently resides in Arizona with her husband, two wild and crazy Standard poodles, one rescue cat, her fun-loving ninety-plus-year-old mom, a never-be-still-four-year-old tornado, and numerous bossy houseplants.
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The Short Story: Fabulous
My full Review:
Wow-This book! The Gold Rose hooked me immediately and didn’t let go until the last page. The Gold Rose is a secret society charged with aiding victims around the globe. Charlotte Hunt-Basse, daughter of a wealthy but distant father, is a member of the group. The book opens with Charlotte stranded overnight in a train station. With nothing to do, she uses her time to reflect on her life. As the story unfolds we learn about two of the women she helped to rescue, Pinky and Babe.
Pinky was found as a toddler by Angelina as she and her brother evaded the authorities in Texas and fled to Mexico. Angelina is distraught when Pinky is later kidnapped by a gypsy and taken to Argentina. Pinkie’s story is one of constant emotional trauma and neglect. Babe’s father was a minister in China before the outbreak of war. In order to survive, she must live as a boy and then a young man. The plight of both girls makes for a compelling story full of historical details. I especially enjoyed Babe’s narrative in China as the communists take over the country.
As Charlotte ruminates on her life, she has a startling revelation; her personal journey to The Gold Rose is not what she imagined it to be…
I really enjoyed The Gold Rose. It has so much going for it: history, mystery and amazing characters with rich, complex lives. The ending is satisfying, but left me wishing there was more. I highly recommend this fantastic book!
I rate this book 5 Stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Signed copy of The Gold Rose plus a custom Gold Rose laptop carrying case(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 4/21/23)
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04/12/23
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04/13/23
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April 15, 2023
#Book Review: War Torn by Jan Lloyd
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War Torn by Jan Lloyd
Published: March 2023
Publisher: Independently Published
Genre: Historical Fiction, WWII/ Romance
Pages: 402
Available: Paperback, ebook
❤ Great Love Story
Trigger Warning: violence, rape, war
Thank you to author Jan Lloyd for giving me a copy of her book, War Torn, to read and review.
The short story: Straight up, loved it.
The Full Review:
Frances Meyer is a violin virtuoso who is on the cusp of super stardom when the clouds of war thicken over Paris. Married to an older man, she’s spoiled and childish, refusing to see what the German war machine is doing to her husband’s fellow Jews. When Steven, her husband becomes seriously ill and an old classmate, now an officer in the S.S. puts pressure on Frances to become his mistress, the Meyers attempt to flee France for England. Their ship is attacked and Frances, the sole survivor, is picked up by a German U-boat, captained by the handsome Kristian Mueller, and forced to live with the crew for weeks. Frances and Kristian fight the growing attraction between them. Once back on dry land, the pair are torn apart and Frances is deported and fighting for survival. Her playing skills are her greatest asset.
War Torn is an amazing story of resilience and survival. Frances’ time aboard the submarine is one of reflection and Kristian forces her to face the ugliness of war and the part they all play in it. Frances comes to realize her inactions led to the death of her husband. She finds in Kristian, her enemy, a man of conviction, with a good heart and no illusions about the country he fights for. Both are flawed, but retain their basic humanity. This is a dark story, painful to read, but well worth it.
I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction.
My Rating: 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
April 12, 2023
Book Tour: The Kingmaker by Helen Hollick
Welcome to a stop on the Coffeepot book tourfor Helen Hollick’s The Kingmaker. It’s not only the 30th Anniversaryof its publication but it’s also Helen’s 70th birthday!
Here are thedetails:
Book Title: The Kingmaking
Series: The Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy (Book#1)
Author: Helen Hollick
Publication Date: March 2023 (new editions,excl. US/CA)
Publisher: Taw River Press
Page Length: 570
Genre: Historical Fiction / Arthurian Fiction
New Editions for 2023 (sadly, this edition isnot available in USA/Canada)
The Kingmaking: Book One
Pendragon’s Banner: Book Two
Shadow of the King: Book Three
The Blurb:
The Boy Who becamea Man:
Who became a King:
Who became a Legend... KING ARTHUR
There is no Merlin, no sword in the stone, and no Lancelot.
Instead, the man who became our most enduring hero.
All knew the oath of allegiance:
‘To you, lord, I give my sword and shield, my heart and soul. To you, myLord Pendragon, I give my life, to command as you will.’
This is the tale of Arthur made flesh and bone. Of the shaping of the man whobecame the legendary king; a man with dreams, ambitions and human flaws.
A man, a warlord, who united the collapsing province of post-Roman Britain,
who held the heart of the love of his life, Gwenhwyfar
- and who emerged as the most enduring hero of all time.
A different telling of the later Medieval tales.
This is the story of King Arthur as it might have really happened...
"If only all historical fiction could be this good." HistoricalNovels Review
"... Juggles a large cast of characters and a bloody, tangled plot withgreat skill. " Publishers Weekly
"Hollick's writing is one of the best I've come across - her descriptionsare so vivid it seems as if there's a movie screen in front of you, playing outthe scenes." Passages To The Past
"Hollick adds her own unique twists and turns to the familiarmythology" Booklist
"Uniquely compelling... bound to have a lasting and resounding impact onArthurian literature." Books Magazine
(contains scenes of an adult nature)
Buy Links:
The Kingmaking is available to read on#KindleUnlimited.
Universal Link: https://mybook.to/TheKingmaking_Book1
Amazon UK: new edition https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1739937120
Amazon AU: newedition https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/1739937120/
Amazon US: US edition https://www.amazon.com/Kingmaking-Book-Pendragons-Banner-Trilogy/dp/1402218885
Amazon CA: US/Canada edition https://www.amazon.ca/Kingmaking-Book-Pendragons-Banner-Trilogy/dp/1402218885/
Barnes and Noble: US edition https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kingmaking-helen-hollick/1100202404?ean=9781402227172
Author Bio:
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Helen Hollick
Helen is celebrating her 70th birthday andthirty years as a published author. Her Pendragon’sBanner Trilogy, a fifth-century version of the Arthurian legend, was acceptedfor traditional publication in April 1993 by William Heinemann (Random HouseUK) a week after her 40th birthday. The Trilogy has been widely acclaimed sincethen – and gone through several different editions.
Helen moved from Random House UK in 2006 and went‘Indie’, now in 2023 to celebrate she has brought out her own fabulous neweditions! (The Trilogy is published mainstream by Sourcebooks Inc inUSA/Canada. The publisher was offered the new cover designs for free, butdeclined.)
Helen became a USA Today Bestseller with her historicalnovel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) with the sequel, Harold the King (US: I Am TheChosen King) being novels that explore the events that led to the Battle ofHastings in 1066.
She writes a nautical adventure/fantasy Pirates of theCaribbean series, The Sea Witch Voyagesand has also branched out into the quick read novella, 'Cosy Mystery' genrewith her Jan Christopher Murder Mysteries, set in the 1970s, with thefirst in the series, A Mirror Murder incorporating her, often hilarious,memories of working as a library assistant.
Her non-fiction books are Pirates: Truth and Tales and Life of A Smuggler. She lives with her family in aneighteenth-century farmhouse in North Devon with a variety of pets and horses.
Follow Helen on Social Media:
Website: https://helenhollick.net
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HelenHollick
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helen.hollick
Newsletter subscription: https://tinyletter.com/HelenHollick
Blog: https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/
Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/477847.Helen_Hollick
