Heather Osborne's Blog, page 16
April 25, 2016
The Shadow Ally Blog Tour!
The Shadow Ally (The Yankee Years Book 1)
by Dianne Ascroft
Publication Date: December 4, 2015
eBook; 76 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
The Shadow Ally is a Short Read – approximately 2 hours or more – in The Yankee Years series.
America is not yet at war, but the country is preparing for it. And it is essential that this remain secret.
June 1941: Ruth Corey is puzzled by the attractive, enigmatic Italian-American civilian contractor, Frank Long, who is staying at her family’s hotel in Irvinestown, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Serious and reserved, he is nothing like the friendly, outgoing British and Canadian servicemen she knows. Nor, she discovers, does he even use his real surname.
War is a time of alliances and secrets. The biggest secret in the county is the construction of an American flying boat base outside Irvinestown. Since their country is not at war, the American contractors must conceal the building project. America’s neutrality will be destroyed if Germany discovers its existence.
Ambitious local reporter, and Ruth’s almost fiancé, Harry Coalter is consumed with curiosity about the new American airbase. But why? When Ruth finds a letter Harry has written about the flying boat base she fears he is pursuing a path that will land him in serious trouble. She enlists Frank’s help to stop Harry from making a terrible mistake.
Can Ruth safeguard a military secret that will have a profound impact on the course of the war and protect her beau?
A tale for fans of Annie Murray, Ellie Dean and Margaret Dickinson.
The Yankee Years series: During the Second World War Northern Ireland hosted American, British and Canadian troops. County Fermanagh welcomed Air Force squadrons hunting U-boats and defending shipping convoys in the Atlantic Ocean and Army battalions training and preparing for deployment to Europe’s Western Front. After the Allied troops arrived, life would never be the same again. The Yankee Years novels and Short Reads weave thrilling and romantic tales of the people and the era.
Available on Amazon
Review
Taking place during the early years of World War II, The Shadow Ally is a short novella about early American preparations for entering the war, based in Northern Ireland. Ruth works at her parents’ hotel and she begins to get suspicious of her beau, Harry. She reports her concerns to Frank, a visiting American contractor working on a project in the area. Will her suspicions be validated?
What lead me to my rating was the unfortunate lack of development in the characters, and the rushed feel to the novella. I am fond of short stories/novellas, but this one left me feeling slightly unsatisfied. I wish the author had expanded the topic out, leading to more intrigue and tension between Harry and Frank, giving the reader more insight to the history of the time. Why did the Americans choose Northern Ireland? How were their actions relevant to the war effort, if they weren’t meant to be involved at this stage? This novella had the potential to stronger than it was. The author has the talent for historical writing though, and despite Ruth’s overly naive character, I did enjoy this quick read.
About the Author
Dianne Ascroft is a Canadian writer living in Britain. Since moving to Britain in 1990 she has lived in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
She writes both fiction and non-fiction and her fiction often has Irish connections. Her articles and short stories have been printed in Canadian and Irish magazines and regional newspapers including the Toronto Star, Ireland’s Own, Senior Times, Celtic Connection and Irish Connections Canada.
She is co-editor and a regular contributor to The Fermanagh Miscellany, the Fermanagh Authors’ Association’s yearly anthology and she also contributes material to other local history and writers’ anthologies.
Dianne is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, Historical Novel Society, Writers Abroad, Fermanagh Authors’ Association and Fermanagh Writers.
Dianne started life in a quiet residential neighbourhood in the buzzing city of Toronto and has progressively moved to smaller places through the years. She now lives on a small farm in Northern Ireland with her husband and an assortment of strong willed animals. If she ever decides to write her autobiography the working title will be ‘Downsizing’.
For more information please visit Dianne’s website. You can also find her on her Blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, April 18
Review at Lampshade Reader
Wednesday, April 20
Review at Room With Books
Review at Singing Librarian Books
Friday, April 22
Review at Diana’s Book Reviews
Review at Queen of All She Reads
Monday, April 25
Review at Eclectic Ramblings of Author Heather Osborne
April 21, 2016
Catching Up! Plus a BRAND NEW Blackout teaser!
Hi everyone!
I know most of my recent blog entries have been promoting others, but I’m going to take a moment to catch everyone up on some of the things coming up for me!
First of all, Bitter Bonds is DONE! Yay! It’s off to the editor *bites nails* and then it will be released on Friday, May 13th (spooooooky!). It is currently up for PREORDER at 99 cents/99p for the duration of release week, and then it will go up in price, so grab a copy while you can!
Next, I’ve just started sign-ups for my NEWSLETTER! *puts on her big girl author pants* When you sign up, you get a FREE copy of Hubris, Luke’s Story, AND when I send out my first newsletter, I’ll be giving away a signed copy of The Fairest of Them in paperback with the shiny new cover! Squee!
Finally, I’m working on Blackout, the next (and possibly final) Rae Hatting novel! I know, I know, sad times, but I want to move on to some other crime novels with new, awesome heroines. I know it’s a long wait, but Blackout will be out this October. I would have had it sooner, but…I’m going to California for three weeks in July and I plan to do NOTHING!
Blurb:
All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely…dead.
Reeling from their time in New Orleans, all Special Agents Rae Hatting and Luke Thompson want to do is recover, and try to understand their budding attraction. However, there is no rest for the weary. New York calls this time, with an incipient serial killer enacting horrible vengeance on the thespian community. As bodies drop onstage, audiences are none the wiser that they are witnessing murder. Will Rae and Luke discover the culprit, before it’s ‘curtain down’?
So, as always, happy reading, please sign-up for the newsletter, and I can’t wait to share Bitter Bonds with you all!
April 20, 2016
House of Baric Book Blast!
The House of Baric Part One: Shields DownPublication Date: December 5, 2015
Hillwalker Publishing
eBook & Paperback; 440 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction\Romance
Marriage matches for the Venetian nobility were not preordained by God in heaven. They were skillfully negotiated by fathers looking to enhance their own prestige and wealth. A young lady could overlook petty shortcomings in her future husband, if he were rich, held a title, and was easy on the eyes. The young Baron Mauro Baric was such desirable yet flawed match.
Mauro was the last of the House of Baric, and he required a wife to provide him with sons. Resi Kokkinos was not interested in marrying an aristocrat any more than Mauro wanted a common, Ottoman Greek girl as his bride. Betrothed as children to repay Resi’s father’s debt to the Barics, they had no choice in their paired future.
Resi made the best of her sequestered adolescence in Thessaloniki while she waited to be summoned to the Venetian colony of Croatia to marry. Since her fate had already been decided, Resi’s mother allowed her to be tutored with her brothers. She did not need to learn the skills her friends focused on to entice a desirable husband, so she used her freedom to read every book she could find.
Mauro’s bachelor years of soldiering gave way to burdensome responsibilities as a baron and a new husband. Personal and political conflicts added more challenges to the couple’s awkward first year of marriage. Dear friends and unexpected visitors would bring their own troubles to the House of Baric. Through it all, Mauro could no longer deny that his complicated and unpredictable wife might be his perfect match after all.
Set in the summer of 1649, you are a fly-on-the-wall into their intriguing and adventurous world. Love, war, hating, and mating were perhaps not so different back in the seventeenth century. These memorable characters only wanted to steer their own destinies in search of happiness, and you will find yourself rooting for them to succeed in their quest.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo | Smashwords
The House of Baric Part Two: A Brother’s DefensePublication Date: March 16, 2016
Hillwalker Publishing
eBook & Paperback; 526 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction\Romance
Book two of this fast-paced tale of aristocratic life in the 17th century Venetian Empire begins where book one left off: the mercenaries arrive to visit Resi and her new husband, Baron Mauro Baric.
Part One: Shields Down introduced you to the colorful characters of the House of Baric, their loyal bonds of friendship, willing romances, arranged marriages, political conflicts, and suspicious deaths. Mauro’s family secrets and buried pain can no longer be ignored. In Part Two: A Brother’s Defense, he must face his demons. But first, his new brother-in-law stirs up trouble, while the elegant Venetian guests fill their idle time at the Baric castle with new romantic pursuits.
Set in the summer of 1649, this gripping rendition of the saga of love, revenge, and redemption do not disappoint. Questions will be answered, and more will come to light, as this engaging trilogy speeds along. Swords will be drawn. The House of Baric must be protected. But from whom?
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo | Smashwords
About the Author
Most of the novels in Jillian Bald’s library take place in the far past or the far future, so it came naturally for Jillian to set her first novel in the year 1649. She has always enjoyed discovering new things, and historical fiction is an entertaining path to learning. After working in business management and living in France and Germany for several years, Jillian moved with her husband across the country while taking time off to raise her boys. Writing is a new occupation to Jillian, but she has always had a story churning in her imagination. “The House of Baric Part One: Shields Down” is Jillian Bald’s first published work.
Connect with author Jillian Bald on Facebook and Goodreads.
Giveaway
To enter to win a signed copy of The House of Baric Part One: Shields Down please enter the giveaway via the GLEAM form below.
Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on May 11th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to residents in the US, UK, Canada and Australia.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
April 15, 2016
Galerie Blog Tour!
Galerie by Steven Greenberg
Publication Date: October 26, 2015
Evolved Publishing
Genre: Historical Fiction/Thriller/Literary
WINNER: Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, Fall 2015 — Best Books in Fiction.
Every family has secrets, but some are far darker, reach deeper, and touch a rawer nerve than others.
For Vanesa Neuman, the past is a closed book. The daughter of Holocaust survivors, her childhood in the cramped intimacy of south Tel Aviv is shadowed by her parents’ unspoken wartime experiences. But when her father passes away, the closed book falls literally open. Vanesa decides to unravel the mystery of the diary she has received, and strange symbol in it, at all costs.
Set against the backdrop of the Jewish Museum of Prague during the Nazi occupation – Adolf Eichmann’s “Museum of an Extinct Race” – Galerie is fast-paced historical fiction in the tradition of Tatiana De Rosnay’s Sarah’s Key. From Jerusalem’s Yad V’Shem Holocaust research center, to the backstreets of Prague, and into the former “paradise ghetto” of Theresienstadt – Vanesa’s journey of understanding will reveal a darker family past than she ever imagined and a secret kept alive for over half a century.
PERFECT FOR BOOK CLUBS: A book club guide is included at the end of the story.
Available for Kindle for only $2.99!
Amazon (Paperback) | Barnes & Noble
Praise
“…dark and gritty…the story and writing lift it up to the point of being nearly sublime. Buy this book and say goodbye to your family for the weekend, because you will not want to put it down once you get started.” ~ Eric W. Swett
“Galerie is a gripping read, rich with intrigue from beginning to end. As much a thriller as a Holocaust novel…” ~ BookWormNZ
“Imagine Stephen King wrote Schindler’s List…Galerie manages to break away from the accepted treatment of Europe’s darkest hour and explore the horror from an unexpected point of view.” ~ Nikki
“…uncomfortable in moments, but so provocative that it is impossible to put down.” ~ Sydology
Review
I am a staunch reader of Holocaust historical fiction and non-fiction. I loved reading, no, devouring, Galerie. Despite initially getting off to a slow start, I was soon swept away in Vanesa’s determined mission to discover a dark secret in her family’s past. The novel takes us between past and present (1992) as Vanesa unfolds the mystery before the reader’s eyes. I’m reminding of Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum in the way Greenberg intertwines the stories into one. The ending was certainly a surprise, but I won’t spoil it! Vanesa’s determination was certainly inspiring, and I will look for other novels by this author.
About the AuthorSteven Greenberg is a professional writer, as well as a full-time cook, cleaner, chauffeur, and work-at-home Dad for three amazing young children, and the lucky husband of a loving and very supportive wife. Born in Texas and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Steven emigrated to Israel only months before the first Gulf War, following graduation from Indiana University in 1990. In 1996, he was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces, where he served for 12 years as a Reserves Combat Medic. Since 2002, Steven has worked as an independent marketing writer, copywriter and consultant.
You can find more information at Steven Greenberg’s website. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Blog Tour Schedule
Tuesday, April 5
Review at Library Educated
Wednesday, April 6
Review & Giveaway at Man of la Book
Interview at Library Educated
Thursday, April 7
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book
Review & Giveaway at The Maiden’s Court
Friday, April 8
Review & Giveaway at Singing Librarian Books
Monday, April 11
Guest Post & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews
Tuesday, April 12
Review at Eclectic Ramblings of Author Heather Osborne
Wednesday, April 13
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Thursday, April 14
Review at Bookramblings
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Friday, April 15
Review at Book Nerd
April 1, 2016
Finding Series Cover Re-reveal!
Series: The Finding Series
Author: S.K. Hartley
Genre: New Adult/Suspense
Cover Design: Sofie Hartley – Luminos Graphic House
Finding You
My pain started when I was just ten years old, it was the day my mom got that dreaded phone call. My life has never been the same…I’m all kinds of broken.
I have known Logan White forever, he was my brothers best friend and my secret protector. I used to have nightmares that drew me into a dark place, and when the nightmares got too much…Logan was by my side. The nightmares are few and far between now, but my life is centered around the tragedy of my past.
But after an unexpected moment, things changed. Now Logan is somebody else; hot, sexy and so damn delicious and I want to know him.
Desperately. But then there’s Angel Walker, who is far from the angelic nature of his name. He’s a broken man who just screams sin. He doesn’t want to protect me or care for me,
He just wants me.Do I want the man who can cut through all of my pain
or the man who could cause me more?
ADD TO GOODREADS
Purchase Links
Finding Me
The lines are blurred between what is real and what isn’t, the darkness that was once a place I feared was now a place of safety.
If I stayed in the darkness, the hellish reality of what was truly happening no longer seemed real.But I was about to be pulled from beneath the consuming blanket of dark shadows, and plunged into the murky depths of my past.
I was about to be shown my demons and all their evil sides, all of their pain and grief. I could only hope I survive it.
What happens when the world you once knew crumbles and falls at your feet?
Who will find me? Who will save me from my demons?
My dark prince or my white knight…
And will I find myself in the process?
Purchase Links
Finding Us
I’m loud, I’m proud, and I like to bust balls in my spare time.
At least, that’s what Low Parker would do. But she is just a mask, one I have perfected over years of running.I am Willow Knoxx. Master of deception, secrets, and lies.
I am the girl your mother told you to stay away from, and the girl your father fantasized about. I have been running for years, always looking over my shoulder. Hoping I wasn’t going to be found.
But hiding comes with a price.
Now, the mask I have perfected is about to disappear, and everything I have done to keep myself hidden is about to be revealed.
How far are you willing to go to hide from your past in order to protect your future?
I’m willing to die to protect the ones I love.
I’m willing to go to the ends of the earth to stop my past from finding us.
Even if it kills me.
Purchase Links
Author Bio
S.K. Hartley is a wife and mother to an oil soaked husband and a tomato sauce covered son by day, by night an international bestselling author whose first novel, Finding You, quickly shot up the charts in fall 2013.
Located in the not-so-sunny North West of England, UK, S.K. Hartley can usually be found in her office writing or dealing with daily battles against her love of chocolate, her coffee addiction, the endless streams of questionable questions from her four year old and defying autocorrect.
Author Links
WEBSITE
March 30, 2016
The Tapestry Book Blast and Giveaway!
The Tapestry (Joanna Stafford #3)by Nancy Bilyeau
Paperback Publication Date: March 22, 2016
Touchstone/Simon & Schuster
Paperback; 416 Pages
Series: Joanna Stafford
Genre: Historical Mystery
“Fans of the Tudor era, you’re in for a treat” –InStyle magazine
Henry VIII’s Palace of Whitehall is the last place on earth Joanna Stafford wants to be. But a summons from the king cannot be refused.
After her priory was destroyed, Joanna, a young Dominican novice, vowed to live a quiet life, weaving tapestries and shunning dangerous conspiracies. That all changes when the king takes an interest in her tapestry talent.
With a ruthless monarch tiring of his fourth wife and amoral noblemen driven by hidden agendas, Joanna becomes entangled in court politics. Her close friend, Catherine Howard, is rumored to be the king’s mistress, and Joanna is determined to protect her from becoming the king’s next wife–and victim. All the while, Joanna tries to understand her feelings for the two men in her life: the constable who tried to save her and the friar she can’t forget.
Ina world of royal banquets, jousts, sea voyages and Tower Hill executions, Joanna must finally choose her future: nun or wife, spy or subject, rebel or courtier.
The Tapestry is the final book in a trilogy that began in 2012 with The Crown, an Oprah magazine pick. Don’t miss the adventures of one of the most unforgettable heroines in historical fiction.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound
Praise
“In Joanna Stafford, Bilyeau has given us a memorable character who is prepared to risk her life to save what she most values.” (Deborah Harkness)
“Nancy Bilyeau’s passion for history infuses her books and transports us back to the dangerous world of Tudor England. Vivid characters and gripping plots are at the heart of this wonderful trilogy, and this third book will not fail to thrill readers. Warmly recommended!” (Alison Weir, author of The Marriage Game: A Novel of Queen Elizabeth I)
“A rip-roaring Tudor adventure from Nancy Bilyeau! Novice nun turned tapestry weaver Joanna Stafford returns to the court of Henry VIII. She’s that great rarity of historical fiction: a fiercely independent woman who is still firmly of her time. A mystery as richly woven as any of Joanna’s tapestries.” (Kate Quinn, author of Lady of the Eternal City)
“The Tapestry takes its history seriously, but that doesn’t stop it from being a supremely deft, clever and pacy entertainment. This is Nancy Bilyeau’s most thrilling – and enlightening – novel in the Joanna Stafford series yet.” (Andrew Pyper, International Thriller Writers Award winner of The Demonologist and The Damned)
“A master of atmosphere, Nancy Bilyeau imbues her novel with the sense of dread and oppression lurking behind the royal glamour; in her descriptions and characterizations . . . Bilyeau breathes life into history.” (Laura Andersen, author of The Boleyn King)
“In The Tapestry, Nancy Bilyeau brilliantly captures both the white-hot religious passions and the brutal politics of Tudor England. It is a rare book that does both so well.” (Sam Thomas, author of The Midwife’s Tale)
“In spite of murderous plots, volatile kings, and a divided heart, Joanna Stafford manages to stay true to her noble character. Fans of Ken Follett will devour Nancy Bilyeau’s novel of political treachery and courageous love, set amid the endlessly fascinating Tudor landscape.” (Erika Robuck, author of Hemingway’s Girl)
“These aren’t your mother’s nuns! Nancy Bilyeau has done it again, giving us a compelling and wonderfully realized portrait of Tudor life in all its complexity and wonder. A nun, a tapestry, a page-turning tale of suspense: this is historical mystery at its finest.” (Bruce Holsinger, author of A Burnable Book and The Invention of Fire)
About the Author
Nancy Bilyeau has worked on the staffs of InStyle, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Ladies Home Journal. She is currently the executive editor of DuJour magazine. Her screenplays have placed in several prominent industry competitions. Two scripts reached the semi-finalist round of the Nicholl Fellowships of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Her screenplay “Zenobia” placed with the American Zoetrope competition, and “Loving Marys” reached the finalist stage of Scriptapalooza. A native of the Midwest, she earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan. THE CROWN, her first novel, was published in 2012; the sequel, THE CHALICE, followed in 2013, and THE TAPESTRY in 2015.
Nancy lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Stay in touch with her on Twitter at @tudorscribe. For more information or to sign up for Nancy’s Newsletter please visit her official website.
Book Blast Schedule
Tuesday, March 22
Just One More Chapter
Historical Fiction Addicts
Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Wednesday, March 23
Passages to the Past
With Her Nose Stuck In A Book
Thursday, March 24
Impressions In Ink
The Life & Times of a Book Addict
Friday, March 25
The Reading Queen
Queen of All She Reads
Saturday, March 26
A Holland Reads
Sunday, March 27
Layered Pages
Monday, March 28
A Book Drunkard
Historical Readings & Reviews
Tuesday, March 29
Book Nerd
Carpe Librum
Wednesday, March 30
The Lit Bitch
Eclectic Ramblings of Author Heather Osborne
Thursday, March 31
A Book Geek
What Is That Book About
Friday, April 1
CelticLady’s Reviews
A Dream within a Dream
Saturday, April 2
So Many Books, So Little Time
Sunday, April 3
Susan Heim on Writing
Monday, April 4
100 Pages a Day
A Literary Vacation
Tuesday, April 5
The Tudor Enthusiast
Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Giveaway
Two paperbacks of The Tapestry by Nancy Bilyeau are up for grabs! To enter, please use the GLEAM form below.
Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on April 6th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US addresses only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
March 28, 2016
Prostitution and the Civil War
Very interesting post! :-)
It was to my slight disappointment that I found out that the term “hooker,” one of many referring to prostitutes (or, as they were called during the Civil War era, “public women), is not actually a play on the name of Joseph Hooker, the infamous and promiscuous Union general. Fighting Joe may, however, have helped elevate the term to its current popularity; after all, a certain red light district in Washington, D.C. was dubbed “Hooker’s Division.”
Pushing past the etymology, however, I discovered a vast array of sources, anecdotes, and documents leading to the world of prostitution in the Civil War era. In an earlier post I explored the prudish nature of domestic sex, a topic not often discussed or even performed. Indeed, prostitution and sex work was held in contempt by the majority of Victorian society: William Quesenbury Claytor on Virginia penned in his diary…
View original post 615 more words
Death of an Alchemist Blog Tour!
Death of an Alchemist: A Bianca Goddard Mystery (Bianca Goddard Mysteries, Book 2)by Mary Lawrence
Publication Date: January 26, 2016
Kensington Books
Hardcover & eBook; 304 Pages
Genre: Historical Mystery
In the mid sixteenth century, Henry VIII sits on the throne, and Bianca Goddard tends to the sick and suffering in London’s slums, where disease can take a life as quickly as murder…
For years, alchemist Ferris Stannum has devoted himself to developing the Elixir of Life, the reputed serum of immortality. Having tested his remedy successfully on an animal, Stannum intends to send his alchemy journal to a colleague in Cairo for confirmation. But the next day his body is found and the journal is gone.
Bianca, the daughter of an alchemist, is well acquainted with the mystical healing arts. When her husband John falls ill with the sweating sickness, she dares to hope Stannum’s journal could contain the secret to his recovery. But first she must solve the alchemist’s murder. As she ventures into a world of treachery and deceit, Stannum’s death is only the first in a series of murders—and Bianca’s quest becomes a matter of life and death, not only for her husband, but for herself…
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound
Praise for The Alchemist’s Daughter (Bianca Goddard Mysteries, Book 1)
“A realistic evocation of 16th century London’s underside. The various strands of the plot are so skillfully plaited together.” —Fiona Buckley
“Mystery and Tudor fans alike will raise a glass to this new series.” —Karen Harper
About the Author
Mary Lawrence studied biology and chemistry, graduating from Indiana University with a degree in Cytotechnology. Along with writing and farming, Lawrence works as a cytologist near Boston. She lives in Maine. The Alchemist’s Daughter is the first book in the Bianca Goddard Mystery series.
For more information please visit Mary’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.
Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, March 21
Review at Broken Teepee
Tuesday, March 22
Review at With Her Nose Stuck In A Book
Guest Post at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More
Wednesday, March 23
Review at A Book Geek
Thursday, March 24
Interview at Books and Benches
Friday, March 25
Review at Book Nerd
Interview at The Book Connection
Monday, March 28
Review at Eclectic Ramblings of Author Heather Osborne
Tuesday, March 29
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective
Wednesday, March 30
Review at A Holland Reads
Thursday, March 31
Interview at Author Dianne Ascroft’s Blog
Friday, April 1
Guest Post at Passages to the Past
Giveaway
To enter the Death of an Alchemist giveaway, please use the GLEAM form below. Four winners will receive a signed copy and the Grand Prize Winner will receive a signed copy plus a $15 Amazon Gift Card!
Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on April 1st. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US addresses only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Death of an Alchemist Blog Tour
March 10, 2016
Forgetting Tabitha Blog Tour
Forgetting Tabithaby Julie Dewey
Publication Date: December 29, 2015
Holland Press
eBook & Paperback; 280p
Genre: Historical Fiction
Raised on a farm, Tabitha Salt, the daughter of Irish immigrants, leads a bucolic and sheltered existence. When tragedy strikes the family, Tabitha and her mother are forced to move to the notorious Five Points District in New York City, known for its brothels, gangs, gambling halls, corrupt politicians and thieves.
As they struggle to survive in their new living conditions, tragedy strikes again. Young Tabitha resorts to life alone on the streets of New York, dreaming of a happier future.
The Sisters of Charity are taking orphans off the streets with promises of a new life. Children are to forget their pasts, their religious beliefs, families and names. They offer Tabitha a choice: stay in Five Points or board the orphan train and go West in search of a new life.
The harrowing journey and the decision to leave everything behind launches Tabitha on a path from which she can never return.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Review
Upon beginning my read of this book, I really got into the story of Tabitha, later renamed Mary by the orphan train organizer, Sister Agnes. I do know a fair bit of the history at this time, and I found the first part really kept to the historical details. I felt sad for Tabitha when she lost her mother to an infection, as disease was so rampant in the industrialized areas during and after the Civil War.
As the novel went on, I found myself becoming less connected to Tabitha, as the perspective of the novel shifted to the other characters, and some parts even seemed far-fetched or historically inaccurate, such as the portion on suggesting Gert receive hypnotherapy, which was widely shunned as charlatanism in America at the time, and mostly practiced in Britain and France. I do understand this is historical fiction, but things like this stick out to me as not consistent with the history of the time. There are some graphic scenes, almost too graphic, so I would not recommend this novel to anyone under the age of 18.
I personally feel the author could have done well sticking to the story of Tabitha, seeing the world through her eyes as she traveled west. I feel some of the other characters were introduced to give the story conflict that may have not been needed. It would have been interesting to have a historical note at the end as well, talking about the goal of the orphan trains, and how the children were often not forgotten by biological parents, who later tracked them down. Overall though, this was an entertaining, quick read, with an insight to a program that lasted until the 1930s, the precursor to the welfare system we know now.
About the Author
Julie Dewey is a novelist who resides with her family in Central New York. Her daughter is a singer/songwriter, and her son is a boxer. Her husband is an all-around hard working, fantastic guy with gorgeous blue eyes that had her falling for him the moment they met.
In addition to researching and writing she is an avid reader. She is also passionate about jewelry design and gemstones. She loves anything creative, whether it be knitting, stamping, scrapping, decoupaging, working with metal, or decorating.
Visit her at www.juliedewey.com to get your reading guide for this book and to read an excerpt from One Thousand Porches, her second novel. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Blog Tour Schedule
Thursday, March 10
Review at Eclectic Ramblings of Author Heather Osborne
Monday, March 14
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Thursday, March 17
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Sunday, March 20
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book
Monday, March 21
Review at The Baking Bookworm
Tuesday, March 29
Review at Beth’s Book Nook
Thursday, March 31
Review at Impressions in Ink
Wednesday, April 13
Spotlight at Passages to the Past
March 6, 2016
America’s First Daughter Blog Tour!
We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Blog Tour for Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie’s AMERICA’S FIRST DAUGHTER, a historical fiction novel is published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, and releasing March 1, 2016! AMERICA’S FIRST DAUGHTER is a compelling, richly researched novel by bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. Drawing from thousands of letters and original sources, the authors reveal the fascinating, untold story of Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph, Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter. Patsy was one of the most influential women in American history: not only the progeny of a founding father – and the woman who held his secrets close to her heart – but a key player in the shaping of our nation’s legacy. And her story is one seldom told, until now. Make sure you grab your copy today!
Review
From the beginning of this novel, I was enraptured. There is nothing more I appreciate than a well-researched, knowledgeable author. In this case, I was lucky enough to get two! I love historical fiction, and have actually been suffering a bit of a downward slump in my reading. This book drew me out! Patsy is a likable character, yet still flawed. Dray and Kamoie show how a young girl learned and blossomed into a young woman, all in the shadow of her famous father. I loved the letters preceding each chapter, giving small snippets of Patsy and Jefferson. Any history lover will fully appreciate this beautiful novel, and I eagerly await the authors’ next collaboration (please let there be one!).
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Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie’s AMERICA’S FIRST DAUGHTER Blog Tour Schedule:
February 29th
What Is That Book About – Guest Post
Only One More Page – Review
A Fortress of Books – Excerpt
For the Love of Books & Alcohol – Review
March 1st
My Girlfriends Nook Korner – Review
Talking Books Blog – Excerpt
Smexy& Fabulous – Excerpt
Ramblings From This Chick – Excerpt
March 2nd
Maari Loves Her Indies – Excerpt
This Wacky Momma Reads – Review
Roxy’s Reviews – Excerpt
Brooke Blogs – Excerpt
March 3rd
A Diary of a Book Addict – Review
E-Reading After Midnight – Guest Post
Small Review – Guest Post
March 4th
Sassy Moms Say Read Romance – 2 Reviews
Leeanna.me – Review
Creative Madness Mama – Excerpt
March 5th
A Dream Within A Dream – Guest Post
Chick with Books – Review
Vagabonda Reads – Review
March 6th
Mama Reads Hazel Sleeps – Review
Movies, Shows & Books – Excerpt
Eclectic Ramblings of Author Heather Osborne – Review
I Read Indie – Excerpt
March 7th
No BS Book Reviews – Interview
My fictional escape – Review
Words with Sarah – Review
March 8th
The Maiden’s Court – Review
Unabridged Chick – Review
The Book Cellar – Interview
Becky on Books – Review
March 9th
Sofia Loves Books – Review
A Soccer Mom’s Book Blog – Review
One Book At A Time – Review
Curling Up by the Fire – Review
March 10th
A Bookish Affair – Interview
Curled Up and Cozy – Review
Into the Hall of Books – Review
Margie’s Must Reads – Review
March 11th
Book Talk – Review
JB’s Book Obsession – Excerpt
Genre Queen – Review
Leigh Anderson Romance – Interview
About AMERICA’S FIRST DAUGHTER:
In a compelling, richly researched novel that draws from thousands of letters and original sources, bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie tell the fascinating, untold story of Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph—a woman who kept the secrets of our most enigmatic founding father and shaped an American legacy.
From her earliest days, Patsy Jefferson knows that though her father loves his family dearly, his devotion to his country runs deeper still. As Thomas Jefferson’s oldest daughter, she becomes his helpmate, protector, and constant companion in the wake of her mother’s death, traveling with him when he becomes American minister to France.
It is in Paris, at the glittering court and among the first tumultuous days of revolution, that fifteen-year-old Patsy learns about her father’s troubling liaison with Sally Hemings, a slave girl her own age. Meanwhile, Patsy has fallen in love—with her father’s protégé William Short, a staunch abolitionist and ambitious diplomat. Torn between love, principles, and the bonds of family, Patsy questions whether she can choose a life as William’s wife and still be a devoted daughter.
Her choice will follow her in the years to come, to Virginia farmland, Monticello, and even the White House. And as scandal, tragedy, and poverty threaten her family, Patsy must decide how much she will sacrifice to protect her father’s reputation, in the process defining not just his political legacy, but that of the nation he founded.
About Stephanie Dray:
STEPHANIE DRAY is an award-winning, bestselling and two-time RITA award nominated author of historical women’s fiction. Her critically acclaimed series about Cleopatra’s daughter has been translated into eight different languages and won NJRW’s Golden Leaf. As Stephanie Draven, she is a national bestselling author of genre fiction and American-set historical women’s fiction. She is a frequent panelist and presenter at national writing conventions and lives near the nation’s capital. Before she became a novelist, she was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the stories of women in history to inspire the young women of today.
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | AMERICA’S FIRST DAUGHTER Website
About Laura Kamoie:
Laura Kamoie has always been fascinated by the people, stories, and physical presence of the past, which led her to a lifetime of historical and archaeological study and training. She holds a doctoral degree in early American history from The College of William and Mary, published two non-fiction books on early America, and most recently held the position of Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Naval Academy before transitioning to a full-time career writing genre fiction as the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty books, Laura Kaye. Her debut historical novel, America’s First Daughter, co-authored with Stephanie Dray, allowed her the exciting opportunity to combine her love of history with her passion for storytelling. Laura lives among the colonial charm of Annapolis, Maryland with her husband and two daughters.
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | AMERICA’S FIRST DAUGHTER Website
