March 11, 2020 – Gwendalyn’s Books

Veronica Speedwell navigates a dark world of scandal and murder in this new adventure from New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

Veronica Speedwell and her natural historian colleague Stoker are asked by Lady Wellingtonia Beauclerk to help with a potential scandal so explosive it threatens to rock the monarchy. Prince Albert Victor is a regular visitor to the most exclusive private club in London, known as the Club de l’Etoile, and the proprietess, Madame Aurore, has received an expensive gift that can be traced back to the prince. Lady Wellie would like Veronica and Stoker to retrieve the jewel from the club before scandal can break.

Worse yet, London is gripped by hysteria in the autumn of 1888, terrorized by what would become the most notorious and elusive serial killer in history, Jack the Ripper–and Lady Wellie suspects the prince may be responsible.

Veronica and Stoker reluctantly agree to go undercover at Madame Aurore’s high class brothel, where another body soon turns up. Many secrets are swirling around Veronica and the royal family–and it’s up to Veronica and Stoker to find the truth, before it’s too late for all of them.

“He was not another half, for I was whole unto myself. But he was my mirror, and in him I saw reflected all that I liked best in me. I saw honesty and pride, loyalty, and a willingness to stand, however difficult, in service of one’s principles.”

After the ending of A Dangerous Collaboration, I was not sure what to expect, relationship wise, between Veronica and Stoker. They had both finally accepted that they were drawn to each other in more than a partnership capacity and I was eager to see how that unfolded in A Murderous Relation. Even in their acceptance, there was complexity and simplicity woven with insecurities. What did take place was adorable, frustrating, and in the end, swoon worthy. Both Veronica and Stoker were deeply passionate characters who were also deeply emotionally scarred and there was an element of vulnerability that needed to be addressed internally before any progress could be made. I loved the emotional journey! Focusing on the mystery, there is very little sleuthing, not exactly a whodunit. Expect more along the lines of political machinations and surprising betrayal. I will say that I did enjoy the nods to the Whitechapel murders, along with the characters introduced from that quarter. They were impactful in their brief time in this story. Overall, A Murderous Relation was a delightful historical mystery with witty banter and plenty of escapades and exploits that kept this story moving at a fast clip.

About Deanna Raybourn

A sixth-generation native Texan, New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn grew up in San Antonio where she met her college sweetheart. She married him on her graduation day and went on to teach high school English and history. During summer vacation at the age of twenty-three, she wrote her first novel, and after three years as a teacher, Deanna left education to have a baby and pursue writing full-time. Fourteen years and many, many rejections after her first novel, she signed two three-book deals with MIRA Books.

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The Henna Artist Book Review

March 11, 2020 Gwendalyn’s Books

Hello Bookish Friends,

Today I have a wonderful historical fiction book review

After fleeing an arranged marriage as a fifteen year old to an abusive older man, Lakshmi Shastri steals away alone from her rural village to Jaipur. Here, against odds, she carves out a living for herself as a henna artist, and friend and confidante to wealthy, upper caste women. Surviving by her wits and talents, she shares her knowledge and keeps their secrets in a delicate balancing act amid the changing 1950s social mores brought about by Indian Independence. Vulnerable to opinion and innuedo, at any point her intentions might be misunderstood, and she could fall prey to a damaged reputation or worse. Still Lakshmi manages to save to build a house with the dream of bringing her aging parents here to live with her and redeem herself in their eyes. Then one day her ex-husband arrives in town seeking her out with a girl in tow, a sister she did not know she had. Her sister is both passionate and reckless by nature, and all of a sudden the caution that Lakshmi has carefully cultivated is threatened, along with her livelihood. But she preseveres, and in doing so manages to lift up the others around her with her success.

Lakshmi’s tenacity and spirit see her join the ranks of other brave women of historical fiction, such as Farough Farrokhzad in Jasmin Darznik’s Song of a Captive Bird.With gorgeous prose and urgent themes, the novel will captivate readers of Shobha Rao’s Girls Burn Brighter, and those who seek a narrative both compelling and necessary.

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iBooks

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi writes a thought provoking, emotional novel.

Alka Joshi has meticulously brought the rich Indian culture and landscape literary to life within these vibrant books pages.

Joshi brings the northern central city of Jaipur completely to life with her elegantly written prose. In this captivating historical fiction takes place a few years after Indian Independence. In the 1950’s India as a whole is undergoing an extensive climatic challenge, with conflict between modern and traditional thinkers. To epic divisons of classes.

The main protagonist, Lakshmi is known for her exquisite henna designs and makes her living by being a henna artist to the women in the village. She also is familiar with certain herbal remedies, a very lucrative secret side business providing women with a way to get rid of unwanted pregnancies.

Lakshmi has escaped an abusive husband and is cautious in keeping her name clear of any gossip. She ultimately longs for a home of her own, and with her wealthy clientele she just might have it. until a young sister she never knew she had shows up in town with her ex-husband. Lakshmi’s life is thrown into upheaval and her hard won business threatened, as she struggles to incorporate her sister into her carefully balanced life could threaten her dreams.

I was completely immersed in Lakshmi’s life and her struggles as tries to raise herself up become a woman of independence.

The Henna Artist is a brilliant captivating atmospheric detailed first novel.

I would recommend this thought-provoking novel for readers who enjoy Historical Fiction.

Alka Joshi is a graduate of Stanford University and received her M.F.A. from the California College of the Arts. She has worked as an advertising copywriter, a marketing consultant, and an illustrator. Alka was born in India, in the state of Rajasthan. Her family came to the United States when she was nine, and she now lives on California’s Monterey Peninsula with her husband and two misbehaving pups. The Henna Artist is her first novel. Visit her website and blog at thehennaartist.com

SOCIAL:

Author Website: https://thehennaartist.com/

TWITTER:

FB: @alkajoshi2019

Insta: @thealkajoshi

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18257842.Alka_Joshi

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Book Review – Blame the Dead by Ed Ruggero + Giveaway

March 11, 2020June 25, 2020 Gwendalyn’s Books

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Forge Books (March 3, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250312744
ISBN-13: 978-1250312747

Praise for BLAME THE DEAD

“The title of this riveting, finely crafted novel may be Blame the Dead, but I blame author Ed Ruggero–for keeping me up at night, reading “just one more” chapter then another and another. Whether your interests lie in a well-wrought mystery, a classic cop story, historical settings or first-rate military fiction, this thoroughly enjoyable novel set during World War II checks the block. Great pacing, compelling characters, solid research and a fiendishly clever plot add up to non-stop reading excitement.” ―Ralph Peters, author of Cain at Gettysburg and Judgment at Appomattox

“This book is a lot of fun, written with an insider’s feel for the U.S. Army and its history.” ―Thomas E. Ricks, author of The Generals and Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq

“Ruggero’s story sets itself apart with the vividly rendered field-hospital setting and the focus on the battle-hardened nurses. A solid choice for WWII-thriller fans.” ―Booklist

“At the start of this exceptional WWII mystery and series launch, Lt. Eddie Harkins, an MP who was once a Philadelphia beat cop, comes across a murder scene near Palermo, Sicily…. Ruggero plays fair with his readers and makes the carrying out of a homicide inquiry in wartime both exciting and plausible.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Ruggero uses his military expertise to create a vivid and unconventional setting for a murder mystery, crafting an intriguing quagmire of institutional corruption to challenge his everyman hero.” ―Library Journal

The nurses of the US Army’s Field Hospitals, mobile units that operate just behind the battle lines, contend with heat, dirt, short-handed staffs, the threat of German counterattack and an ever-present flood of horribly wounded GIs. At the 11th Field Hospital near Palermo, Sicily in the bloody summer of 1943, nurses also live with the threat of violent assault by one of their own–at least until someone shoots Dr. Myers Stephenson in the head.

Enter Eddie Harkins, a tough former Philadelphia beat cop turned Military Police lieutenant, who is first on the scene. Although he has never been a detective, Harkins soon finds himself the lone investigator, either because the Military Police are under-staffed or because someone in power thinks this rank amateur will never get close to the real killer. When the hospital commander tries to derail Harkins’ investigation by transferring or harassing key witnesses, it becomes clear to Harkins that the unit is rotten to its core, that the nurses are not safe, and that patients who have survived Nazi bullets are still at risk after they arrive at this place that is supposed to save them.

Harkins fights–and worries that he is losing–multiple battles. He is driven to give hope to nurses who just want to do their life-saving work, to right at least a few of the wrongs around him, and to do penance for sins in his own past. The one bright note for Harkins is a rekindled relationship with Kathleen Donnelly, a nurse from Harkins’ old neighborhood; but even that is complicated when Donnelly becomes a victim.

You can purchase Blame the Dead at the following Retailers:

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Sicily 1943

A brutally honest start to a incredible World War II historical fiction series.

Eddie Harkins, a formal,Philadelphian beat cop, whom has turned Military Police lieutenant, arrives first to a murder scene near Palermo, Sicily.

At first light, amongst the confusion of a German air raid someone shot Capt. Meyers Stephenson, a surgeon. A close range shot to the back of the head, leaving him with his brains splattered. Exhausted from the rigors of war at lack of sleep, Harkins wishes he had paid more attention to the detectives state side. Hawkins soon discovers more than one person could have a motive, and all isn’t right surrounding this war time hospital.

This raw, edgy, dark, distressing, and compelling mystery that absolutely enthralled me. I was immediately taken and entranced with how the writing pulled me into this riveting WWII novel. The dialogue was exceptional with enigmatic narration that I couldn’t put this book down. A fast paced adrenaline rush plot, and vivid atmospheric imagery that depicted the chaotic elements and drama surrounding a wartime hospital setting. From the realistic underlying issues to the military politics, and the unflinching dynamics of war time.

Ed Ruggero, doesn’t hold back, giving the reader everything you could want in a thrilling thought provoking storyline.

If you enjoy historical war fiction, this is a novel you need to read. I can’t express enough how much I enjoyed reading this book.

Photo Content from Ed Ruggero

Ed Ruggero has studied, practiced, and taught leadership for more than twenty-five years, helping organizations develop the kinds of leaders people want to follow. His client list includes the FBI, the New York City Police Department, CEO Conference Europe, the CIA, the Young Presidents Organization, Forbes, the SAS Institute, Hugo Boss USA, CitiFinancial, and Time, among many others. He has appeared on CNN, The History Channel, the Discovery Channel, and CNBC and has spoken to audiences around the world on leadership, leader development and ethics. Ed is a senior advisor to McKinsey & Company and has been a panelist for The Washington Post’s On Leadership series. He also has been a guest speaker at Harvard Business School and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.

Ed is the author of eleven books, including Duty First: West Point and the Making of American Leaders, a study of leader development at the US Military Academy; and Combat Jump: The Young Men Who Led the Assault Into Fortress Europe, July 1943, which became a one-hour docudrama on The History Channel. Ed is also the co-author of The Leader’s Compass, a fictional story of how one leader developed a personal leadership philosophy. His most recent book is The First Men In: US Paratroopers and the Fight to Save D-Day.

After his graduation from West Point, Ed received his commission in the United States Army and served as an infantry officer in a variety of leadership positions, followed by an assignment teaching at West Point. After his service, Ed continued to share his insights about leadership, leading to his career as an author, public speaker, and trainer.

Ed is the founder and principal of The Gettysburg Leadership Experience, The Concord Leadership Experience, The Valley Forge Leadership Experience and the Normandy Leadership Experience, four distinct experiential learning programs in which participants walk the grounds of great military struggles and learn battle-tested leadership lessons that will help them meet today’s business challenges.