Today I’m really excited to be taking part in the Book Tour of, Confessions of a Sheba Queen.
by Autumn Bardot which is being hosted by HFBT!

#ConfessionsofaShebaQueen #AutumnBardot #HFVBTBlogTours

Confessions of a Sheba Queen
by Autumn Bardot

Publication Date: March 10, 2019
Cleis Press
eBook & Paperback; 384 Pages

Genre: Historical/Erotica

With a host of unforgettable characters and unbridled sensual escapades, Confessions of a Sheba Queen is a triumphantly erotic retelling of an indomitable woman prevailing in a man world.

During a raging sandstorm along a riverbed in the ancient lands of Saba, a powerful jinni born of smokeless fire gives birth to a half-human daughter. Bilqis does not inherit her mother magical abilities, but the fire of her jinni blood does imbue her with other powerful gifts. As she undergoes her rites of womanhood and her insatiable sexual hunger is awakened, it becomes clear this is the key to her great destiny prophesied at her birth. But it could also lead to her total undoing.

Bilqis comes to understand that her supernatural talents have the power to make men, and women, and nations prostrate themselves in utter devotion to her. When tragedy strikes, she leaves her home to seek revenge against the tyrannical god-king whose reign is a plague upon his land and people. Armed with only her body, courage, and wits, she quickly masters the art of seduction, all the while resisting the mind-consuming call to stay locked in an endless cycle of carnal passion.

Destiny soon intervenes, and what began as a quest for vengeance becomes a mission to heal the land of Saba from a twisted, corrupt regime and to see it become the wealthiest kingdom in all the land. Yet, it is only after meeting the already legendary and wildly attractive King Solomon that Bilqis discovers her greatest battle is not with others, but with herself.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

CONFESSIONS OF A SHEBA QUEEN

BY AUTUMN BARDOT

*Historical Erotica*

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.

Autumn Bardot newest novel, is a captivating historical erotica.

Confessions of a Sheba Queen, is the phenomenal empowering story of Bilqis, a half Jinni. Bilqis who’s mother is a Jinni and her father an unknown human. This cinnamon hued, breathtaking golden eyed girl, who’s life was foretold to have a Great Destiny, by an Oracle. Residing in a small village of the kingdom of Saba, her mother spares nothing in her education. Tutored in mathematics, history, geography and economics, including in the sexual arts.

When her Jinn, momma is brutally murdered under the orders of a tyrannical corrupted King. Bilqis rises up with newfound strength and seeks vengeance on those who have committed this unthinkable crime along with the compassion to heal the land of Saba.

Seeking a trade deal for her people during a visit the fabled king of Solomon, she brings a decadent caravan of riches the likes of which is astounding.

This is richly descriptive book that is both passionate as it is engaging. Bardot, has truly created a whole new genre in writing, historical erotica, with a touch mystical realism. A bold astounding seductive tale bring to life an historical legendary Queen of Sheba. The books pace was brisk and vividly rendered, you will be completely carried away. The characters are well developed and narration is fluid.

Exquisitely written this page turner of a book is by far one of my favorites by this brilliant author.

Historical Fiction
~ The Impaler’s Wife
~ Dragon Lady
~ The Emperor’s Assassin

Historical Erotica ( Cleis Press)
~ Legends of Lust, Erotic Myths from around the World
~ Confessions of a Sheba Queen

About the Author

Autumn Bardot writes historical fiction and historical erotica. Her debut historical fiction is THE IMPALER’S WIFE. Her debut historical erotica is LEGENDS OF LUST.

Autumn, a pen name, has worked as an educator for more than sixteen years. She teaches literature, writing, and the magic of words. She has a passion for history and a special affinity for the unsung courageous females that history has neglected. Or misunderstood. Autumn lives in Southern California with her husband and ever-growing family. She wishes she was one-tenth as brave as the women she writes about.

Historical Fiction
~ The Impaler’s Wife
~ Dragon Lady
~ The Emperor’s Assassin

Historical Erotica ( Cleis Press)
~ Legends of Lust, Erotic Myths from around the World
~ Confessions of a Sheba Queen

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, March 10
Review at Broken Teepee

Wednesday, March 11
Review at Books and Zebras

Thursday, March 12
Feature at Chicks, Rogues and Scandals

Friday, March 13
Review at @bookishbellee

Monday, March 16
Review at YA, It’s Lit

Tuesday, March 17
Feature at Donna’s Book Blog

Wednesday, March 18
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books

Friday, March 20
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Monday, March 23
Feature at I’m All About Books

Wednesday, March 25
Review at Nursebookie

Thursday, March 26
Review at Jessica Belmont

Friday, March 27
Feature at Curling up by the Fire

Monday, March 30
Review at Historical Graffiti

Tuesday, March 31
Review at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, April 1
Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a copy of Confessions of a Sheba Queen! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on April 1st. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Giveaway is open to the US only.
Only one entry per household.
All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.

Confessions of a Sheba Queen
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Book Details:

Book Title:  Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday by Alysson Foti Bourque
Category:  Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7),  32 pages
Genre:  Children’s Picture Book
Publisher:  Mascot Books
Release date:   March 17, 2020
Content Rating:  G

Book Description:

A “Mom’s Choice Award Winner”! Alycat’s brother, Bugsy, is playing in a
golf tournament with some of his friends, and wants to use his lucky
ball to win the game. But when Alycat forgets his lucky ball at home,
Bugsy learns what luck is really all about. Can Bugsy win the tournament
without his lucky ball? Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday is part of
the Alycat Series: alycatseries.com.

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.

Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday Is the 4th book in the delightful Alycat series by the Louisiana writer, Alysson Foti Bourque.

Starting the day off Alycat and her Bugsy race each other down the stairs. Busy won but not by much because Alycat was slowed down by her her brothers lucky ball.

Bugsy has complete faith in the luck of his black starred golf ball.

When Mom, Dad and the children are loaded up in car, bugsy realizes that he doesn’t have his lucky ball. His mother tries to explain to him that hard work and practice is all he needs to have a good game. Bugsy is not deterred so Alycat is sent back into the house to retrieve it for him.

Joining friends on the golf course and play 18 holes of golf, Bugsy plays well, but some things come to light. He realizes that he can make his own luck. With dedication and practice and hard work you can achieve one’s goals.

This a warm-hearted and entertaining story, with important message for children was such a fun read.

The illustrations are bright and eye catching to a young reader. The simple but engaging storyline keeps young readers attention. It was a joy to read to some of the young ones at my local library. They really enjoyed the captivating tale and lovely characters.

The Alycat’s ABC’s of Golf is wonderful extension to the book. Which helps open ended questions about the game of golf with engaging vocabulary.

  

We’ve been so fortunate to have our books in the hands of some really inspiring people. These include:

Meet the Author:

Alysson Foti Bourque is the author of the award-winning Alycat series.
Alysson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from
the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a Juris Doctor degree from
the Southern University Law Center.

After practicing law for six years, she traded in writing trial briefs
for writing children’s books. Alysson enjoys public speaking
opportunities at schools, conferences, and festivals nationwide. She
hopes to inspire people of all ages to follow their dreams and believe
in themselves wholeheartedly.

AWARDS & HONORS

The Alycat Series has won several prestigious awards including:
Three Mom’s Choice Awards®
Benjamin Franklin Digital Award, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
Best Book Award Finalist
NY Big Book Award
Reviewed by Midwest Book Review
Southern Festival of Books Panelist
Louisiana Book Festival Featured Author

Connect with the author: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram ~ Pinterest

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
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Ever Alice
H. J. Ramsay
Red Rogue Press
Published August 1, 2019

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads

About Ever Alice

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.

A maddening wild psychological continuation, of a beloved classic. Or a re-imagined sequel.

When the book opens the year is 1888, and fifteen Alice Liddell is in the Warneford Asylum in Oxford. Her inventive ramblings have caused her parents a lot of sorrow and heartache. Having exhausted all avenues by taking her to every doctor in Oxford. The last doctor to evaluate Alice, is Dr Longfellow, who comes to the absurd conclusion that she is unmistakable “Mad”…. Or isn’t she?

Perhaps her close to death drowning, and all her delusional talk, might or might not be real. A brilliantly executed book with delightful delightful darker narration is told in two POV’s, Alice’s and Rosamund, the Queen of Hearts.

A romp back down the rabbit hole with some of the same cast of characters but they have evolved a bit. The creative world building is in magical and inventive. The dialogue is rich and holds the readers attention, with perfectly engaging satire.

The Queen of Hearts is cleverly depicted, I loved her paranoid point of view. It really add depth to the storyline and gives this novel a twisted perspective.

The book hooked me from the start and never slowed down, with its steadily-paced, absorbing, plot line.

I was enthralled with foreshadowing ending, it wasn’t rushed. It was delivered with impeccable timing.

Today I’m really excited to be taking part in the Book Tour of, The Lost History
by Kris WaldHerr, which is being hosted by HFBT!

#TheLostHistoryofDreams #KrisWaldherr #HFVBTBlogTours

@kriswaldherr @AtriaBooks @hfvbt  

The Lost History of Dreams
by Kris Waldherr

Paperback Publication Date: February 18, 2020
Atria Books
Hardcover & eBook; 336 Pages

Genre: Historical/Gothic/Mystery

 A post-mortem photographer unearths dark secrets of the past that may hold the key to his future, in this captivating debut novel in the gothic tradition of Wuthering Heights and The Thirteenth Tale.

All love stories are ghost stories in disguise.

When famed Byronesque poet Hugh de Bonne is discovered dead of a heart attack in his bath one morning, his cousin Robert Highstead, a historian turned post-mortem photographer, is charged with a simple task: transport Hugh’s remains for burial in a chapel. This chapel, a stained glass folly set on the moors of Shropshire, was built by de Bonne sixteen years earlier to house the remains of his beloved wife and muse, Ada. Since then, the chapel has been locked and abandoned, a pilgrimage site for the rabid fans of de Bonne’s last book, The Lost History of Dreams.

However, Ada’s grief-stricken niece refuses to open the glass chapel for Robert unless he agrees to her bargain: before he can lay Hugh to rest, Robert must record Isabelle’s story of Ada and Hugh’s ill-fated marriage over the course of five nights.

As the mystery of Ada and Hugh’s relationship unfolds, so does the secret behind Robert’s own marriage—including that of his fragile wife, Sida, who has not been the same since the tragic accident three years ago, and the origins of his own morbid profession that has him seeing things he shouldn’t—things from beyond the grave.

Kris Waldherr effortlessly spins a sweeping and atmospheric gothic mystery about love and loss that blurs the line between the past and the present, truth and fiction, and ultimately, life and death.

Now available in paperback!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

Praise for The Lost History of Dreams

Scheherazade-like haunting Waldherr writes that love stories are ghost stories in disguise. This one, happily, succeeds as both. Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

An unexpected delight that grows steadily more compelling as its pages fly by. Booklist

A sensual, twisting gothic tale that embraces Victorian superstition much in the tradition of A.S. Byatts Possession, Diane Setterfields The Thirteenth Tale and Emily Bronte Wuthering Heights. BookPage

Eerily atmospheric and gorgeously written, The Lost History of Dreams is a Gothic fairy-tale to savor. Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of THE ALICE NETWORK and THE HUNTRESS

The Lost History of Dreams is a dark, shimmering gem of a novel, glittering with love lost, secrets kept, and long-buried truths revealed. Wonder, memory, death and passion haunt every page of Kris Waldherr powerhouse Gothic debut. Greer Macallister, bestselling author of THE MAGICIANS LIE and WOMAN 99

Brooding, romantic, and thoughtful, The Lost History of Dreams is a rare bird in that it shines throughout with wit. I loved every page of it. Erika Swyler, bestselling author of THE BOOK OF SPECULATION and LIGHT FROM OTHER STARS

With luminous prose, stunning poetry and a fascinating cast of characters, Waldherr weaves a wonderfully atmospheric tale. Not to be missed! Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of THE GIRL WHO CAME HOME and THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS DAUGHTER

A riveting, addictive read. Sarah Waters fans will be entranced. Mary Sharratt, author of ECSTASY and DAUGHTERS OF THE WITCHING HILL

A novel of haunting mystery and passion reminiscent of Wuthering Heights and Byatts Possession. Crystal King, author of FEAST OF SORROW and THE CHEFS SECRET

An atmospheric tale of lost love, family secrets, and an inquiry into how our own histories define us, I relished every poetic page. Heather Webb, international bestselling author of LAST CHRISTMAS IN PARIS and THE PHANTOMS APPRENTICE

“With beautiful prose and poetry, Waldherr weaves a darkly seductive Gothic tale of love, art, death, and obsession. You’ll want to keep reading this one late into the night. Alyssa Palombo, author of THE SPELLBOOK OF KATRINA VAN TASSEL

A sumptuous feast for all the senses. Clarissa Harwood, author of IMPOSSIBLE SAINTS and BEAR NO MALICE

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.

Thank you Amy of HFBT, along with Atria Books, and the author, Kris Waldherr, for giving me an opportunity to read this beautiful novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

Kris Waldherr’s latest novel, The Lost History of Dreams is a forbidding historical mystery that brings to mind some of classical gothic-romance of the past.

When famed the Byronesque poet Hugh de Bonne, whose last work was titled,

The Lost History of Dreams, is discovered dead, his cousin Robert Highstead, who is a post-death photographer, {daguerreotype}, is tasked by his estranged brother to deliver Hugh’s body to his old home in the moors of Shropshire England. Robert’s simple task is to deliver the body to a stained glass folly the author had built to hold the remains of his wife, Ada.

Ada’s niece, Isabelle, however has never gotten over the death of her aunt Ada, and she refuses to allow Robert into the folly….unless he allows her to tell Ada’s story over the course of five nights.. reminiscent of a major female character and the storyteller in the famed, One Thousand and One Nights.

There is a slow burning creepiness to story line that meticulously builds with intensity as the story goes on. Like the best classical writers of this genre, the author takes her time building up to the story itself. This allows the full effect of creating uneasiness for the reader. The book is hauntingly eerie, full of beautiful lyrical prose set in Victorian England, Kris Waldherr masterfully complex inventive storyline is full of multilayered stories within stories. The book is spine-tingling and very mysterious. The beautiful dark imagery is breathtaking, creating a dream like atmosphere.

This mesmerizing top notch, gothic historical novel, is the perfect tension filled read. An compelling well written plot line with twist that keep guessing. A captivating tale of obsessive love, grief, mystery, that unfolds ingenious. Making this a stellar book, and one of my favorites by far this year.

I am now a dedicated entranced fan of Kris Waldherr, and I am looking forward to reading anything this author writes from now on.

Book Quote:

“All houses have a story to tell, Isabelle began. Some houses are akin to fairy tales, as many claim of Ada’s Folly. Other houses are structured like poems, with rooms devoted to beauty but lacking in function. However, only a few houses offer ghost stories. They’re built to be trampled by sorrow and loss. And that’s what you’ll find deep within the very walls and doors of Weald House: a ghost story begun from love.“

About the Author

Kris Waldherr books for adults and children include The Lost History of Dreams, Bad Princess, Doomed Queens, and The Book of Goddesses. The Lost History of Dreams received a Kirkus starred review and was called “an unexpected delight” by Booklist. The New Yorker praised Doomed Queens as utterly satisfying and deliciously perverse. The Book of Goddesses was a One Spirit/Book-of-the-Month Club Top Ten Most Popular Book. Her picture book Persephone and the Pomegranate was lauded by the New York Times Book Review for its quality of myth and magic. Her fiction has won fellowships from the Virginia Center of the Creative Arts, and a works-in-progress reading grant from Poets & Writers.

As a visual artist, Waldherr is the creator of the Goddess Tarot, which has a quarter of a million copies in print. She has had illustrations published as greeting cards, book covers, and in calendars and magazines. Her art has been exhibited in many galleries and museums including the Ruskin Library, the Mazza Museum of International Art from Picture Books, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

Kris Waldherr works and lives in Brooklyn in a Victorian-era house with her husband, their young daughter, and a very vocal Bengal cat.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | BookBub

Blog Tour Schedule

Friday, March 13
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at Tales from the Book Dragon

Saturday, March 14
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Monday, March 16
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books

Tuesday, March 17
Review at Clarissa Reads it All

Thursday, March 19
Review at YA, It’s Lit
Review at Older & Smarter

Friday, March 20
Review at Donna’s Book Blog

Sunday, March 22
Review at Historical Graffiti

Tuesday, March 24
Review at Books In Their Natural Habitat

Wednesday, March 25
Interview at Jorie Loves A Story

Thursday, March 26
Review at Books and Zebras

Saturday, March 28
Review at Nurse Bookie

Monday, March 30
Review at Jorie Loves A Story

Tuesday, March 31
Review at Passages to the Past

Giveaway

To celebrate the paperback publication of The Lost History of Dreams, Kris is offering an exclusive blog tour giveaway of some of her most popular publications! The collection includes an autographed copy of The Lost History of Dreams paperback, a Goddess Tarot deck, a Sacred World Oracle deck, a hardcover of Bad Princess, and a teaser booklet of Doomed Queens. Retail value $75. Giveaway ends 3/31/2020. US only.

To enter the giveaway, click HERE.

Today I’m really excited to be taking part in the Book Tour of The Deep
by Alama Katsu which is being hosted by FFBC !

Someone, or something, is haunting the Titanic.

This is the only way to explain the series of misfortunes that have plagued the passengers of the ship from the moment they set sail: mysterious disappearances, sudden deaths. Now suspended in an eerie, unsettling twilight zone during the four days of the liner’s illustrious maiden voyage, a number of the passengers – including millionaires Madeleine Astor and Benjamin Guggenheim, the maid Annie Hebbley and Mark Fletcher – are convinced that something sinister is going on . . . And then, as the world knows, disaster strikes.

Years later and the world is at war. And a survivor of that fateful night, Annie, is working as a nurse on the sixth voyage of the Titanic’s sister ship, the Britannic, now refitted as a hospital ship. Plagued by the demons of her doomed first and near fatal journey across the Atlantic, Annie comes across an unconscious soldier she recognises while doing her rounds. It is the young man Mark. And she is convinced that he did not – could not – have survived the sinking of the Titanic . . .

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 Deep, is based on Violet Constance Jessop, on the incredible survivor of both the Titanic and the Brittanic

The Deep, by Alma Katsu

An astonishing type of paranormal that will have wide appeal among historical fictional readers

Stunning atmospheric prose and exquisite imagery, Katsu captivates the reader in such a way with the history of the RMS Titanic and its sister ship the HMHS Brittanic.

This haunting story grabs the the reader complete attention. As this erie tale unfolds you will be immersed into the lives of the passengers and crew. Giving the reader just enough historical details entwined in to her own creative imagination.

In 1912, Annie Hebbley, an eighteen year old Irish girl escaping a scandal is eager to leave her small Irish Northern town, travels to Southampton England. Annie than takes a job as stewardess aboard the disastrous, Titanic.

The luxurious and decadent, ill fated ship contains everything imaginable for the privileged. Annie Along within Madeleine Astor and Benjamin Guggenheim, are in the mind set that something sinister is going on with disappearances . . . Someone, or something, is haunting the Titanic.

And then, as the world knows, disaster strikes.

This paranormal infused historical fiction novel is told in dual timelines- 1912 aboard the Titanic and 1916 the Britannic

Four years later, hiding from the world within a psychiatric hospital, Annie struggles with her past and all that she has been through. After receiving correspondence from her friend, Violet Jessop, another survivor of the Titanic. Annie has agrees to work as a nurse on board the Britannic (the Titanic’s sister ship). The Britannic has become a war hospital ship during wartime. A stark difference than the majestic Titanic.

It also has eerily identical layout as the Titanic, along with a deeply unsettling ghostly presence of a man. One Annie thought she had lost, who she has been thinking of is completely drawn to. Readers will slowly come to understand the true nature of Annie’s often strangely odd behavior.

The authors impeccable character development is what makes this book a phenomenal book. I was completely engaged with the storyline right from the start and the pace and tension didn’t slow down until I closed the book. What a wonderful read with intriguing meticulously plotted mystery, along with notable researched historical elements.

“A ship so massive, and here we are, trapped on it, nowhere to run.” She shivered “One is always trapped within oneself though”

Alma Katsu is the author of The Hunger, a reimagining of the story of the Donner Party with a horror twist. The Hunger made NPR’s list of the 100 Best Horror Stories, was named one of the best novels of 2018 by the Observer, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s Books (and more), and was nominated for a Stoker and Locus Award for best horror novel.

Prior to publication of her first novel, Ms. Katsu had a long career in intelligence, working for several US agencies and a think tank. She currently is a consultant on emerging technologies. Additional information can be found on Wikipedia and in this interview withOzy.com.

March 10th

The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club – Welcome Post

March 11th

Kait Plus Books – Interview

Write, Read, Repeat – Review

Sometimes Leelynn Reads – Review + Playlist + Dream Cast

That Transylvanian Chick Book Blog – Review

Buried Under Books – Review

March 12th

Mythical Books – Guest Post

It Starts at Midnight – Review

Fanna Wants The World To Read – Review

Bookishaestha – Review + Favourite Quotes

dinipandareads – Review + Favourite Quotes

March 13th

L.M. Durand – Guest Post

A Dream Within A Dream – Review

Alys in Bookland – Review

Gwendalyn’s Books – Review + Favourite Quotes

Mahkjchi’s Not-So-Secret Books – Review + Favourite Quotes

March 14th

The Reading Corner for All – Review + Playlist + Favourite Quotes

Here’s to Happy Endings – Review

Bookishly Nerdy – Review

Story-eyed Reviews – Review + Favourite Quotes

For The Love of Fictional Worlds – Review

March 15th

Hooked on Bookz – Review

Foals, Fiction & Filigree – Review + Favourite Quotes

Books.Bags.Burgers – Review + Favourite Quotes

Northern Plunder – Review

Books_andPoetrii – Review + Favourite Quotes

March 16th

To All The Books I’ve Read Before – Interview

Captivated Reading – Review

Your Words My Ink – Review + Favourite Quotes

PopTheButterfly Reads – Review

BoundbyWords – Review + Favourite Quotes

#Giveaway Review MERMAID MOON by Susann Cokal @CokalSusann @MermaidMoonBook @Candlewick

Hardcover: 496 pages
Publisher: Candlewick (March 3, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1536209597
ISBN-13: 978-1536209594


Praise for MERMAID MOON


“Susann Cokal’s latest miracle, Mermaid Moon, springs from the tides where Hans Christian Andersen’s Little Mermaid once swam — and walked to land. But she delivers something even more rich and strange, and a mermaid heroine who will swim away with your heart.” —Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked and Egg & Spoon

“Cokal’s moody and sea-drenched tale weaves touches of Hans Christian Andersen with a dash of Pied Piper, using language that gorgeously sets each scene, including the exceedingly creepy bone vault … Lyrical, complex, and occasionally dark.” —School Library Journal

“Cokal creates a well-developed matriarchal mermaid mythology in which women couple, bonded by love and respect, and men are largely unnecessary. Through several voices and richly detailed prose, these markedly different worlds overlap and diverge to impart a nuanced exploration of power, family, faith, and love.” —Publishers Weekly

“Mermaid Moon is an action-packed tale of parental abandonment, familial longing, treachery and dark magic with an appealingly determined heroine.” —BookPage

“A beautifully told, immersive story that layers fairy-tale elements with more modern themes, allowing for a different experience with every reread.” —Shelf Awareness

In the far northern reaches of civilization, a mermaid leaves the sea to look for her land-dwelling mother among people as desperate for magic and miracles as they are for life and love.

Blood calls to blood; charm calls to charm.
It is the way of the world.
Come close and tell us your dreams.
—The Mermaids

Sanna has been living as a mermaid — but she is only half seavish. The night of her birth, a sea-witch cast a spell that made Sanna’s people, including her landish mother, forget how and where she was born.

Now Sanna is sixteen and an outsider in the seavish flok where women rule and mothers mean everything. She is determined to go to land and learn who she is. So she apprentices herself to the ancient witch, Sjældent, to learn the magic of making and unmaking. With a new pair of legs and a mysterious quest to complete for her teacher, she follows a clue that leads her ashore on the Thirty-Seven Dark Islands. 

Her fellow mermaids wait floating on the seaskin as Sanna stumbles into a wall of white roses thirsty for blood, a hardscrabble people hungry for miracles, and a baroness of fading beauty who will do anything to live forever, even at the expense of her own children.

From the author of the Michael L. Printz Honor Book The Kingdom of Little Wounds comes a gorgeously told tale of belonging, sacrifice, fear, hope, and mortality.

You can purchase Mermaid Moon 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.

The roses are pouring forth a deeper scent, one that plunges to the bottom of the belly. It is the best scent, and the red is the most beautiful color, any of these poor people have known in their lives. And the cause of it all–that stranger, the pale-haired, blue-robed girl–now lies in the rose vine’s embrace, with thorns in her skin, her own blood glittering richer than Baroness Thyrla’s jewels. Richer even than the red of the roses. The people break out both laughing and weeping. When at last they can speak, they cry, “Miracle!’ 

MERMAID MOON by Susann Cokal delivers a lovely immersive retelling, matriarchal mermaid mythology. Where women are bonded couples, While men are largely unnecessary. The tale follows Sanna, a half-landish mermaid who leaves her flok to seek her human mother. Being advised by the ancient, riddle-tongued sea witch Sjældent. Sanna seeks out a castle ruled by ageless and unkind Baroness Thyrla.

Thyrla, is dark and deadly witch who has amassed great power by doing unspeakable crimes of stealing powers and youth….even from

This engaging book is with its richly detailed prose, is complex and provocative. This ya fantasy, fiction tale unfolds with darkish undertones, is a stunning atmospheric read. As the plot takes some notable twists, Sanna, finds herself betrothed and no where closer to finding the treasure that Sjældent requires as payment.

A suspenseful, vivid, richly detailed, with interesting and compelling characters and vibrant world building.

Photo Content from Susann Cokal

Susann Cokal is a moody historical novelist, a pop-culture essayist, book critic, magazine editor, and sometime professor of creative writing and modern literature. She lives in a creepy old farmhouse in Richmond, Virginia, with seven cats, a dog, a spouse, and some peacocks that supposedly belong to a neighbor. She is the author of two books for young adults and two for regular adults.

Susann’s previous book, The Kingdom of Little Wounds, received several national awards, including a silver medal from the American Library Association’s Michael L. Printz Award series. It also got starred reviews in Kirkus, School Library Journal, The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, and Publishers Weekly, and praise from Booklist, The New York Times Boook Review, and other venues. It was #3 on the Boston Globe list of best YAs of the 2013 and won an ALAN citation from the National Council of Teachers of English.

      

WEEK ONE – REVIEW & INTERVIEWS

MARCH 2nd MONDAY JeanBookNerd INTERVIEW

MARCH 3rd TUESDAY Life Within The Pages REVIEW

MARCH 4th WEDNESDAY BookHounds YA REVIEW & INTERVIEW

MARCH 4th WEDNESDAY Movies, Shows, & Books EXCERPT

MARCH 5th THURSDAY TTC Books and More GUEST POST

MARCH 6th FRIDAY A Dream Within A Dream EXCERPT

MARCH 6th FRIDAY Pandora’s Books GUEST POST 

WEEK TWO – REVIEWS

MARCH 9th MONDAY Nay’s Pink Bookshelf REVIEW

MARCH 10th TUESDAY A Bookish Dream REVIEW 

MARCH 11th WEDNESDAY Lenissahh Reads REVIEW

MARCH 11th WEDNESDAY J.R.’s Book Reviews REVIEW 

MARCH 12th THURSDAY Crossroad Reviews REVIEW

MARCH 13th FRIDAY Two Points of Interest REVIEW

MARCH 13th FRIDAY Gwendalyn’s Books REVIEW

*JBN is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Nerdy Mail Box*

Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

– 5 Winners will receive a Copy of MERMAID MOON by Susann Cokal.

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A Murderous Relation 

Deanna Raybourn

Series: VERONICA SPEEDWELL MYSTERY, A (#5)

FOn Sale Date: March 10, 2020

Hardcover  | 320 pages

Synopsis:

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.



All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.

London, 1888. A royal scandal, a murdered madame, and the most notorious serial killer in history call Veronica Speedwell to the aide of the royal family yet again. 

Veronica Speedwell and Stoker Templeton-Vane have courted around their passionate feelings.

It’s Autumn, and the lepidopterist adventuring Veronica Speedwell, steps off a train from Cornwall straight into a London who is being terrorized by Jack the Ripper.

A Murderous Relation is the 5th for Deanna Raybourn’s daring heroine aided as always by natural historian, explorer, and taxidermist Stoker. Veronica is the unacknowledged daughter of the Prince of Wales while Stoker is the son of a viscount

A late Victorian tale of frolicking, murder with lots of mayhem, these two detectives will delve into a case involving the royal family in a sordid scandal.

The joy of seeing these two highly eccentric characters working again together as they launch investigation into a could be heist which leads them into a world that Veronica has no knowledge of. but she is all intrigued to explore.

With each revelation they uncover, they are brought further into a web of deceit and treachery where their well being is threatened. A Murderous Relation is the fifth book in the Veronica Speedwell series and this story is a game changer in many ways.

Once again Deanna Raybourn, has written a positively enthralling, riveting tale.

a true page turner of book

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.

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.

BUY LINKS:

Harlequin

Indiebound

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books-A-Million

Target

Walmart

Google

iBooks

Kobo

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

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.

        

WEEK ONE

MARCH 2nd MONDAY JeanBookNerd INTERVIEW

MARCH 3rd TUESDAY Movies, Shows, & Books EXCERPT

MARCH 4th WEDNESDAY Ya It’s Lit REVIEW

MARCH 5th THURSDAY Two Points of Interest REVIEW

MARCH 5th THURSDAY TTC Books and More EXCERPT

MARCH 6th FRIDAY BookHounds INTERVIEW 

WEEK TWO

MARCH 9th MONDAY A Dream Within A Dream EXCERPT

MARCH 10th TUESDAY Insane About Books REVIEW 

MARCH 11th WEDNESDAY Gwendalyn’s Books REVIEW

MARCH 12th THURSDAY Casia’s Corner REVIEW

MARCH 12th THURSDAY Zenithmeridian REVIEW 

MARCH 13th FRIDAY Crossroad Reviews REVIEW

*JBN is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Nerdy Mail Box*

–Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

– 5 Winners will receive a Copy of BLAME THE DEAD by Ed Ruggero

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I’m very excited to be a part of the Harlequin Trade Publishing 2020 Spring Reads Blog Tours.

First up is The Grace Kelly Dress by Brenda Janowitz. 

The Grace Kelly Dress : A Novel 

Brenda Janowitz

On Sale Date: March 3, 2020

9781525804595, 1525804596

Trade Paperback

$16.99 USD, $22.99 CAD

Fiction / Contemporary Women

336 pages

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.

BRENDA JANOWITZ is the author of five novels. She is the Books Correspondent at PopSugar. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Salon.

A dress originally fashioned as a copy of the gown that Grace Kelly wore on her wedding day becomes a pivotal family heirloom tying three generations in this delightful book.

The Grace Kelly Dress is set to three different time frames 1958, the 1980s & 2020. The story follows three generations of woman within a family centered around one family heirloom… a wedding dress.

Janowitz, writing flows seamlessly and effortless, allowing the reader to become fully immersed into these woman’s lives.

Rose, a humble seamstress employed by the esteemed Madame Michel in the late 1950s in Paris. Is selected to fashion a dress after the iconic dress worn for the legendary Grace Kelly.

Joan, a college student at NYCU in the 1980s wants to know exactly what happened to her sister. Joan struggling with the loss of her sister and her engagement and upcoming wedding.

Sixty years later, an independent tech CEO Rachel, who goes by the childhood nickname “Rocky”. Present day, Rocky’s upcoming nuptials are marred by the pressure to wear the family’s heirloom gown.

In this captivating book, the past will be confronted as family secrets unfolds.

Janowitz Has written a dynamic book that will hook you from the beginning and hold your attention all the way through to the end.

Two years after Grace Kelly’s royal wedding, her iconic dress is still all the rage in Paris—and one replica, and the secrets it carries, will inspire three generations of women to forge their own paths in life and in love.

Paris, 1958: Rose, a seamstress at a fashionable atelier, has been entrusted with sewing a Grace Kelly—look-alike gown for a wealthy bride-to-be. But when, against better judgment, she finds herself falling in love with the bride’s handsome brother, Rose must make an impossible choice, one that could put all she’s worked for at risk: love, security and of course, the dress.

Sixty years later, tech CEO Rachel, who goes by the childhood nickname “Rocky,” has inherited the dress for her upcoming wedding in New York City. But there’s just one problem: Rocky doesn’t want to wear it. A family heirloom dating back to the 1950s, the dress just isn’t her. Rocky knows this admission will break her mother Joan’s heart. But what she doesn’t know is why Joan insists on the dress—or the heartbreaking secret that changed her mother’s life decades before, as she herself prepared to wear it.

As the lives of these three women come together in surprising ways, the revelation of the dress’s history collides with long-buried family heartaches. And in the lead-up to Rocky’s wedding, they’ll have to confront the past before they can embrace the beautiful possibilities of the future.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon

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Apple Books

Indie Bound

Harlequin Trade Publishing

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The mother of the bride, as a bride herself
Long Island, 1982

She loved the dress. She loved the veil that went with it, too, though she wasn’t sure if it could be salvaged. It was showing signs of age, its edges curling and tinged with brown. But that wouldn’t dull her excitement.

Today was the day she would be trying on her mother’s wedding dress. Even though Joanie had tried it on countless times as a child—it was a favorite rainy-day activity with her mother—today felt different. She was engaged, just like she’d dreamed about ever since she could remember. When she tried the dress on this time, it was for keeps. She was completely in love with the dress.

“Let me help you get it on,” Joanie’s mother said, her French accent coming through. It was always more pronounced when she was feeling emotional. With her American friends, Joanie noticed, her mother always tried to sound “American,” softening her accent and using American expressions. But when they were alone, she could be herself. Let her guard down. Joanie knew exactly who her mother was, and she loved her for it.

Her mother handed Joanie a pair of white cotton gloves and then put on her own set. The first step in trying the dress on, always, so that the oils in their hands wouldn’t defile the fabric. She laid the large box on her bed and nodded her head at her husband, her signal to give them privacy. The door closed to Joanie’s childhood bedroom, and she and her mother were alone.

The white cotton gloves were cool and smooth on her skin. Joanie opened the box slowly. So slowly. It was sealed with a special plastic that was supposed to keep it airtight so that the dress would not oxidize and turn yellow. She and her mother laughed as they struggled to set the dress free. The last time she tried the dress on was the summer before her sister died. It was after Michele’s death that her mother brought the dress into the city so that it might be cleaned properly and preserved for just this day. At the time, Joanie hadn’t understood the connection between her sister’s sudden death and her mother’s tight grip on family heirlooms, but now, a year into her psychology degree at NYC University, she understood. It was so hard to hold on to things that were important to you, things that mattered, and preserving her wedding dress, this memory, was her mother’s way of taking control of something. It was something she could save.

The dress was just as beautiful as she’d remembered. Crafted from rose point lace, the same lace used on Grace Kelly’s iconic wedding dress, it was delicate and classic and chic and a million other things Joanie couldn’t even articulate.

“Go on,” her mother said, holding the first part of the dress—the bodice with the attached underbodice, skirt support, and slip—out for her to take. As a child, it had thrilled Joanie to no end that the wedding dress her mother wore was actually made up of four separate pieces. It was like a secret that a bride could have on her special day, something that no one else knew.

“I couldn’t,” Joanie said, hands at her side. Knowing how carefully preserved the dress had been, what the dress had meant to her mother, it was hard for Joanie to touch it. She didn’t want to get it dirty, sully its memory. “It’s just so beautiful.”

“It’s yours now,” her mother said, smiling warmly. “The dress belongs to you. Put it on.”

Joanie kicked off her ballerina flats, and her mother helped her ease the bodice on. Joanie stood at attention as her mother snapped the skirt into place, and wrapped the cummerbund around her waist. Joanie held her hands high above her head, not wanting to get in the way of her mother’s expert hands, hands that knew exactly where to go, fingers that knew exactly what to do.

“You ready in there, Birdie?” her father yelled from the hallway, impatient, his French accent just as strong as the day he left France. Joanie always loved how her father had a special nickname for her mother. When they first married, he would call her mother GracieBird, a nickname of Grace Kelly’s, because of the Grace Kelly–inspired wedding gown she wore on their wedding day. Eventually, it was shortened to Bird, and then over time, it became Birdie. What would Joanie’s fiancé call her?

Joanie inspected her reflection in the mirror. Her shoulder-length blond hair, recently permed, looked messy. Her pink eye shadow, which had always seemed so grown-up on her sister, made her appear tired and puffy-eyed. But the dress? The dress was perfect.

Her mother opened the door slowly, and her father’s face came into view. His expression softened as he saw his daughter in the wedding dress. She walked out into the hallway, towards him, and she could see a tear forming in the corner of his eye.

She turned to her mother, about to tell her that Daddy was crying, when she saw that her mother, too, had teared up. Joanie couldn’t help it—seeing her mother and father cry, she began to cry as well. She could never keep a dry eye when someone else was crying, least of all her parents, ex-pats from Europe who hardly ever cried.

Michele’s presence floated in the air like a haze, but no one would say it. No one dared mention that she would have worn the dress first. Should have worn the dress first.

“And look at us,” her mother said, her hands reaching out and grabbing for her husband and daughter. “All of us crying like little babies.”

All three embraced—carefully, of course, so as not to ruin the dress.

Her father kissed the top of her head. “Give us a twirl.”

Joanie obliged. The dress moved gracefully as she spun. Joanie curtsied, and her father gently took her hand and kissed it.

“I know what you’re thinking,” her mother said, her voice a song.

“What?” Joanie asked absentmindedly, while staring at her reflection in the mirror. She knew the first thing she’d change—the sleeves. The dress needed big, voluminous sleeves, just like Princess Diana had worn on her wedding day.

“Or I should say who you’re thinking about,” her mother said, a gentle tease.

“Who?” Joanie asked, under her breath, twirling from side to side in front of the mirror, watching the dress move.

“Your fiancé,” her mother said, furrowing her brow. “Remember him?”

“For sure,” Joanie said, spinning around to face her mother. “My fiancé. Yes. I knew that. And, yes. I was.” But the truth was, she had completely forgotten.

Excerpted from The Grace Kelly Dress by Brenda Janowitz. Copyright © 2020 by Brenda Janowitz. Published by Graydon House Books.

Brenda Janowitz is the author of five novels, including The Dinner Party and Recipe for a Happy Life. She is the Books Correspondent for PopSugar. Brenda’s work has also appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, Salon, Redbook, and the New York Post. She lives in New York.

SOCIAL LINKS:

Author website: http://www.brendajanowitz.com/

Facebook: @BrendaJanowitz

Twitter: @BrendaJanowitz

Instagram: @brendajanowitzwriter

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/241404.Brenda_Janowitz

Elizabeth: Obstinate, Headstrong Girl

by Christina Boyd, Tessa Dare, Elizabeth Adams, Karen M. Cox, J. Marie Croft, Amy D’Orazio, Leigh Dreyer, Jenetta James, Christina Morland, Beau North, Joana Starnes

Publication Date: March 2, 2020
The Quill Ink, LLC

Genre: Historical Romance

“Obstinate, headstrong girl!”

For over two hundred years, the heroine of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, Elizabeth Bennet has enchanted and inspired readers by being that “obstinate, headstrong girl” willing to stand up to the arrogance and snobbery of her so-called betters. Described by Austen as having a “lively, playful disposition,” Elizabeth embodies the perfect imperfections of strong-willed women everywhere: she is spirited, witty, clever, and loyal.

In this romance anthology, ten Austenesque authors sketch Elizabeth’s character through a collection of re-imaginings, set in the Regency through contemporary times. In ELIZABETH: OBSTINATE, HEADSTRONG GIRL, she bares her most intimate thoughts, all the while offering biting social commentary about life’s absurdities. Elizabeth overcomes the obstacles of others’ opinions, not to mention her own flaws, to find a love truly worthy of her—her Mr. Darcy—all with humor and her sparkling charm. “I think her as delightful a character as ever appeared in print…” wrote Jane Austen in a letter to her sister Cassandra, January 1813―and we think so too!

Foreword by NY Times & USA Today bestselling author Tessa Dare.

Stories by: Elizabeth Adams, Christina Boyd, Karen M Cox, J. Marie Croft, Amy D’Orazio, Leigh Dreyer, Jenetta James, Christina Morland, Beau North, and Joana Starnes.

Available on Amazon

Praise

“A wonderful collection for Elizabeth Bennet admirers everywhere.” –Mimi Matthews, USA Today bestselling author

“The Quill Ink has done it again, in a splendid anthology of new stories reimagining the most delightful creature ever to appear in print.” –Devoney Looser, author, editor, Guggenheim Fellow

“Austen fans, you are in for a treat.” –Marilyn Brant, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of According to Jane and The Knight Before Christmas

“…enjoy following one of Jane Austen’s favourite heroines as she is superbly portrayed across a selection of tales set from the Regency era to the present day.” –Cass Grafton

“…all beautifully written. Each one feels true to the time in which it is set…a fun and interesting collection of stories that take a different look at characters we all know and love.” –Readers’ Favorite

“Edited by Christina Boyd, Elizabeth, Obstinate Headstrong Girl is an endearing and spunky anthology of short stories by a group of fine writers whose understanding of Elizabeth shines. Readers will fall in love with our obstinate, headstrong girl in all her many avatars including suffragette, a football expert and speech pathologist in training, a stage actress breaking into films at Pemberley Pictures, a teenage Elizabeth looking for love in the wrong places as well as much older and wiser Elizabeth who muses on the love of her life, Mr. Darcy. A cozy and heartwarming read, Elizabeth, Obstinate Headstrong Girl is a worthy companion to Boyd’s earlier anthology The Darcy Monologues.” –Soniah Kamal, award winning author of the novel Unmarriageable, Pride and Prejudice in Pakistan

From Christina Boyd

This Dream Team of authors–Elizabeth Adams, Karen M Cox, J. Marie Croft, Amy D’Orazio, Leigh Dreyer, Jenetta James, Christina Morland, Beau North, and Joana Starnes–joined me on another adventure with no promise of success but countless hopes. Like many journeys, we encountered unexpected turns, and even a few disappointments, but “it was our business to be satisfied” and prefer to “think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.” I am forever indebted for their creativity, inspiration, great suggestions, and adherence to schedule. And for bolstering my own offering of an Elizabeth story. I can easily count you all as my friends. I am really proud of their work and how well this collection of stories came together.

In my previous anthologies, we were blessed to have such stellar Austen academics like Dr. Claudine DiMuzio and Dr. Devoney Looser write our forewords, and it was doubly important to find someone who really understood Austen, especially Elizabeth Bennet, for this project as well. I had heard that New York Times and USA Today bestselling Regency romance author Tessa Dare had once upon a time written Jane Austen fan fiction. When author Beau North suggested we ask her to write the foreword, there was a resounding “Yes!” You might say we were audacious to even ask but, in the temperament of Lizzy Bennet, our “courage always rises…” When she ardently accepted, you can imagine us: “What delight! What felicity!”–well, more like fangirl squeals! Tessa’s love of Elizabeth Bennet and her deft understanding for the scope of this anthology left me wholly gratified, knowing we asked the right person to introduce this fifth anthology of the QuillCollective series.

We hope this homage to one of Jane Austen’s best-beloved heroines will not disappoint, especially those that suggested an “Elizabeth” anthology back in 2017. Like Darcy, we “had never been so bewitched by any woman” and writing this collection has been diverting/gratifying/delightful. Please accept these stories in the same affectionate spirit they were written. Elizabeth:Obstinate Headstrong Girl is dedicated to “the Elizabeth Bennet in all of us” because I’d like to think she resides in our hearts, even if but a little spark of courage, wit, loyalty–and whether we reveal her to the outside world or not, she is there inspiring us to find our own felicity and dignity. –Christina Boyd, editor

Follow the Authors

Elizabeth Adams https://eadamswrites.com
Christina Boyd https://www.thequillink.com
Karen M Cox https://karenmcoxauthor.wordpress.com
J. Marie Croft https://jmariecroft.wixsite.com/j-marie-croft
Amy D’Orazio https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100030788056041
Leigh Dreyer https://m.facebook.com/authorleighdreyer
Jenetta James https://m.facebook.com/jenettajameswriter
Christina Morland https://christinamorland.wordpress.com
Beau North http://beaunorthwrites.com
Joana Starnes http://www.joanastarnes.co.uk/news
Tessa Dare https://tessadare.com

Book Blast Schedule

Monday, March 2
Passages to the Past

Tuesday, March 3
Bookish Rantings

Wednesday, March 4
YA, It’s Lit
@momfluenster

Thursday, March 5
Historical Graffiti
What Is That Book About

Friday, March 6
Nursebookie
View from the Birdhouse

Saturday, March 7
Chicks, Rogues and Scandals

Sunday, March 8
Journey in Bookland

Monday, March 9
Gwendalyn’s Books

Tuesday, March 10
Bookfever

Wednesday, March 11
andreajanel_reads

Giveaway

#OmgItsOHG (as in Oh-my-gosh, it’s Obstinate Headstrong Girl)

One book (e-book, paperback, or Audiobook of your choosing) from EACH of the eleven authors’ backlist are up for grabs. Ends March 31.

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE

Hello there Bookish Friends,

Today I have a wonderful review of Born Slippy by Tom Lutz

Title: Born Slippy: A Novel

• Author’s name: Tom Lutz
• Genre: noir, thriller
• Publish date: January 14, 2020
• Publisher: Repeater/Penguin Random House
• Page count: 296

@tomlutz22 #fiction #political #satire

A globetrotting novel about the seductions of and resistance to toxic masculinity.

“Frank knew as well as anyone how stories start and how they end. This fiery mess, or something like it, was bound to happen. He had been expecting it for years.”

Frank Baltimore is a bit of a loser, struggling by as a carpenter and handyman in rural New England when he gets his big break, building a mansion in the executive suburbs of Hartford. One of his workers is a charismatic eighteen-year-old kid from Liverpool, Dmitry, in the US in the summer before university. Dmitry is a charming sociopath, who develops a fascination with his autodidactic philosopher boss, perhaps thinking that, if he could figure out what made Frank tick, he could be less of a pig. Dmitry heads to Asia and makes a neo-imperialist fortune, with a trail of corpses in his wake. When Dmitry’s office building in Taipei explodes in an enormous fireball, Frank heads to Asia, falls in love with Dmitry’s wife, and things go from bad to worse.

Combining the best elements of literary thriller, noir and political satire, Born Slippy is a darkly comic and honest meditation on modern life under global capitalism

Frank Baltimore is a bit of a loser, struggling by as a carpenter and handyman in rural New England when he gets his big break, building a mansion in the executive suburbs of Hartford. One of his workers is a charismatic eighteen-year-old kid from Liverpool, Dmitry, spending his summer before university in the US. Dmitry is a charming sociopath, who develops a fascination with his autodidactic philosopher boss, perhaps thinking that, if he could figure out what made Frank tick, he could be less of a pig. Dmitry heads to Asia and makes a neo-imperialist fortune as an investment banker, leaving a trail of corpses in his wake. When Dmitry’s office building in Taipei explodes in an enormous fireball, Frank heads to Asia, meets Dmitry’s wife, and things go from bad to worse.

A literary thriller about misogyny, unembarrassed rapacity, and unrestrained capitalism, Born Slippy will appeal to fans of Elmore Leonard, Patricia Highsmith, and Edward St. Aubyn.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * IndieBound * Powell’s

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.

Born Slippy is a meticulous blend of thrilling suspense, globetrotting adventures,and a heavy dose of cynical humor. This is one book you will not forget.

Born Slippy by Tom Lutz, is a provocative and memorable, a psychological thriller. That takes the reader on a journey that reflects moral decisions and, seedy business dealings in a character driven satire with political elements.

A riveting book focusing on a twisted friendship between Frank Baltimore, and Dmitry Heald. Frank the protagonist, who happens to be a a moderately successful contractor, and thinks of himself a somewhat moralist with ecologist views

Dmitry Heald is the antagonist, in this superb tale, an overconfident Englishman, that is eight years younger than frank. As the story unfolds Dmtiry character becomes more sinister, as we see his true nature. He overtime becomes a ruthlessly but very successful financier. Who makes his fortune investing the corruptly acquired funds of international dictators and criminals.

Frank is continuous drawn into Demtiry deceptive web of schemes, in this fast paced character driven adventure.

The books engaging storyline deftly weaves back and forth as we see repercussions of some of the main POV’s critical choices .

When Frank becomes more entangled in Dmitry’s criminal schemes, ultimately sending him down his own dark treacherous path.

This enthralling tale that cleverly reflects on our twenty-first century world and the evils of global capitalism. When unrestrained capitalism inevitably leads to a widening gap between the rich and the poor.

Tom Lutz’s captivating psychological portrait of a dark sinister toxic friendship that had me completely immersed and swiftly turning the pages. This was a nonstop, hand gripping edge of my seat, read for me. The narration was brilliantly executed and I was completely invested in.

This is a stunningly depicted satire, that captures the true nature of human morality and ultimately the consequences of decisions that me make.

Besides Born Slippy, I am the author of two books of travel narrative — And The Monkey Learned Nothing and Drinking Mare’s Milk on the Roof of the World — the cultural histories Doing Nothing and Crying; literary histories Cosmopolitan Vistas and American Nervousness, 1903; pieces for New York Times, LA Times, ZYZZYVA, Exquisite Corpse, New Republic, Salon, Black Clock, Iowa Review, and other places.

I’m a Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing at the UC Riverside, the founding editor in chief of the Los Angeles Review of Books, founder of The LARB Radio Hour, The LARB Quarterly Journal, The LARB/USC Publishing Workshop, and LARB Books. I am a part-time musician, an amateur photographer, and a full-time dilettante. I live in Los Angeles.

LINKS for TOM LUTZ

Website: https://www.tomlutzwriter.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tom.lutz.3591

Twitter: @TomLutz22 https://twitter.com/tomlutz22

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/115042.Tom_Lutz

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1912248646/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/born-slippy-tom-lutz/1131255086

Today I’m really excited to be taking part in the Book Tour of, The Killing Fog
by Jeff wheeler which is being hosted by JeanBookNerd

@amazonpublishing @jeanbooknerd

#thekillingfog #jeffwheeler #fantasy #clean #bookstagram #winterreads

Print Length: 404 pages
Publisher: 47North (March 1, 2020)
Publication Date: March 1, 2020
Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B07RJQPB63


Praise for THE KILLING FOG


“Wheeler (Broken Veil) opens the Grave Kingdom series with this winding tale of valor and sacrifice, set in a realm where using magic summons a heavy fog that kills every living thing it touches. [T]he threat of the fog looming in the background adds atmosphere and tension…This excellent introduction to the prolific Wheeler’s work will appeal to fans of Asian-influenced fantasy.” —Publishers Weekly

The Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Kingfountain series conjures an epic, adventurous world of ancient myth and magic as a young woman’s battle with infinite evil begins.

Survivor of a combat school, the orphaned Bingmei belongs to a band of mercenaries employed by a local ruler. Now the nobleman, and collector of rare artifacts, has entrusted Bingmei and the skilled team with a treacherous assignment: brave the wilderness’s dangers to retrieve the treasures of a lost palace buried in a glacier valley. But upsetting its tombs has a price.

Echion, emperor of the Grave Kingdom, ruler of darkness, Dragon of Night, has long been entombed. Now Bingmei has unwittingly awakened him and is answerable to a legendary prophecy. Destroying the dark lord before he reclaims the kingdoms of the living is her inherited mission. Killing Bingmei before she fulfills it is Echion’s.

Thrust unprepared into the role of savior, urged on by a renegade prince, and possessing a magic that is her destiny, Bingmei knows what she must do. But what must she risk to honor her ancestors? Bingmei’s fateful choice is one that neither her friends nor her enemies can foretell, as Echion’s dark war for control unfolds.

You can purchase The Killing Fog 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.

Thanks 47North for providing me with an advanced reading copy.

Jeff wheeler, The Killing Fog” is the first installment in, The Grave Kingdom trilogy.

An incredible read from Wheeler, It was fast-paced, action packed, the world building and characters were absolutely amazing.

The story was fascinating, engaging, and a definite page-turner with perfect pacing and creative story development. The author keeps you totally invested in this intense epic fantasy. Enjoyable storyline that had me glued to the pages.

Wheeler creates an exceptional atmospheric world that catapult reader into this phenomenal adventures fantasy world that he has created. Rich magical elements an stellar cast of characters. The main protagonist Bingmei, is by far one of my favorite female leader characters this year. With non stop adventure and intrigue and just the right amount of romance made this riveting book exceptional.

I will definitely recommend this book to my family and friends, and I am anxiously waiting on the next book in series

Atmospheric, riveting and intensely entertaining! Another great success for the fantasy author

Photo Content from Jeff Wheeler

Jeff Wheeler took an early retirement from his career at Intel in 2014 to write full-time. He is a husband, father of five, and a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Jeff lives in the Rocky Mountains. His books have been on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller list 5 times (for The Thief’s Daughter, The King’s Traitor, The Hollow Crown, The Silent Shield, and Prism Cloud) and have sold more than 4 million copies. His novels have also been published or will be published in many languages: Italian, Chinese, Hungarian, Turkish, Polish, Spanish, Russian, and German.

He is also the founder of Deep Magic: the E-zine of Clean Fantasy and Science Fiction (www.deepmagic.co), a quarterly e-zine featuring amazing short stories, novellas, and sample chapters.

You can usually find Jeff at Emerald City Comic Con, New York Comic Con or at writers conferences.

He welcomes hearing from readers: jgwheels /at/ gmail dot com

If you are interested in purchasing signed copies of his books for friends, family, or your own collection, please e-mail: WOJWbooks /at/ gmail dot com

      

WEEK ONE

FEBRUARY 24th MONDAY JeanBookNerd INTERVIEW

FEBRUARY 24th MONDAY Nay’s Pink Bookshelf REVIEW

FEBRUARY 25th TUESDAY Ya It’s Lit REVIEW

FEBRUARY 26th WEDNESDAY A Dream Within A Dream EXCERPT

FEBRUARY 26th WEDNESDAY TMBA Corbett INTERVIEW 

FEBRUARY 27th THURSDAY Life Within The Pages REVIEW

FEBRUARY 27th THURSDAY Insane About Books REVIEW

FEBRUARY 28th FRIDAY Wishful Endings INTERVIEW

FEBRUARY 28th FRIDAY Movies, Shows, & Books EXCERPT

WEEK TWO

MARCH 2nd MONDAY BookHounds INTERVIEW 

MARCH 3rd TUESDAY Book Queen Reviews REVIEW

MARCH 3rd TUESDAY Fundinmental EXCERPT

MARCH 4th WEDNESDAY Have Coffee Need Books REVIEW

MARCH 4th WEDNESDAY Port Jericho REVIEW

MARCH 5th THURSDAY Book Briefs REVIEW

MARCH 5th THURSDAY Gwendalyn’s Books REVIEW

MARCH 6th FRIDAY Casia’s Corner REVIEW 

MARCH 6th FRIDAY Two Points of Interest REVIEW

*JBN is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Nerdy Mail Box*

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Hello Book lovers,

Today I’m really excited to be taking part in the Book Tour of, A King Under Siege
by Mercedes Rochelle, which is being hosted by HFBT!

#AKingUnderSiege #MercedesRochelle #HFVBTBlogTours

A King Under Siege
by Mercedes Rochelle

Publication Date: January 5, 2019
Sergeant Press
eBook & Paperback; 310 Pages

Series: The Plantagenet Legacy, Book One
Genre: Historical Fiction/Biographical

Richard II found himself under siege not once, but twice in his minority. Crowned king at age ten, he was only fourteen when the Peasants’ Revolt terrorized London. But he proved himself every bit the Plantagenet successor, facing Wat Tyler and the rebels when all seemed lost. Alas, his triumph was short-lived, and for the next ten years he struggled to assert himself against his uncles and increasingly hostile nobles. Just like in the days of his great-grandfather Edward II, vengeful magnates strove to separate him from his friends and advisors, and even threatened to depose him if he refused to do their bidding. The Lords Appellant, as they came to be known, purged the royal household with the help of the Merciless Parliament. They murdered his closest allies, leaving the King alone and defenseless. He would never forget his humiliation at the hands of his subjects. Richard’s inability to protect his adherents would haunt him for the rest of his life, and he vowed that next time, retribution would be his.

“This story is rich in historical detail. It has so obviously been meticulously researched. I cannot but commend Rochelle for this exceptional work of scholarship. A King Under Siege: Book One of The Plantagenet Legacy is one of those books that once started is impossible to put down. This book is filled with non-stop action. There are enough plots and conspiracies to satisfy any lover of historical fiction. This is storytelling at its very best.” Mary Anne Yarde from Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots Blog

Available on Amazon

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.

A King Under Siege: Book One of The Plantagenet Legacy by Mercedes Rochelle is a stunning extensive researched account of the Peasant Revolt of 1381 and the following years under the Richard II early kingship.

Crowned King, Richard II was only ten years old when he succeeded to the throne, Struggling under the enormous burden of the weight placed on his shoulders.

England’s common people were suffering under the burden of the The Hundred Years’ War. Which was a series of conflicts from 1337 to 1453, waged between the House of Plantagenets, who ruled England, and the House of Valois, who were the rulers of France. It was the most grueling conflits of the Middle Ages. With each side drawing their own allies into the war, fighting for the throne of the largest kingdom spanning five generations.

Mercedes Rochelle, gives the reader an incredible perspective of Richard II’s reign, beginning with the pivotal event of the Peasants’ Revolt in 1381. Rochelle, delivers a vivid, richly detailed, well-crafted and wonderfully written story here with absolutely fascinating, complex, and well-portrayed characters.

Giving the reader an in-depth look at the drama and corruption surrounding the court life of the young King. Also the reader is given an unbiased accounts of the Peasants Revolt, also called Wat Tyler’s Rebellion, depicting both sides of the arguments. Bringing to Life hardship of the peasants as they struggled with being overly taxed in the feudal system

With Edward Ill death and Richard on the thrown, the powerful barons were tired of paying for Hundred Years War. In 1377, John of Gaunt imposed a new tax, the Poll (head) Tax. This was supposed to be a one time tax, it became so successful that it was repeated three more times. Unlike the normal taxes of that day this tax was a head tax.

This is an exceptionally written novel, is an intricately plotted emotional account of Richard ll as he continuous attempts to prove himself in years following the first revolt. This profound, faced paced, bold narration gives light to the circumstances that the king faces within the circle surrounding the treacherous, vicious noblemen.

With precision writing that flows seamlessly, along with a rich narrative voice, Mercedes Rochelle, A King Under Siege: Book One of The Plantagenet Legacy is a powerful thought provoking historical fiction that will stay with you long after you close the book.

Born and raised in St. Louis MO, Mercedes Rochelle graduated with a degree in English literature from the University of Missouri. Mercedes learned about living history as a re-enactor and has been enamored with historical fiction ever since. A move to New York to do research and two careers ensued, but writing fiction remains her primary vocation. She lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Blog Tour Schedule

Thursday, February 27
Review at A Darn Good Read

Saturday, February 29
Excerpt at Passages to the Past

Monday, March 2
Review at A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, March 4
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books

Friday, March 6
Review at Books and Zebras

Tuesday, March 10
Review at Nurse Bookie

Thursday, March 12
Feature at I’m All About Books

Friday, March 13
Review at bookramblings
Review at Impressions In Ink

Monday, March 16
Review at Broken Teepee

Wednesday, March 18
Interview at Passages to the Past

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away 5 paperback copies of A King Under Siege! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on March 18th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Paperback giveaway is open to the US only.
Only one entry per household.
All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.

A King Under Siege
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