September 26, 2022 – Gwendalyn’s Books

Hello Friends,

Thanks for joining me on my stop for

Forestfall (World at the Lake’s Edge #2) by Lyndall Clipstone.

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publishing date: September 27th, 2022

Rep: Demisexual

Synopsis:

Some oaths can never be broken…

The curse that haunted Lakesedge Estate has been broken, but at great cost. Violeta Graceling has sacrificed herself to end the Corruption. To escape death, Leta makes a desperate bargain with the Lord Under, one that sees her living at his side in the land of the dead.

But this world of souls and mist hides many secrets. And when Leta realizes she is still connected to Rowan by a tethering spell, she will risk everything— even her soul— to try and reach him.

Torn between power and love, life and death, Leta struggles to keep hold of her humanity as she falls further and further under the spell of the world Below… and the Lord Under.

Content Warning: Body horror ; Gore and blood (including description of wounds); Discussions of death and grief; Descriptions of drowning and deep water; Drowning-related imagery; Self-injury

REVIEW

Forestfall by Lyndall Clipstone, was one of my highly anticipated books for 2022.

A lush gothic tale that is everything bit as hauntingly magical as the first book. This high stakes, enchanting book is a direct continuation of the much loved 2021 Lakesedge. Picking up just a few days following the ending of the last book, Clipstone gives readers two points of views, that of Violeta and Rowan.

Violeta struggles with her increasing attraction to The Lord Under, as she is still in World Below. In the World above Rowan seeks to rescue Violeta from the clutches of the dark lord. The writing was captivating and the angst was on high, in this dark romance fantasy. The dual POV’s and the sub characters were enjoyable, and I especially loved the love triangle. The world is more expanded, along with complexity of the characters personalities. The atmospheric imagery was a perfect start to the spooky season. I loved this follow up book, and I am excited to read what’s next from this very talented author.

”Beyond seven forests, beyond seven lakes, there was a monster who lived deep below the earth…”

AUTHOR

Lyndall Clipstone writes about monsters and the girls who like to kiss them. A former youth librarian who grew up running wild in the Barossa Ranges of South Australia, she currently lives in Adelaide, where she tends her own indoor secret garden. She has a Bachelors in Creative Writing and a Graduate Diploma in Library and Information Management.

Her debut novel, Lakesedge, has been published in three countries, was a Dymocks Books bestseller, and has been nominated for numerous awards. The sequel, Forestfall, will publish in 2022.

She is represented by Jill Grinberg at

Jill Grinberg Literary Management.

BLOG SCHEDULE

September 26th
Nine Bookish Lives – Interview
Gwendalyn’s Books – Review

September 27th
Stuck in Fiction – Promotional Post
Books Over Everything – Review
Forever In A Story – Top 5 Reasons to Read Forestfall & Mood Board

September 28th
Epic Book Society – Top 5 Reasons to Read Forestfall
Balancing Books And Beauties – Review & Mood Board

September 29th
Never Hollowed By The Stare – Promotional Post
A Part of Your Book World – Review & Playlist

September 30th
The Book Dutchesses – Promotional Post
Avni Reads – Top 5 Reasons to Read Forestfall

October 1st
And On She Reads – Review
One Book More – Review & Favorite Quotes
Betwixt the Sheets – Promotional Post

October 2nd
thisbellereadstoo – Review & Favorite Quotes
BookBriefs – Review

SCHEDULE INSTAGRAM

September 26th
wraithreads – Promotional Post
ninebookishlives – Blogger’s Choice
gwendalyn_books_ – Blogger’s Choice

September 27th
thebookwebb – Promotional Post
hoardingbooks.herdingcats – Review & Favorite Quotes
books_over_everything – Blogger’s Choice
foreverinastory – Blogger’s Choice

September 28th
tbrandbeyond – Promotional Post
simplybeccamee – Review
bookish.by.trade – Journal Spread & Top 5 Reasons to Read Forestfall
balancing_books_and_beauties – Blogger’s Choice

September 29th
gryffindorbookishnerd – Promotional Post
starryworld – Creative post
daniereads87 – Review
apartofyourbookworld – Blogger’s Choice

September 30th
jl_books – Promotional Post
following.fantasies – Top 5 Reasons to Read Forestfall
onemused – Review
avnireads – Blogger’s Choice

October 1st
writingrosereads – Promotional Post
booking.with.janelle – Review & Mood Board
1bookmore – Blogger’s Choice
theink.slinger – Blogger’s Choice

October 2nd
dreaminginpages – Promotional Post
wild.legends – Review & Favorite Quotes
bookbriefs – Blogger’s Choice

Hello Everyone

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for

THE PHYSICIAN’S DAUGHTER
BY MARTHA CONWAY

Publication Date: September 1, 2022
Zaffre

Genre: Historical Fiction

From the author of The Underground River comes this compelling new novel of female perseverance. Set in the aftermath of the Civil War, The Physician’s Daughter is the story of two people trying to make their way in a world that is struggling to escape its past.

It is 1865, the American Civil War has just ended, and 18-year old Vita Tenney is determined to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a country doctor like her father. But when her father tells her she must get married instead, Vita explores every means of escape – and finds one in the person of war veteran Jacob Culhane.

Damaged by what he’s seen in battle and with all his family gone, Jacob is seeking investors for a fledgling business. Then he meets Vita – and together they hatch a plan that should satisfy both their desires. Months later, Vita seemingly has everything she ever wanted. But alone in a big city and haunted by the mistakes of her past, she wonders if the life she always thought she wanted was too good to be true. When love starts to compete with ambition, what will come out on top?

WATERSTONES | AMAZON | INDIEBOUND | BAM

Praise

“Vividly realised, and impeccably researched, with a determined female lead”
–Kayte Nunn, author ofThe Botanist’s Daughter

“In the proud tradition of female characters from Jo March to Meredith Grey, Vita Tenney takes her place as a determined woman unwilling to let society or her family control her destiny. I was captivated by The Physician’s Daughter. The novel stays with you.”
–Tony Phelan, executive producer of Grey’s Anatomy and Council of Dads

“A riveting read set during the American civil war about a pioneering young woman dead-set on becoming a doctor.”
–Inga Vesper, author of The Long, Long Afternoon

REVIEW

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.

This is a non spoiler review, because you as reader need to read this book. Also, I feel sometimes I have in the past gave away to much of the plot line. This has diminished the pleasure for would be readers.

The Physician’s Daughter, is Martha Conway’s newest novel. A superb historical fiction that is set post Civil War.

In 1865 we follows Vita Tenney Culhane, who’s aspirations to be a doctor is completely disregarded because she is a woman. Boldly she confronts her farther, who is the village doctor in Lark’s Eye, Massachusetts. Dr. Arthur Tenney dismissing his daughter notions of wanting to aspire to be like him and follow in his footsteps. Instead he secures her a husband, just returned from war, Jacob Cultane. Vita and Jacob’s marriage of convenience, might just prove to be something more to both of them.

Her desire to attend medical school comes with challenges and setbacks. As a woman who seeks to attend Cleveland Medical College, in the late 19th century she is a heroine that we can all root for. The struggles for women are daunting during this time period. Those who want to throw off the bonds of strict society and overcome obstacles place before them, are brave and courageous women. Martha Conway draws the reader effortlessly into Vita’s life. Meticulously researched and beautifully written, this is a book that I will treasure on my library shelf. Wonderfully detailed, with seamless narration and a thought provoking storyline. Once you begin reading you will find yourself unable to stop.

I highly recommend this book to my family and friends! a 5 ⭐️ read for me

AUTHOR

Martha Conway is the author of several novels including The Underground River, which was a New York Times Book Editor’s Choice (titled The Floating Theatre in the U.K. and Europe). Her novel Thieving Forest won the North American Book Award for Best Historical Fiction.

Martha’s short fiction has appeared in the Iowa Review, Mississippi Review, The Quarterly, Carolina Quarterly, and other publications. She has reviewed fiction for the San Francisco Chronicle and the Iowa Review, and is a recipient of a California Arts Council fellowship in Creative Writing. In addition to writing, Martha is an instructor of creative writing at Stanford University’s Continuing Studies Program. She received her BA from Vassar College in History and English, and her MA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. Born and raised in Ohio, she now lives in San Francisco with her family, where the fog reminds her of lake-effect cloud cover in Cleveland.