#Blogtour The Blackbirds of St Giles by Lila Cain

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Blackbirds of St Giles by Lila Cain.

About the Author/s

LILA CAIN is the pseudonym for two authors writing together. 

Kate Griffin won the Faber/ Stylist Magazine competition with Kitty Peck and the Music Hall Murders and went onto to write three more novels in the series before writing her first standalone novel, Fyneshade. Follow @KateAGriffin on X

Born to Windrush-era Jamaican parents, Marcia Hutchinson worked as a lawyer before founding educational publishing company Primary Colours and was awarded an MBE for services to Cultural Diversity in 2010. Her solo debut novel Mercy is due for publication in summer 2025. Follow @marciathewriter on X

About the book

Some things are earned. Some things are worth fighting for…  

It’s 1782, Daniel and his sister Pearl arrive in London with the world at their feet and their future assured. Having escaped a Jamaican sugar plantation, Daniel fought for the British in the American War of Independence and was rewarded with freedom and an inheritance.   

But the city is not a place for men like Daniel and he is callously tricked and finds himself, along with his sister Pearl, in the rookeries of St Giles – a warren of dark and menacing alleyways, filled with violence and poverty.   

The underworld labyrinth is run by Elias, a man whose cruelty knows no bounds. But under his dangerous rule is a brotherhood of Black men, the Blackbirds of St Giles, whose intention is to set their people free.   

Can Daniel use his strength, wit and the fellowship of the other Blackbirds to overthrow Elias and truly find the freedom he fought for…? 

Review

Daniel's story begins with loss and simultaneously the severing of vicious ties to embark on a path to freedom. The version of the freedom he encounters is just another type of oppression and slavery. Tyranny comes in all shapes, sizes and colours, because surviving often means becoming what you despise the most.

It's a story that is sure to anger and infuriate, especially because of the injustice, the threats, the constant state of danger and battle to stay alive. The kindness and friendship that sets Daniel on his path to St Giles is rarely experienced gain after the death of his friend and comrade. The truth is the world is full of racists, thieves and cutthroats.

I couldn't connect to the core atmosphere of naiveté, the lack of self preservation and inability to have a realistic take on the majority of situations. The past experiences of both of them, but especially Daniel, should have instilled a greater sense of survival and definitely a lack of trust. It makes for great drama, but surely prior experience, trauma and life lived under extremely dire circumstances would give the majority of people a better instinct for survival. 

Given the ending I think it's possible we might be hearing more about Daniel and Pearl in the future - The concept would make great tv by the way. Here's to vindication, retribution and a little more justice for Daniel, Pearl and the Blackbirds in general.

Buy The Blackbirds of St Giles at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏:  Simon & Schuster UK, pub date 30 Jan. 2025. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour The Witch's Daughter by Imogen Edwards-Jones

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Witch's Daughter by Imogen Edwards-Jones.

About the Author

Imogen Edwards-Jones studied Russian at Bristol University. Her first book, The Taming of Eagles, was about the first 100 days of the collapse of communism. A writer and journalist, she has travelled extensively within the old Soviet Union, studying in Kyiv.

She is the author of twenty books including the best-selling Babylon series. Married with two children, Imogen lives in London. She is also a member of the London College of Psychic Studies and an honorary Cossack. Her latest novel, The Witch's Daughter, is the sequel to The Witches of St Petersburg. Visit @iedwardsjones on Instagram

About the book

A city burning. A revolution raging. A woman on the run. - Nadezhda has never wanted to be a witch. But the occult is in her blood. Her mother, Militza, conjured Rasputin and introduced him into the Romanov court, releasing the devil himself. Now he is dead, but Militza still dreams of him – stalking her sleep and haunting her waking hours.

As Petrograd burns and the Russian Empire crumbles, Nadezhda escapes through the capital, concealing a book of generational magic. But as danger grows closer, she may be forced to embrace her heritage to save what she loves most...

Based on a true story, The Witch’s Daughter is an epic tale of women rising from the ashes of an empire, perfect for fans of Elodie Harper's The Wolf Den and Madeline Miller’s Circe.

Review

Aside from the superstitious and magical realism aspect of this historical fiction, it was interesting to read a slightly different perspective on that particular era. The Russian Revolution often tends to play second best to the tragedy of the Imperial family and the vast universe of conspiracy theories connected to said tragedy.

Always with the executions as the starting point, despite the fact it was the culmination of frustration and signal for change. Also focusing on the impact Rasputin had on the Tsar, his wife and their children. The kind of influence one could call cultish, grooming and an almost desperate infatuation with hope and the promise of a miracle cure. In this light we see the influential privilege heading an avenue of historical destruction, which leads to the dismantling of Imperial Russia.

Adding the aspect of witchcraft - this is the second book in the Russian Witches series - gives the read an ominous feeling, as if there is always something lurking in the background. When you call on the dark sometimes it answers tenfold, which is something Militza realises and Nadezhda discovers.

It's a read packed full of history, and yet simultaneously it winds an element of energy and ancestral power through it. From mother to daughter - to sisterhood. 

Buy The Witch's Daughter at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Aria; Paperback pub date 10th October 2024. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour The Flames by Sophie Haydock

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Flames by Sophie Haydock. The Flames: This is the story of four muses. Let them speak...

About the Author

Sophie Haydock is an award-winning author living in east London. The Flames, is her debut novel. She is the winner of the Impress Prize for New Writers. Sophie trained as a journalist at City University, London, and has worked at the Sunday Times Magazine, Tatler and BBC Three, as well as freelancing for publications including the Financial Times, Guardian Weekend magazine, and organisations such as the Arts Council, Royal Academy and Sotheby's. 

Passionate about short stories, Sophie also works for the Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award and is associate director of the Word Factory literary organisation. Her Instagram account @egonschieleswomen - dedicated to the women who posed for Egon Schiele - has a community of over 110,000 followers, and continues to grow. For more information, visit: sophie-haydock.com. Follow @Words_by_Sophie on Twitter

About the book

Every Painting tells a story, but whatt if the women on the canvas could talk...

Vienna, at the beginning of the 20th century, is an exhilarating social whirl, a city of ideas, of music, of ground-breaking art, led by Gustav Klimt until the arrival of his scandalous protegee, Egon Schiele. Into this world come four women, each with their own story to tell:

Adele: passionate, fierce, obstinate. The daughter of a bourgeois family, she rails against the strictures of her class and harbours her own wild fantasies.

Gertrude: spirited, single-minded, possessive. The sister to budding artist Egon Schiele, she longs for an exciting life away from their tempestuous family home.

Vally: determined, independent, proud. A model for celebrated artist Gustav Klimt, she has carved her way out of poverty and is now forging a brave new path for herself.

Edith: quiet, conventional, loyal. Or is she? Younger sister to Adele, Edith is overlooked and wonders if there is another version of the woman she might become.

Four flames, four wild, blazing hearts, longing to be known. In an elegant bohemian city like Vienna, everything seems possible - until an act of betrayal changes everything. For just as a flame has the power to mesmerize, it can also destroy everything in its path.

Review

The story of the women, the muses of Egon Schiele. Set in dual timelines, we meet one of the women as an older woman, desperate to find peace and forgiveness. In moments of confusion it's hard to detect the truth and clarity of the life she has led and the role she played in the world of art.

In the past the reader is introduced to the artist, who in the 21st century would have been embraced for his vision, but in the early 20th century was a scandal unto himself. Egon Schiele, a protegee of Klimt, has no concern for those around him. He wants to paint what inspires him, even if it is considered scandalous in the eyes of society. 

In pre-war and subsequently the duration of the Great War his relationships with the women who inspired such imagery unfold before us, and perhaps give an insight into his process, passion and psyche in a way that helps others to understand the font of creative source.

There is a fine line between genius and insanity, passion and borderline abusive behaviour, between obsession and the embers of mutual attraction. The author captures this untamable wildness of creative passion, and the victims who are left trailing behind in the wake of creation. Although I am certain the majority wouldn't see themselves as such, but rather as the chosen who have been deemed worthy  enough to be the source of said creativity.

Haydock draws readers into her fictional narrative and interpretation, which is supported by historical facts and nuances. The result is a riveting, powerful, passionate and visceral read. It's an excellent story I wouldn't hesitate to recommend and gift this book.

Buy The Flames at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Doubleday Uk; pub date 17 March 2022. Hardback - £14.99. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Penguin.

#BlogTour The York King by Amy Licence

It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The York King by Amy Licence. This is the second book in the House of York trilogy.

About the Author

Amy Licence is an historian of women’s lives in the medieval and early modern period, from queens to commoners. Her particular interest lies in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century, in gender relations, queenship and identity, female orthodoxy and fertility and childbirth. She is also interested in modernism, specifically Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group, Picasso and Post-Impressionism. She has been a teacher for over twenty years. 

Amy has written for The Guardian, The TLS, The New Statesman, BBC History, The Huffington Post and contributes regularly to BBC History Magazine. Follow @PrufrocksPeach on Twitter

About the book

1464. Family conflicts, Lancaster against York, the fight for the English throne continues...

During the early years of his reign, Edward IV of York battles to bring peace and stability to the country, as Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, raises support in the north, attempting to return the Lancastrian king, Henry VI, to the throne. With uprisings imminent, the Earl of Warwick pursues a marriage alliance with France, determined to bring about a friendship between the two countries and suppress support for Lancaster.

Unhappy with the match, Edward meets Elizabeth Woodville, daughter of a squire, and marries in a secret ceremony. With verbal agreements broken, friendships damaged and old divisions reappearing, Edward finds himself facing new enemies much closer to home.

Set during the Wars of the Roses, this is the second volume in the House of York trilogy.

Review

The War of the Roses is one of the most fascinating periods in English history, although admittedly there are many more. The bloodshed, betrayal, and fights for the throne. What a dangerous time to live in. This book focuses on Edward IV and the battle to retain and indeed regain his place on the English throne. His choice of wife in Elizabeth Woodville leads to conflict and a revolt, which see his closest ally and a brother turn on him.

Interestingly this is the prelude to one of the most intriguing mysteries during the conflict between the Houses of Lancaster and York. Edward V and his brother Richard go on to become the infamous Princes in the Tower. I wonder if the next book in the trilogy will reference these events or focus on Richard III - there are doubts about the true physical appearance of Richard, the Duke of Gloucester - later Richard III, for instance. And the finger tends to be pointed in his direction when it comes to the aforementioned mystery.

I digress, as I am wont to do when it comes to this topic. The author does an excellent job of telling the history as historical faction. The topic itself can be event, character and fact heavy, and indeed keeping track of titles, names and places can be a bit of a task. Being able to engage a reader from beginning to end with a story that does due diligence to the actual events is not an easy task, however Licence does it very well.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the book or to read further work by this author.

Buy The York King at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Lume Books; pub date 3 Mar. 2022. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Gathering Storm by Alan Jones

 It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Gathering Storm by Alan Jones.

About the Author

Alan Jones is a Scottish author with three gritty crime stories to his name, the first two set in Glasgow, the third one based in London. He has now switched genres, and his WW2 trilogy will be published in August 2021. It is a Holocaust story set in Northern Germany. He is married with four grown up children and four wonderful grandchildren.

He has recently retired as a mixed-practice vet in a small Scottish coastal town in Ayrshire and is one of the RNLI volunteer coxswains on the local lifeboat. He makes furniture in his spare time, and maintains and sails a 45-year-old yacht in the Irish Sea and on the beautiful west coast of Scotland. He loves reading, watching films and cooking. He still plays football despite being just the wrong side of sixty.

His crime novels are not for the faint-hearted, with some strong language, violence, and various degrees of sexual content. The first two books also contain a fair smattering of Glasgow slang.

He is one of the few self-published authors to be given a panel at Bloody Scotland and has done two pop-up book launches at the festival in Stirling. He has spent the last five years researching and writing the Sturmtaucher Trilogy. Follow @alanjonesbooks on Twitter, Visit alanjonesbooks.co.uk

About the book

Book 1 in the Sturmtaucher Trilogy: a powerful and compelling story of two families torn apart by evil.

‘Kiel, Northern Germany, 1933. A naval city, the base for the German Baltic fleet, and the centre for German sailing, the venue for the upcoming Olympic regatta in 1936.

The Kästners, a prominent Military family, are part of the fabric of the city, and its social, naval and yachting circles. The Nussbaums are the second generation of their family to be in service with the Kästners as domestic staff, but the two households have a closer bond than most.

As Adolf Hitler and his National Socialist Party claw their way to power in 1933, life has never looked better for families like the Kästners. There is only one problem. The Nussbaums are Jews.

The Sturmtaucher Trilogy documents the devastating effect on both families of the Nazis’ hateful ideology and the insidious erosion of the rights of Germany's Jews. When Germany descends ever deeper into dictatorship, General Erich Kästner tries desperately to protect his employees, and to spirit them to safety.

As the country tears itself apart, the darkness which envelops a nation threatens not only to destroy two families, but to plunge an entire continent into war.’

Review

There is nothing that unusual about the way the Nussbaum and Kaestner family live, work and interact with each other. A German Jewish family and what would have been known as a pure Aryan German family. In the 1930s the hatred, discrimination and the political encroachment of the Nazi's was well underway.

Aside from showing the cracks that appear in the once united families, the author also does an excellent job of showing the way the military and the lurking dictatorship bat heads to then be consumed by the illogical and insidious ideology. On top of that the military strategy used to take one European country after the other flows quietly throughout the story.

It's an ambitious start to this historical fiction trilogy, which is certainly an in-depth study of fact combined with a enough fiction to fill in the blanks and create a fascinating read. Jones has clearly spent a lot of time researching the historical aspects of this period in German history and the maps, references and added information enhance the read.

I think it could have been shorter, however I embrace both the magnum opus aspect of the trilogy, and the fact the author wants to give due diligence to all the details surrounding the tragedy of the Holocaust, World War 2 and indeed 20th century history. Instead of concentrating on Ground Zero he draws the connections, consequences and cause and effect leading up to it, whilst keeping the read on a personal level by telling the story of a family directly impacted by all of the aforementioned.

Buy The Gathering Storm at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Ailsa Publishing pub date 19 Aug. 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Dark Days for the Tobacco Girls by Lizzie Lane

 

It's my turn on the BlogTour Dark Days for the Tobacco Girls by Lizzie Lane.

About the Author

Lizzie Lane is the author of over 50 books, a number of which have been bestsellers.  She was born and bred in Bristol where many of her family worked in the cigarette and cigar factories.  This has inspired her new saga series for Boldwood The Tobacco Girls, the first part of which will be published in January 2021. Sign up to Lizzie's newsletter

Follow @baywriterallat1 on Twitter,  on Facebook, on Instagram, on Bookbub,

About the book

Nothing will stop the The Tobacco Girls, not even war... Bristol 1940. The Tobacco Girls cling together as they realise that the clouds of war are turning dark, the world is becoming more dangerous and their lives more unpredictable. Bridget Milligan’s big, happy family fragments when her siblings are evacuated to North Devon, then a letter from America further fills her with dismay.

Maisie Miles safe haven from both Eddie Bridgeman and her father is jeopardised and she is forced to move on, but where too this time? Phyllis Mason is struck down by tragedy and her life spirals downwards into despair until a new horizons beckons, but also perhaps great danger...

Regardless of the rationing, shortages and an ever-worsening situation, The Tobacco Girls all pull together and hope for better days to come.

Review

With the darkness of World War 2 looming over the girls they each have their own problems to deal with. Maisie sees her past and danger lurking behind each corner, whic technically isn't paranoia if it's true. Bridget has to watch her family be torn apart, even if it's in the best interest of her siblings. Phyllis experiences a tragedy which will turn her life around completely.

Each of them, in their own way, finds their own trauma and difficulties hard to cope with alone, but together they become strong enough to do what's right. More importantly they show each other the light in the hours of sadness and despair.

Maisie, Phyllis and Bridget will always be there for each other through thick, thin and in this case wartime. Even with the odd disgruntled snipes and their own problems, what they truly excel at is being there when one of them is in dire need of a friend. 

It's a story of friendship, sisterhood and family, because that's what they are ..family. It's lovely historical war fiction, escapism with its roots grounded firmly in history and the reality of friendship between women.

Buy Dark Days for the Tobacco Girls at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Boldwood Books; pub date 8 Jun. 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Nellie's Heartbreak by Rosie Clarke

It's my turn on the BlogTour Nellie's Heartbreak by Rosie Clarke.

 About the Author

Rosie Clarke is a #1 bestselling saga writer whose most recent books include The Mulberry Lane series. She has written over 100 novels under different pseudonyms and is a RNA Award winner. She lives in Cambridgeshire. Rosie’s brand new saga series, Welcome to Harpers Emporium began in December 2019. Click here to sign up to Rosie Clarke's newsletter

Follow @AnneHerries on Twitter, on Bookbub, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit rosieclarke.co.uk, 

About the book

A new stand-alone saga set in Yorkshire around out the outbreak of the second world war and the unlikely relationship between a master and servant.

As a small child, Nellie Peace was always dreaming but sensed her mother’s rejection. Abandoned and sent into service at Beaumont House at an early age, Nellie is lost and alone until she meets the unpredictable and reclusive artist, Lucas Harrington and falls in love with him.

This unlikely association between master and servant is encouraged by Lucas’s gentle natured Aunt Alice as Lucas sees something unusual in Nellie and is compelled to paint her. 

Broken promises lead to inevitable heartbreak and Nellie flees Beaumont House in disgrace for London. Alone again, Nellie must learn to live and fend for herself and her new-born child. Can Nellie win a second chance of happiness and can she solve the mystery of her mother's tortured past?

Review

At first glance Nellie doesn't have the most difficult of lives. Her family isn't the poorest or the richest, they are somewhere in between, but also aware that they will always be in the working class rank of society.

When Nellie is given into service, which isn't unusual even in the slowly declining upstairs downstairs era, she is unprepared and disappointed in the way it was done. There was no preparation or discussion, just Nellie being confronted with her new employers. The dislike her mother clearly has for her, well she isn't trying to hide it anymore. In fact her mother eventually confronts her with the kind of truth you can't take back.

Clarke clearly has a knack for the romance and historical fiction genre and this is no exception. Her characters evoke empathy in readers, which keeps them invested in the story. I enjoyed the way she wrote Nellie, who is a young girl willing to embrace the world around her, despite the many obstacles she encounters. It's the way she takes each problem and just carries on with her life, regardless of what happens.

It's historical fiction that veers into women's fiction, and I absolutely can see this author going into a genre that demands more depth and world-building. Either way you always get a great escapist read.

Buy Nellie's Heartbreak at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Boldwood Books; pub date 5 May 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Heretic's Mark by S.W. Perry

It's an absolute pleasure to take part in the BlogTour for the fourth book in the Jackdaw Mystery series - The Heretic's Mark by S.W. Perry.

About the Author

S.W. Perry was a journalist and broadcaster before retraining as an airline pilot. His debut novel, The Angel's Mark was listed for the CWA Historical dagger and was a Walter Scott Prize Academy Recommended Read 201. he lives in Worcestershire with his wife. 

Follow @swperry_history @CorvusBooks on Twitter, on Goodreads, onAmazon, swperry.co.uk, 

About the book

The Elizabethan world is in flux. Radical new ideas are challenging the old. But the quest for knowledge can lead down dangerous paths...

London, 1594. The Queen's physician has been executed for treason, and conspiracy theories flood the streets. When Nicholas Shelby, unorthodox physician and unwilling associate of spymaster Robert Cecil is accused of being part of the plot, he and his new wife Bianca must flee for their lives.

With agents of the Crown on their tail, they make for Padua, following the ancient pilgrimage route, the Via Francigena. But the pursuing, English aren't the only threat Nicholas and Bianca face. Hella, a strange and fervently religious young woman, has joined them on their journey. When the trio finally reach relative safety, they become embroiled in a radical and dangerous scheme to shatter the old world's limits of knowledge. But Hella's dire predictions of an impending apocalypse, and the brutal murder of a friend of Bianca's forces them to wonder: who is this troublingly pious woman? And what does she want?

Review

This story reminds us, the readers, how far Shelby has come over the years. From a devastated man consumed by grief to an incidental chess piece in the contentious political landscape of Elizabethan England.

This time he has become the target of a deadly campaign of vengeance, one that can end with his painful death and his loved ones in the same dangerous position. His reluctant kinda benefactor and spymaster Cecil suggests he leave the city post haste, which is where the story veers in a different direction altogether. 

On the run with his new wife Bianca they are joined by a young woman called Hella who straddles the veil. Her predictions rattle the science based thinking of the medical man and put them in more danger than the situation they left behind in England.

I think if you know your history - not that you have to to enjoy this fantastic historical crime fiction, then you appreciate the way the fiction is woven in with the historical facts. Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, a favourite of Elizabeth I and the stepson of her reported paramour, Robert Dudley. The second Earl of Essex was quick to use his import and influence at court to rid himself of opposition or perhaps in regards to his own violent fate - to weaken the position of the queen.

This plot, with Shelby as the innocent man accused, links into the actual facts of the tragic fate of Dr Roderigo Lopez, the queen's physician. A victim of malice and deceit. One of many who fell foul of the machinations and the political aspirations of a man on his own path towards self-destruction.

Perry is on par with the likes of Sansom, however I have to give him his dues, he has established himself as an equal and has become the author others will be and are compared to. The Jackdaw series is an exceptionally good read and is getting better with each book. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this author and the series.

Buy The Heretic's Mark at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Corvus; pub date 1 April 2021. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Bookshop org.

#BlogTour America's Daughter by Celeste De Blasis

It's my turn on the BlogTour America's Daughter by Celeste De Blasis.

About the Author

Millions of readers have fallen under the spell of the lush, enthralling and bestselling novels by Celeste De Blasis. Tales of adventure and romance set against the sweep of history—all are storytelling at its finest. After graduating from Pomona College, Celeste devoted her life to impeccable research and spellbinding writing.  A native Californian, Celeste grew up on the historic Kemper Campbell Ranch in the Mojave Desert, where she lived until her death in 2001. 

About the book

With Washington’s army, she joined America’s fight for independence…

1773. The night that Addie Valencourt sneaks out to witness the Boston Tea Party, she knows that her world is about to change forever. Soon, the love and security of her tight-knit family is torn apart by the fight for American independence.

When the British lay siege to Boston, Addie’s English-born father welcomes them into his home, while her childhood sweetheart Silas leaves to join General Washington. Addie is determined to follow him when she meets Scottish Highlander John Traverne. The frowning, dark-haired soldier is unlike anyone she has ever known, and he interests her more than he should. But any future with a man on the opposite side of this fight is impossible…

As the bitter war continues, Addie’s life becomes increasingly bound with the fate of America. When Silas is captured by the British, she risks all to search for him, but venturing into enemy territory brings her face to face with her Highlander again. Now Addie must make an impossible choice between what her heart is telling her, and protecting the secrets—and even the very lives—of the Patriots on the dangerous front line…

Review

This is the first book in the America's Daughter trilogy. It begins with a feeling of the volatility and frustration of that time period as our characters are placed in the middle of the events of The Boston Tea Party. The unrest in Addie's country culminates in a war to gain independence. A war that will change the face and future of America forever.

I really liked the way the author showed the divide in the family as if they were the two countries. The father, the patriarch is very much a loyalist to crown and old country, however his children are products of the country they were raised in. You can imagine the division - much like a North and South situation. The kind of division that breaks families apart forever.

If Celeste only knew this series would be published at a time during the 21st century when both political and mercantile protests would be mirrored to some extent again. Also at a time when a sense of country and identity is being questioned and also old toxic systems are being rebelled against. Setting a family saga during this period of unrest gives this historical read a multi-genre feel.

It may give readers a nostalgic vibe it's because this is very much a historical family saga of a few decades ago, but that doesn't take away from the fact it is both very much a de Blasis story and a good read.

Buy America's Daughter at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Bookouture pub date 27 April 2021. Buy at Amazon com. At Apple. Google.

#Blogtour The Drowned City by K. J. Maitland

 It's my turn on the Blogtour The Drowned City by K. J. Maitland.

About the Author

Karen Maitland is an historical novelist, lecturer and teacher of Creative Writing, with over twenty books to her name. She grew up in Malta, which inspired her passion for history, and travelled and worked all over the world before settling in the United Kingdom. She has a doctorate in psycholinguistics, and now lives on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon. Visit karenmaitland.com

About the book

The first in an exciting new series from an expert writer at the height of her powers. Gunpowder and treason changed England forever. But the tides are turning and revenge runs deep...

1606. A year to the day that men were executed for conspiring to blow up Parliament, a towering wave devastates the Bristol Channel. Some proclaim God’s vengeance. Others seek to take advantage.

In London, Daniel Pursglove lies in prison waiting to die. But Charles FitzAlan, close adviser to King James I, has a job in mind that will free a man of Daniel’s skill from the horrors of Newgate. If he succeeds. For Bristol is a hotbed of Catholic spies, and where better for the lone conspirator who evaded arrest, one Spero Pettingar, to gather allies than in the chaos of a drowned city? Daniel journeys there to investigate FitzAlan’s lead, but soon finds himself at the heart of a dark Jesuit conspiracy - and in pursuit of a killer.

Review

On the back of a catastrophe that people think has been caused by an angered God or perhaps the foot soldiers of Satan, Daniel Pursglove is released from Newgate. The adviser to King James wants Daniel to find a lone elusive conspirator to the infamous Gunpowder plot. Instead he finds himself drawn into the hunt for a killer.

What I found incredibly intriguing was imagining how a natural catastrophe, such as the flood, tidal wave or the surge of 1606 would have been perceived a few centuries ago. In the 21st century we know why they happen, but are no less overwhelmed by the sudden appearance and the destruction such events leave in their wake.

In the 17th century it would have been perceived as an unnatural occurrence and connected to anything odd or inexplicable. Dots connecting people to witchcraft, which gives allowance to scapegoating. The author captures the superstition, paranoia and sense of comfort derived from blaming someone else.

It's a combination of historical crime and a mystery. It takes plenty of fact and fiction to create a riveting read that teaches and captivates at the same time. I really enjoyed the descriptive and often poetic prose. Maitland has a knack, although I do think it sometimes drifted off into a less structured style. Either way it was a great read.

Buy The Drowned City at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.  Publisher: Headline Review: pub date 1st April 2021 | Hardback | £16.99. Available as ebook and audiobook. Buy at hive.

#BlogTour The Tuscan House by Angela Petch

It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Tuscan House by Angela Petch.

About the Author

'I’m an award winning writer of fiction – and the occasional poem. Every summer I move to Tuscany for six months where my husband and I own a renovated watermill which we let out. When not exploring our unspoilt corner of the Apennines, I disappear to my writing desk at the top of our converted stable.

In my Italian handbag or hiking rucksack I always make sure to store notebook and pen to jot down ideas. The winter months are spent in Sussex where most of our family live. When I’m not helping out with grandchildren, I catch up with writer friends.'

Follow @Angela_Petch on Twitter, On Facebook, Visit angelapetchsblogsite.wordpress.com

About the book

Corbello, Italy, 1947. A woman and a little boy stagger into the ruins of an old house deep in the forest, wild roses overwhelming the crumbling terracotta walls. Since the war, nowhere has been safe. But they both freeze in shock when a voice calls out from the shadows…

For young mother Fosca Sentino, accepting refuge from reluctant British war hero Richard – in Tuscany to escape his tragic past – is the only way to keep her little family safe. She once risked everything to spy on Nazi commanders and pass secret information to the resistenza. But after a heartbreaking betrayal, Fosca’s best friend Simonetta disappeared without trace. The whole community was torn apart, and now Fosca and her son are outcasts.

Wary of this handsome stranger at first, Fosca slowly starts to feel safe as she watches him play with her son in the overgrown orchard. But her fragile peace is shattered the moment a silver brooch is found in the garden, and she recognises it as Simonetta’s…

Fosca has always suspected that another member of the resistenza betrayed her. With Richard by her side, she must find out if Simonetta is still alive, and clear her own name. But how did the brooch end up at the house? And with a traitor hiding in the village, willing to do anything to keep this secret buried, has Fosca put herself and her young son in terrible danger?

Review

This is told from multiple perspectives and with an interesting dual timeline - interesting because we don't wander that far into the past. Fosca returns to a place that haunts her, only to find both living ghosts and dead ones awaiting her arrival.

Part of the charm of a book by this particular author is the way she is able to convey the awe-inspiring beauty of the surroundings, which is often tinged with nostalgia. Personally I liked the contrast drawn between the landscape, the architecture, the people and the turbulent traumatic and destructive power of war. Two worlds collide. That contrast is mirrored again with resistance fighters, the collaborators, the silent observers and the enemy of course.

In the same way Richard's renovation or restoration project becomes part of his recovery process. A way of weighing actions, guilt and conscience with his choices and actions. Fixing himself, by restoring the factory - putting the pieces back together bit by bit. Or Fosca trying to work through her own trauma by solving the mystery of what happened to her friend. These are elements that give the read a certain type of depth. 

The reflection and restoration are at the core of this historical fiction set during the Second World war and in the years after. The devastation and destruction of war, and the aftermath of all the traumatic events. Life must go on and more importantly you either choose to confront the past or tuck it away like a dirty secret.

It's a bit of a slow burner, but worth it. The author gives voice to the different experiences of war by giving each character a common denominator and yet ultimately always a completely individual story. 

Buy The Tuscan House at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Bookouture pub date 7 April 2021. Buy at Amazon com. At Hive.

#BlogTour The Spanish Girl by Jules Hayes

 

It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Spanish Girl by Jules Hayes.

About the Author

'I have a degree in modern history and I'm fascinated with events from the first half of the 20th century, which is the time period my historical fiction is set. My work has been longlisted in the Mslexia Novel Competition, and shortlisted in the prestigious Bridport Short Story Competition. I live in Berkshire, UK with my partner, daughter and dog. Before writing stories, I was a physiotherapist.'

Jules Hayes is a pseudonym for JA Corrigan who writes contemporary thrillers. Falling Suns by JA Corrigan (Headline Accent) was published in 2016. 

Follow @JulesHayes6 on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, Visit jules-hayes.com, Buy The Spanish Girl

About the book

A country torn apart by war. Two love stories divided by decades. One chance to discover the truth... 

Feisty journalist Isabella has never known the truth about her family. Escaping from a dangerous assignment in the turbulent Basque country, she finds her world turned upside down, firstly by her irresistible attraction to the mysterious Rafael, and then by a new clue to her own past. 

As she begins to unravel the tangled story of her identity, Isabella uncovers a story of passion, betrayal and loss that reaches back to the dark days of Spain's civil war - when a passionate Spanish girl risked everything for her country, and for the young British rebel who captured her heart. 

But can Isabella trust the man she's fallen in love with? Or are some wartime secrets better left undisturbed...? 

Review

Isabella is following the trail of her tragic past and the mystery of her birth. As far as she knows she is the daughter of a young female who fought hard for her country and died for the cause. Isabella has so many unanswered questions and by searching out the only people left with a connection to her mother she hopes she can answer some of them.

As she uncovers secret by painful secret she realises that perhaps her life has begun to mirror that of her mother so many decades ago. Where conflict fuels passion and love, because fear, worry and danger are the emotions that they live with each day.

It's quite fascinating how certain atrocities of the early to mid twentieth century, especially those that coincided with the rise of fascism and the Nazi regime, tend to fall into the shadows due to the Holocaust. It's not about a comparison of horrors, but rather the acknowledgment that the weight of one manages to supress the narration of another.

The Spanish Civil War and the rise of Franco is one of Spain's darker periods in history. It has left a divide under the surface and the country has done an excellent job in presenting the fresh faced sun drenched country to the world, as opposed to the one that still has earth filled with the bones of the innocent.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story - historical fiction with a basis in fact. I really liked the setting of the mystery during the Spanish Civil War. It's easy to forget how volatile things were and the author uses the hotbed of patriotism, paranoia and betrayal to give readers a great story. It's a tragic and beautiful tale.

Buy The Spanish Girl at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Orion Dash pub date March 15, 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Wartime With the Tram Girls by Lynn Johnson

Happy Publication Day to Wartime with the Tram Girls by Lynn Johnson.

About the Author

Lynn Johnson was born and raised in The Potteries. She went to school in Burslem, the setting for her novels, and left with no qualifications. Like Ginnie, she had ambitions. In her own time she obtained a BA Hons in Humanities with Literature from the Open University, and a Diploma in Management Studies from Staffordshire Polytechnic and became a Human Resources Manager with a large County Council.

She began to research her family tree and it inspired her to write short stories, one of which became the basis for her debut novel, The Girl from the Workhouse, the first of The Potteries Girls series. The second book in the series, Wartime with the Tram Girls was published in March 2021. Lynn is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Society of Authors.

Although Lynn still has a close affinity to The Potteries, she now lives in Orkney with her husband and six beautiful cats.

Follow @lynnjohnsondots on Twitter, Visit Lynnjohnsonauthor.com

About the book

July 1914: Britain is in turmoil as WW1 begins to change the world. While the young men disappear off to foreign battlefields, the women left at home throw themselves into jobs meant for the boys.

Hiding her privileged background and her suffragette past, Constance Copeland signs up to be a Clippie - collecting money and giving out tickets - on the trams, despite her parents’ disapproval. Constance, now known as Connie, soon finds there is more to life than the wealth she was born into and she soon makes fast friends with lively fellow Clippies, Betty and Jean, as well as growing closer to the charming, gentle Inspector Robert Caldwell. But Connie is haunted by another secret; and if it comes out, it could destroy her new life.

After war ends and the men return to take back their roles, will Connie find that she can return to her previous existence? Or has she been changed forever by seeing a new world through the tram windows?

Review

Constance becomes interested in the suffragette movement, which is the beginning of her coming-of-age and the first step to changing her view of the world she lives in. Stepping into the world of those who have previously served her and are deemed to be under her in the class hierarchy, it's a move full of hard lessons, but also one that teaches her more than she can imagine.

How frightfully misinformed and obsessively coercive people were about the men - young or old - who didn't go to war. It is abundantly clear when Constance fulfills her feather duties. Judgemental and terribly blinkered with only a strange version of patriotism and anger to fuel their small acts of silent destruction.

The author gives a good insight into the vast difference between upstairs, downstairs mentality and the way those differences melded and changed during the 20th century. Goals, needs and opinions became more of a common goal, which in turn led to a revolution of sorts in the way the class structures were perceived and those people perceived themselves.

Women marched for women, men fought beside each other as equals and Constance emerges as Connie with all her new experiences with humility and as part of something bigger, as opposed to one of the smaller elite.

It's historical fiction that gives readers a good feel for the many changes the world and women went through in the early 20th century.

Buy Wartime with the Tram Girls at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Hera pub date 3 Mar. 2021. Buy at Amazon com, on Kobo, at Apple.

#BlogTour The Good Wife by Eleanor Porter

 

It's my turn on the BlogTour The Good Wife by Eleanor Porter.

About the Author

Eleanor Porter has lectured at Universities in England and Hong Kong and her poetry and short fiction has been published in magazines. The Wheelwright’s Daughter was her first novel. Sign up to receive Eleanor's newsletter

Follow @elporterauthor on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Amazon, Buy The Good Wife

About the book

Where will her loyalty lead her? Once accused of witchcraft Martha Spicer is now free from the shadow of the gallows and lives a safe and happy life with her husband, Jacob. But when Jacob heads north to accompany his master, he warns Martha to keep her healing gifts a secret, to keep herself safe, to be a good wife.

Martha loves Jacob but without him there to protect her, she soon comes under the suspicious eye of the wicked Steward Boult, who’s heard of her talent and forces her to attend to him. If she refuses, he promises to destroy the good life she has built for herself with Jacob.

Desperate and alone, Martha faces a terrible decision: stay and be beholden to Boult or journey north to find Jacob who is reported to have been killed.. The road ahead is filled with danger, but also the promise of a brighter future. And where her gifts once threatened to be her downfall, might they now be the very thing that sets Martha free...?

The brilliant follow-up to Eleanor Porter's first novel of love, betrayal, superstition and fear in Elizabethan England. A story of female courage, ingenuity and determination , this is perfect for fans of Tracy Chevalier.

Review

Every day Martha Spicer lives her life as if walking on a balancing beam. In general people tend to believe where there is smoke there is also potentially a fire, so being acquitted of being a witch means she is free, but everyone still thinks she is one step away from another witch trial.

It also makes her vulnerable to people who want to manipulate and use her. One hint of accusation makes her compliant and constantly fearful. The fact she is without the protection from her absent husband puts her in even more peril.

The story is about Martha finding a path through the forest of suspicion and in doing so discovering how strong she really is.

The author combines the elements of paranoia, suspicion and betrayal within the historical context of the accusations, with the heartache and pain of a romantic endeavour. It is a story that never strays into either part of the storyline too much and instead maintains a steadfast balance between the two.

A little healing, which can be perceived as witchcraft, and the story of a woman growing in strength as she tries to break the cycle of oppression and fear she finds herself in.

Buy The Good Wife at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Boldwood Books pub date 16 Feb. 2021. Buy at Amazon com. Hive. Waterstones.

#Blogtour The Smuggler's Wife by Evie Grace

It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Smuggler's Wife by Evie Grace - published by Arrow 31st December.

About the Author

Evie Grace was born in Kent, and one of her earliest memories is of picking cherries with her grandfather who managed a fruit farm near Selling.

Holidays spent in the Kent countryside and the stories passed down through her family inspired her to write her Maids of Kent trilogy. Evie now lives in Devon with her partner and dog. She has a grown-up daughter and son. She loves researching the history of the nineteenth century and is very grateful for the invention of the washing machine, having discovered how the Victorians struggled to do their laundry.

Follow @eviegrace2017 on Twitter, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Buy The Smuggler's Wife

About the book

Her heart led her to him, but will loyalty be enough to make her stay...

When the beautiful but naïve Grace Lennicker falls for Isaiah Feasey, son of a rival smuggling family and owner of a local tavern, her sisters try to intervene. But as tensions grow, there is another suitor also hoping to win her hand in marriage, the dashing and more favourable Albert Enderby, a young lieutenant in the Revenue.

Grace is unwittingly drawn back into the world of smuggling that her sisters fought hard to leave behind, and as the violence erupts, she finds herself unable to stand by, knowing the rival gangs will kill anyone who stands in their way.

When her husband becomes involved, Grace is forced to make a difficult decision - turn him in and risk her life, or stay loyal and risk the lives of those she loves.

Review

This is the third book in the The Smuggler’s Daughters trilogy. All three books feature a different sister and can be read as standalone novels. Grace gives just enough of the other back-stories to get the gist of the relationships between the sisters and their story up to this point.

This time the focus is on the youngest Lennicker daughter Grace. She has set her sights on a man who is truly considered to be the enemy and aside from that he is a criminal and a rake. No wonder her sisters do everything to keep the two of them very far apart indeed, however the heart wants what heart wants or is that the body, then again it could just be the fact a bad boy always looks so much more charming than a good guy.

Little does she realise that she will eventually have to make a decision between her loved ones and the man she believes is the bees knees. Sounds like such a simple choice, well it would be if everyone wasn't knee deep in dangerous and ruthless situations the majority of the time.

What Grace does really well is present the other sisters as just that - sisters - and not, from a character perspective, from a pre-story or own story point of view. Which means Winnie is the stern somewhat snobbish woman concerned about neighbours and reputation, as opposed to the young woman having to deal with the scathing judgements due to her previous predicament. Similar applies to Louisa and perhaps more so to her husband, where previously rising in the social ranks and becoming part of the regime may have appeared exciting and romantic, in this book it takes on more of a serious tone.

The result is a premise that gives a certain vibe of historical romance, and yet simultaneously the author gives it a Cookson sign of times feel. Instead of a glossing over of problems of the time, although there is a certain element of humour, there is more of reality vs romantic imagery when it comes to the plot. Grace delivers an escapist read combined with a more serious tone.

Buy The Smuggler's Wife (The Smuggler’s Daughters #3) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Arrow: pub date 31st December 2020. Paperback Original - £6.99. Buy at Amazon com. Hive. Bookshop org.