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Peeking Between the Pages

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2015 eBooks

Daughter of Sand and Stone by Libbie Hawker & Giveaway (US/Canada)

November 30, 2015 by Darlene

sandDaughter of Sand and Stone by Libbie Hawker is a novel that seamlessly weaves history with fiction bringing an ancient world to life within its pages. The author has taken Zenobia, a woman from history, and literally breathed life into her and the lands she ruled for a short time.  Libbie Hawker writes in such a descriptive way that I felt a part of this ancient world she wrote about from the dry desert to the camel rides.

In the author’s note Libbie makes it clear that not a lot is known about Zenobia, the Empress of the East, but what is known is that she was the only woman who had proved to be a threat to ancient Rome.  She was a strong and courageous woman in a time when women ‘had their place’ and that certainly didn’t include leading armies and taking control over lands.  I feel the author did a wonderful job of telling what Zenobia’s life story may have been from the time she was young to when she’s finally captured as what is available about her is mostly myth and legend.  She portrayed Zenobia in such a way that she came across as very real.  A woman like any other except that she had an inherent desire to be more than her culture allowed women to be.

I also have to mention that I felt an emotional connection to this story which is really odd for a historical novel.  I’m not entirely sure I would have liked Zenobia had I known her just because of her raw ambition that didn’t allow for much else but as the author told of her rise and then her capture and fall I felt so sad for this woman who really only wanted to do right by her people.  There was even a few points where I felt very close to shedding a few tears.

Zenobia was a warrior. She was a proud woman who only wanted to control her own destiny and that of her people.  I hadn’t known much about her before reading this book and after reading it I can say that I greatly admire her courageous spirit.  Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction!

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GIVEAWAY – OPEN TO US & CANADIAN RESIDENTS
1 copy up for grabs
*CLICK HERE* and fill out the form to enter
Draw Date December 16/15

 

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Source: Digital review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review. No compensation was received.

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Filed Under: 2015 - 100+ Books, 2015 ARC's, 2015 Book Reviews, 2015 eBooks, 2015 HF Reading Challenge, TLC Tours

The Conqueror’s Wife by Stephanie Thornton & Giveaway (US only)

November 23, 2015 by Darlene

wifeIf I could describe Stephanie Thornton’s latest novel The Conqueror’s Wife in one word it would be Wow!  I’ve read all but one of her books (which I will soon remedy) and this one is my favorite.  Despite being almost 500 pages once I began reading I fell head long into an ancient world where the times and the people were ruthless.  As I read I could smell the death and see the destruction as though I was walking the same path that Alexander the Great was on.  Full of memorable characters and rich in historical detail Stephanie Thornton has weaved an amazing story about a great man and the women who loved him.

Alexander the Great was a powerful man but so were the women who stood behind him – they were strong, independent, and powerful in their own right and they all helped to shape the man Alexander was.  There is Alexander’s half-sister Thessalonike who so badly wants to travel the world and wants nothing more than to go along with Alexander but she is forbidden to.  Then we have the Persian princess Drypetis who refuses to let go of her traditions and customs despite Alexander taking her father’s throne.  Finally there is the crafty Roxana who is extraordinarily beautiful and she uses that beauty to become Alexander’s queen.  She’s a dangerous one though and will do anything to keep her crown.  As Alexander comes to control an ever vaster empire he learns that not all are to be trusted and long after he’s taken his last breath these women will still be fighting to keep his legacy alive.

Before reading this novel I knew a bit about Alexander the Great but certainly not much.  The more I read the more interested I became in all of the characters and I began to search online for more information.  To me that is the sign of great historical fiction and a great author.  When a book encourages a reader to delve even deeper into history it’s done its job and more.  The Conqueror’s Wife is not only an insightful journey into history but also a novel that will captivate the reader and hold them enthralled until the very last page is turned.  I loved it and highly recommend it to all readers of historical fiction and if you haven’t experienced a novel of Stephanie Thornton’s yet you truly should!

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Buy: Amazon, B&N, Book Depository, IndieBound

 

GIVEAWAY – OPEN TO US RESIDENTS ONLY
1 paperback copy up for giveaway
*CLICK HERE* and fill out the form to enter
Draw Date December 8/15

 

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Source: Digital review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review. No compensation was received.

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Filed Under: 2015 - 100+ Books, 2015 ARC's, 2015 Book Reviews, 2015 eBooks, 2015 HF Reading Challenge, Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours

Medicis Daughter by Sophie Perinot

November 16, 2015 by Darlene

Medicis-Daughter_CoverI became a fan of Sophie Perinot’s work when I read her first novel The Sister Queens and later her part in the novel A Day of Fire.  Her talent at weaving history with a captivating story is what makes her novels so entirely readable.  In her newest Medicis Daughter: A Novel of Marguerite de Valois, Perinot whisks us away to the Valois Court and into the life of Marguerite Valois and a very turbulent time in French history.

The story is told to us through Marguerite (Margot) de Valois who we first meet as a young girl who has been summoned to the court of her brother King Charles IX.  She quickly learns that it’s not all she thought it would be.  As with most royal children Margot is used as a pawn in a struggle for power – power that her mother and the king crave.  Her mother, Queen Catherine de Medicis, rules Margot with an iron fist making sure she knows that her only duty in life is to do what she’s told especially in regards to a royal marriage.  Margot knows she must do her duty to her family and marry Henri of Navarre, leader of the Huguenots and a heretic,  but her heart belongs to the Duc de Guise.  Margot could never predict the events that will come about from her wedding.  While she is depending on the peace that is promised from this marriage her mother and brother have very different ideas.  Ultimately Margot has to choose between her family and what she believes is right as France erupts in the St. Bartholomew’s Massacre.

Medicis Daughter has all the elements of fantastic historical fiction – court intrigue, family politics, love, and betrayals.  I loved it!  I’ve read a bit about Catherine de Medicis but never about Marguerite and I was fascinated by her story.  Despite being brought up to always follow orders and being used as a pawn she still had a conscious which drove her to do what she thought best.  While I felt sorry for her throughout much of the novel I ultimately admired her for her strength of character.

Well researched and rich in historical detail Medicis Daughter is sure to please any historical fiction fan and it’s one of my favorites of the year.  Highly recommended!

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Source: Digital review copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review.  No compensation was received.  
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Filed Under: 2015 - 100+ Books, 2015 ARC's, 2015 Book Reviews, 2015 eBooks, 2015 HF Reading Challenge, Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours

An Old-Fashioned Christmas by Ellen Stimson & Giveaway (US/Canada)

November 9, 2015 by Darlene

oldAn Old-Fashioned Christmas by Ellen Stimson is simply a delightful book to curl up with in your favorite chair and savor page by page and be sure not to forget that all important cup of coffee!  Ellen shares with us her family’s Christmas traditions along with delectable recipes and wonderful family tales in a witty and conversational tone.  I could picture myself sitting in Ellen’s kitchen enjoying a cup of coffee, nibbling on some of the wonderful cookies she describes in the book, and of course snuggling the furbabies.

Ellen lives in a small Vermont town in an isolated mountain home where I think they may quite possibly have even worse winters than we have here and I have to admit all that glistening snow makes for a wonderful Christmas.  Ellen most definitely knows how to celebrate the holiday season and in Vermont it seems even more magical with all the snow and sleigh rides.  It sounds to me like a magical beautiful wonderland even though I do know how harsh a winter can actually be.

Throughout this book we are invited to make new and special family traditions or embrace the ones we already have. Ellen shares many of her family’s traditions with us like their annual Christmas Adventure or buying special ornaments every year for the tree.  When she describes all the hustle and bustle of her Christmas with putting up all the decorations and the beautiful tree they put up in the library and all the food and family I must admit to be thoroughly envious.   The recipes are wonderful and as I was going through them I was making notes on which ones I intend to make and there are quite a few … Pig Candy, Golden Tassles, Corn Pudding, Cheddar Grits, and many, many more.  Even better she even includes a few recipes for dog treats – most definitely a woman after my own heart.

I think most importantly the message in An Old-Fashioned Christmas is to keep Christmas in your own way.  It doesn’t have to be some huge celebration where you run yourself ragged and barely have time to enjoy a second of it.  It should bring you joy.  Like Ellen my idea of the perfect Christmas is to be able to curl up with my book and my dog for at least some part of the day.  The rest is meant to be spent with family and enjoying all the goodness of Christmas and especially all those special treats that so many of us save for the Christmas season.  I highly recommend this magical book of Christmas cheer and wouldn’t it just make the perfect Christmas gift!  I think so!

Other tour stops with TLC Book Tours
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Author links: Website, Facebook, Twitter
Buy: Amazon, B&N

 

GIVEAWAY – OPEN TO US & CANADIAN RESIDENTS
1 copy up for giveaway
*CLICK HERE* and fill out the form to enter
Draw Date November 25/15

 

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Source: Digital review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review. Giveaway sponsored by the publisher. No compensation was received.
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Filed Under: 2015 - 100+ Books, 2015 ARC's, 2015 Book Reviews, 2015 eBooks, TLC Tours

Life and Other Near-Death Experiences by Camille Pagan & Giveaway (US/Canada)

November 2, 2015 by Darlene

lifeIn a Nutshell

Having read Camille Pagan’s first novel The Art of Forgetting a few years back and absolutely loving it I was really excited to read her newest Life and Other Near-Death Experiences and once again she has written a beautiful and moving novel which I could not put down.  This book is about life and living each moment the way you want to – the way that makes you happiest because there are no guarantees in life.  Live each moment to the fullest and with humor and love.

Thoughts on the Story

Libby’s story starts with a bang.  She is having the worst day of her life.  Not only does she find out she’s dying from a rare form of cancer but her husband also picks that day to tell her he’s gay.  Libby literally flips out and decides she just can’t do it. She thought she could but she can’t.  Without giving it a lot of thought she quits her job and heads to Puerto Rico for a month.  After a harrowing plane ride in which she meets the intriguing Shiloh, Libby embarks on the next phase of her life for Shiloh has his own ideas on how Libby should be handling her fate that make her step back and reevaluate her own thoughts on how she’d like to live out her last days.  Will she fight this awful disease and let all the people who love her continue to do so and help her in the biggest fight of her life?  Will she win that fight?  And will she let go and love again?

Final Thoughts

Life and Other Near-Death Experiences is written with humor and heart in a way that leaves you feeling hopeful.  Libby is a character I both liked and didn’t like.  She was faced with a devastating diagnosis which evoked sympathy in me but at the same time she could be so unforgiving of things.  What I did love about her though was her discovery of how precious life is and how it is most definitely worth fighting for.

Highly recommended for fans of women’s fiction.  Camille Pagan is an author not to miss!

Other tour stops with TLC Book Tours
Add to your Goodreads List
Author links: Website, Facebook, Twitter
Buy: Amazon, B&N

 

GIVEAWAY – OPEN TO US & CANADIAN RESIDENTS
1 copy up for giveaway
*CLICK HERE* and fill out the form to enter
Draw Date November 18/15

 

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Source: Digital review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review. No compensation was received.
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Filed Under: 2015 - 100+ Books, 2015 ARC's, 2015 Book Reviews, 2015 eBooks, TLC Tours

Oliver & Jack At Lodgings in Lyme by Christina E. Pilz & Giveaway (US/Canada)

October 5, 2015 by Darlene

Oliver-Jack_CoverIn a Nutshell

Having read Fagin’s Boy last year I was excited to once again delve into the world of Oliver Twist with  Oliver & Jack at Lodgings in Lyme by Christina E. Pilz.  This is the second book in the series and while I think they stand alone quite well reading both will give the reader a richer experience.  In Oliver & Jack at Lodgings in Lyme we are treated to a beautiful but forbidden love story as Oliver and Jack struggle to make it in a world that will never accept their love or loyalty to each other.

Reflections

Oliver and Jack are forced to flee London or face their deaths after Oliver commits a murder to save his thieving companion Jack.  They decide to head to Lyme Regis as Oliver desires to find his family and then hopefully he and Jack can have a better life together.  However on the way Jack becomes very ill from a concussion.  Oliver manages to find them shelter but as Jack recuperates the doctor’s bills add up and Oliver has no choice but to go to work cleaning fish.  Needless to say Oliver is not exactly cut out for manual labor but he’ll do anything for Jack. That’s really where the struggle for Oliver lays.  He’s so concerned with being respectable and not sinning but he can’t deny his feelings for Jack any longer… and neither can Jack and in a time when gay relationships weren’t acceptable it can be a very dangerous path to take.

Did I Fancy It…

I really enjoyed this second installment in the series.  Oliver is really coming into his own and becoming the man he’s meant to be and I’ve always liked the straight talking Jack.  It’s interesting to watch their love come alive and grow and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series to see how it all unfolds especially as this book ended on a note that makes me anxious to see what happens next.  Recommended for those who have loved Oliver Twist and are curious to see one author’s take on how his life may have evolved.  I’ve very much enjoyed the series so far!

Other tour stops with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
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Author links: Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest
Buy: Amazon, B&N, iTunes, Kobo

 

GIVEAWAY – OPEN TO US & CANADIAN RESIDENTS
1 print copy or eBook – winner’s chocie
*CLICK HERE* and fill out the form to enter
Draw Date October 21/15

 

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Source: Digital review copy received from the publisher. Giveaway sponsored by the tour company. No compensation was received.
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Filed Under: 2015 - 100+ Books, 2015 ARC's, 2015 Book Reviews, 2015 eBooks, Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours

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