• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Peeking Between the Pages

Peeking Between the Pages

...escape into the pages of a good book

  • HOME
  • ARCHIVES
  • PAST READS
  • REVIEW POLICY
  • ABOUT ME
  • CONTACT ME

Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours

A Song of War by Christian Cameron, Libbie Hawker, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, Stephanie Thornton, SJA Turney, and Russell Whitfield – Book Spotlight & Tour Wide Giveaway (US/Can)

October 20, 2016 by Darlene

songwar

Today I’ve got a spotlight on a novel I’m very much enjoying called A Song of War by Christian Cameron, Libbie Hawker, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, Stephanie Thornton, SJA Turney, and Russell Whitfield- a few of my favorite authors in this list.  Unfortunately I’ve got a sick puppy in the hospital again so I haven’t been able to finish the book but as soon as I do I’ll have a full review up for everyone.  In the meantime my apologies to the authors.  For now I’m going to spotlight the book and please be sure to enter the tour wide giveaway at the end of the post.

About the Book

Troy: city of gold, gatekeeper of the east, haven of the god-born and the lucky, a city destined to last a thousand years. But the Fates have other plans—the Fates, and a woman named Helen. In the shadow of Troy’s gates, all must be reborn in the greatest war of the ancient world: slaves and queens, heroes and cowards, seers and kings . . . and these are their stories.

A young princess and an embittered prince join forces to prevent a fatal elopement.

A tormented seeress challenges the gods themselves to save her city from the impending disaster.

A tragedy-haunted king battles private demons and envious rivals as the siege grinds on.

A captured slave girl seizes the reins of her future as two mighty heroes meet in an epic duel.

A grizzled archer and a desperate Amazon risk their lives to avenge their dead.

A trickster conceives the greatest trick of all.

A goddess’ son battles to save the spirit of Troy even as the walls are breached in fire and blood.

Seven authors bring to life the epic tale of the Trojan War: its heroes, its villains, its survivors, its dead. Who will lie forgotten in the embers, and who will rise to shape the bloody dawn of a new age?

Other tour stops with HF Virtual Book Tours
Add to your Goodreads list
Buy: Amazon, Amazon UK, Kobo

About the Authors

CHRISTIAN CAMERON was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1962. He grew up in Rockport, Massachusetts, Iowa City, Iowa,Christian Cameron and Rochester, New York, where he attended McQuaid Jesuit High School and later graduated from the University of Rochester with a degree in history.

After the longest undergraduate degree on record (1980-87), he joined the United States Navy, where he served as an intelligence officer and as a backseater in S-3 Vikings in the First Gulf War, in Somalia, and elsewhere. After a dozen years of service, he became a full time writer in 2000. He lives in Toronto (that’s Ontario, in Canada) with his wife Sarah and their daughter Beatrice, currently age four. And a half.

LIBBIE HAWKER was born in Rexburg, Idaho and divided her childhood between Eastern Idaho’s rural environs and the greater Seattle area. She presently lives in Seattle, but has also been a resident of Salt Lake City, Utah; Bellingham, Washington; and Tacoma, Washington. She loves to write about character and place, and is inspired by the bleak natural beauty of the Rocky Mountain region and by the fascinating history of the Puget Sound.

After three years of trying to break into the publishing industry with her various books under two different pen names, Libbie finally turned her back on the mainstream publishing industry and embraced independent publishing. She now writes her self-published fiction full-time, and enjoys the fact that the writing career she always dreamed of having is fully under her own control.

KATE QUINN is a native of southern California. She attended Boston University, where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. A lifelong history buff, she has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance detailing the early years of the infamous Borgia clan. All have been translated into multiple languages.

Kate has succumbed to the blogging bug, and keeps a blog filled with trivia, pet peeves, and interesting facts about historical fiction. She and her husband now live in Maryland with two black dogs named Caesar and Calpurnia, and her interests include opera, action movies, cooking, and the Boston Red Sox.

VICKY ALVEAR SHECTER is the author of the young adult novel, Cleopatra’s Moon (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, 2011), based on the life of Cleopatra’s only daughter. She is also the author of two award-winning biographies for kids on Alexander the Great and Cleopatra. She is a docent at the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Antiquities at Emory University in Atlanta. The LA Times calls Cleopatra’s Moon, “magical” and “impressive.” Publisher’s Weekly said it was “fascinating” and “highly memorable.” The Wall Street Journal called it “absorbing.”

STEPHANIE THORNTON is a writer and history teacher who has been obsessed with infamous women from ancient history since she was twelve. She lives with her husband and daughter in Alaska, where she is at work on her next novel.

Her novels, The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora, Daughter of the Gods: A Novel of Ancient Egypt, The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan, and The Conqueror’s Wife: A Novel of Alexander the Great, tell the stories of history’s forgotten women.

SJA TURNEY lives with his wife, son and daughter, and two (close approximations of) dogs in rural North Yorkshire.

Marius’ Mules was his first full length novel. Being a fan of Roman history, SJA decided to combine his love of writing and love of the classical world. Marius’ Mules was followed two years later by Interregnum – an attempt to create a new fantasy story still with a heavy flavour of Rome.

These have been followed by numerous sequels, with three books in the fantasy ‘Tales of the Empire’ series and five in the bestselling ‘Marius’ Mules’ one. 2013 has seen the first book in a 15th century trilogy – ‘The Thief’s Tale’ – and will also witness several side projects seeing the light of day.

RUSSELL WHITFIELD was born in Shepherds Bush in 1971. An only child, he was raised in Hounslow, West London, but has since escaped to Ham in Surrey.

Gladiatrix was Russ’s first novel, published in 2008 by Myrmidon Books. The sequel, Roma Victrix, continues the adventures Lysandra, the Spartan gladiatrix, and a third book, Imperatrix, sees Lysandra stepping out of the arena and onto the field of battle.

GIVEAWAY

To win a paperback copy of A Song of War: A Novel of Troy by the H Team, please enter via the Gleam form below.

Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 12th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US & Canada residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

A Song of War
 

songwar1

 

Source: All post information obtained from the tour company. No compensation was received.
Share this post!
Share

Filed Under: Book Spotlights, Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours

The Dark Lady’s Mask by Mary Sharratt 

August 26, 2016 by Darlene

The Dark Lady’s Mask is the story of Aemilia Bassano Lanier. She was the first Englishwoman to publish her poetry and she was believed to be Shakespeare’s ‘Dark Lady’; his muse and lover. This is the second book I’ve read about Aemilia and Mary Sharratt’s adaptation brings Aemilia Bassano Lanier to life in a most fascinating way.

Aemilia was a strong and independent woman. Well educated and intelligent she had a passion for poetry. She was also reported to have been very beautiful so it comes as no surprise that she would have caught the eye of William Shakespeare. The two become lovers and collaborators as they create plays together. At his son’s death however Shakespeare, guilt ridden, leaves Aemilia. Shakespeare continues writing his plays but for Aemilia, as a woman, the journey is much harder. Yet her strength and ambition carry her forward to a point where she indeed publishes her own poetry and earns a living from it.

This is a wonderful novel and so beautifully written. The story captivated me from beginning to end becoming one of my favorites this year. I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Jilly Bond. I have not had the pleasure of listening to her before but she was absolutely the perfect choice for this novel as she really brought the the story to life.

Fantastic novel and highly recommended!

Other tour stops with HF Virtual Book Tours
Add to your Goodreads List
Author links: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads
Buy: Amazon, Amazon UK, B&N, Books-a-Million, IndieBound, Powell’s


Source: Audiobook personal copy.

Share this post!
Share

Filed Under: 2016 - 100+ Books, 2016 Audiobook Reviews, 2016 Book Reviews, Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours

The Secret Language of Stones by M.J. Rose

July 12, 2016 by Darlene

stonesThe Secret Language of Stones is the second book  in The Daughters of La Lune  series (easily read on its own) and it is an exquisite example of how beautifully M.J. Rose spins a tale. From the first to the last page I was enthralled in this story of history, magic, ghosts, and love set in Paris during World War I.

In this novel we meet Opaline Duplessi who works as a jeweller in a shop in Paris called La Fantasie Russie.  The owner of the shop, Pavel Orloff is her mentor and a Russian royalist who prays for the Romanovs return to power.  In her quest to help in the war effort Opaline crafts watches for the soldiers but her real gift is in creating talismans that enable her to hear the voices of the dead and she uses this to give comfort to the mothers of these soldiers by relaying their messages.  Normally she shares the messages she’s given and the soldiers move on but one soldier changes all of that.  She can’t seem to rid herself of this one and at times she’s sure she must be crazy. After all she’s communicating with a ghost and even more… falling in love with him.   Opaline’s journey takes her from war torn Paris all the way to England where she meets the exiled Romanov dowager and confronts danger head on as well as opening herself up to her power as a daughter of La Lune.

The Secret Language of Stones is a beautiful book.  I loved the storyline and learning about Opaline who is the daughter of Sadrine from the first book in the series entitled The Witch of Painted Sorrows.  The historical elements mixed with the vivid descriptions of the jewels  and the time and place captivated me fully and I enjoyed it so much.  I love this series and while the books can be read on their own I really think the reader would be missing out by not experiencing them all.  I will be anxiously awaiting the final book in the trilogy!  Highly recommended!

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

 

stones1

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

Filed Under: 2016 - 100+ Books, 2016 Book Reviews, Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours

The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley

April 11, 2016 by Darlene

 Lucinda Riley’s Seven Sisters series had an amazing start with the first book The Seven Sisters and Maia’s story. Now in The Storm Sister we are taken on an enthralling journey with the second sister Ally, who after her adoptive father’s death, decides to delve into her roots and find out where she really comes from. I was lost in the pages of Ally’s story from beginning to end.

The story itself weaves from past to present with Ally’s story and then back to 1875 Norway. In the past we meet Anna, a young girl who came from a farm, but went from nothing yo becoming one of Europe’s most famous classical singers. Anna’s story was very intriguing as it is the part of the book that weaves fact with fiction and I found it fascinating. As for Ally she is a character I won’t soon forget. Despite facing great loss she is a strong woman who takes her pain and grief and uses it to move forward. Ally herself travels to Norway to learn more about her birth family and what she finds changes her life and future.

I love this series so far and while the books do stand alone I would still recommend starting with the first one as I think it would be a loss to the reader to miss any of this amazing story and the mystery that surrounds it from book to book. The Storm Sister is such a beautifully written novel. Lucinda Riley paints such vivid pictures of her characters and the time and place they inhabit that it comes fully alive in your mind.

The Storm Sister has everything I look for – great characters and story, historical elements, and a moving and emotional story sure to capture your heart and mind. I can’t wait for Star’s story next that will take us to England. Highly recommended!

Other tour stops with Historical Fiction Book Tours
Add to your Goodreads list
Author links: Website, Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, Instagram, Goodreads
Buy: Amazon, B&N, IndieBoound

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

Share this post!
Share

Filed Under: 2016 - 100+ Books, 2016 Book Reviews, Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours, Historical Novels

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!

Other stops with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
Add to your Goodreads List
Author links: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads
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

 

wife2

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

Share this post!
Share

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!

Other tour stops with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
Add to your Goodreads List
Author links: Facebook, Twitter
Pre-Order: Amazon, B&N, IndieBound

 

medici3

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

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

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 24
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Follow Me!

 

Enter your email address to get my latest reviews sent to your inbox!

Recently Shared

  • Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor (Audiobook)
  • The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones (Audiobook)
  • Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson (Audiobook)
  • Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez (Audiobook)
  • Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz (Audiobook)

Archives

Categories

Currently Reading

Orhan's Inheritance
Dear Carolina
The Mapmaker's Children
   

My Reading Pal Sammy

Remembering Buddy

Buddy
• May 25, 2002 - Oct 22, 2010 •
Forever in my heart