Friday Featured: L

Welcome to Friday Featured. I'm publishing, working from A-Z, a weekly list of authors whose works I think you should check out. Maybe I've read some of their works, maybe I've worked with them on various projects, perhaps their books are on my To-Be-Read pile, or perhaps they are friends of mine who have news that needs to be shared. The only rule here is that it is totally unsolicited. The authors don't know I'm going to feature them, and in that way you'll know that this is simply my honest opinion. If I haven't read their work yet I'll be candid and say so, but at least one book by each of these authors is either on my shelves, or on my Kindle; it might be that I just haven't got to them yet 😊


This week, L: (clicking on the names will take you to the author website; book titles will take you to Amazon)

Erica Lainé This is the first in Erica's trilogy, The Tangled Queen, telling the story of Isabella, which I read on Kindle, and focuses on her years as John's wife. Erica does a good job of portraying all the warring factions without it becoming confusing. Following John around his kingdom must have been exhausting for his wife, and the idea of never being settled comes across strongly. Isabella's sense of isolation is keenly felt - she seems to have no women around her and she is forever the outsider, given little say in matters, even concerning her own family. I feel, like all good trilogies, that this book was building up to something and I think she will become a force to be reckoned with in Book 2. She starts Book 1 as a child, but by the end she is a woman, a mother, a widow, and the game has changed. Can't wait to read on!

Gemma Lawrence Depictions of this period usually focus on her difficult relationship with her elder half-sister, Mary, but The Bastard Princess, which I read on Kindle, made me consider how the young Elizabeth would have been affected by the rapid appearance and disappearance of her step-mothers. Obviously, the treatment of her own mother at the hands of her father would have had a huge impact on her, (though she was scarcely old enough to remember it, she'd certainly have known about it) yet I'd given little thought to her relationship with her father's subsequent wives and how this constant fluctuation might have led her to form fixed opinions about what it meant to be a wife. I'd have enjoyed an alternative point of view, as this is all told by Elizabeth herself, but this is a thought-provoking examination of the early life of the queen.

NJ Layouni I 'met' NJ in a readers' group on FB, and when we discovered we lived fairly near to each other, we met in real life. When we first met, I'd read the first in the Time Traveler series, and now I've read all three. It's so lovely to know the person who dreamed up this fantasy, medieval-style world, into which our 'heroine', modern-day Martha, falls. This is time-travel, but sideways, as Martha slips not back in time, but into a different universe.Even if you think time-slip novels are not your thing, I urge you to read these books. NJ has a real skill which allows us to get right inside the characters' heads. There is also drama, tension and love in these stories. Ironheart: Anselm's Tale is perhaps my favourite, but start at the beginning - Book One is permafree - and work your way through.  I believe at least two more are in the pipeline.

Pam Lecky  I met Pam in real life, in a pub in Buttermere, where large portions of The Bowes Inheritance are set. In this Victorian-era story, Irish-born Louisa inherits a large estate in Cumbria, and she thinks that the change of lifestyle will help her invalid sister. So far, so idyllic. But not all the neighbours are friendly, there seem to be family secrets which could put their lives in danger, and Louisa is distinctly unsure about the local magistrate, Nicholas. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which I read on Kindle. It has the perfect blend of history, mystery and romance, with stunningly locations, beautifully described. Pam has a new book out today, No Stone Unturned, the first in The Lucy Lawrence Mysteries. I think it's fair to say that Pam has settled herself comfortably into the 1880s and plans to entertain readers for a long while yet!

Loretta Livingstone I've been aware of Loretta for a while, as she's been on the HNS Indie Book of the Year shortlist, and I 'know' her through FB and Twitter. I love the cover of Blossom on the Thorn, but I'd held off buying it because it seemed to be the third in a series, and I felt I needed to read the first two first. Not so! Loretta assures me that this can be read as a standalone, so it is now on my Kindle, waiting for me. The year is 1195: "I should have had nothing to do with those accursed Angevins. I should have run like hell in the opposite direction." Giles de Soutenay is promised an heiress by Queen Eleanor, but, although young and attractive, his bride has all the warmth of a stone effigy. Newly widowed Isabella will give de Soutenay no reason to complain but he will not have her heart ... I can't wait to find out this one resolves itself!

Paula Lofting Paula and I are in many of the same FB groups. Not surprising, really, as she too writes novels set in Anglo-Saxon England. She's a re-enactor, too, and reading her story Sons of the Wolf, I knew immediately that I was comfortably 'at home' with the pre-Conquest world. Everything she describes felt real to me. Wulfhere has struggles on and off the battlefield and the family crises which beset him work well within the time-frame, but also speak universally for fathers throughout the ages, I think. Paula has also published The Wolf Banner, and I believe that Book Three is well underway. Wulfhere, incidentally, is based on a real person. Paula found a reference to him, and built his life story in her imagination. It's a few years now since I read this book, but I still vividly remember Wulfhere and his family. 

If you're looking for a new read, or even a new favourite author, I hope you find something here. Join me next time for authors with names beginning with M 😊

Friday Featured: J,K

Welcome to Friday Featured. I'm publishing, working from A-Z, a weekly list of authors whose works I think you should check out. Maybe I've read some of their works, maybe I've worked with them on various projects, perhaps their books are on my To-Be-Read pile, or perhaps they are friends of mine who have news that needs to be shared. The only rule here is that it is totally unsolicited. The authors don't know I'm going to feature them, and in that way you'll know that this is simply my honest opinion. If I haven't read their work yet I'll be candid and say so, but at least one book by each of these authors is either on my shelves, or on my Kindle; it might be that I just haven't got to them yet 😊


This week, J,K: (clicking on the names will take you to the author website; book titles will take you to Amazon)

Regina Jeffers is a prolific writer of Regency fiction. Our paths have crossed in various online author groups. I was gifted  His American Heartsong by the author via her website. It is a companion piece to a series of novels and I would say that it's preferable to read those novels first, so that you have a clearer idea about who the characters are. But, having said that, I really enjoyed it. The characters were very well drawn, and acted and spoke very much in line with the period setting. Furthermore, the author stays 'in character' too - writing as if she were a Regency author but with a lightness of touch which I, as a modern reader, appreciated. I thoroughly enjoyed this and it was really entertaining. It may not be the best one to start with, but there are plenty of Regina's books to choose from. Bliss for Regency fans!

Maria Johnson The Boy from the Snow is the debut novel from Maria Johnson and I've just only recently finished reading it, so I'm still gathering my thoughts before reviewing. Ms Johnson certainly knows how to weave a tale and this is well plotted and the pacing is excellent. The content could easily be marketed as a Young Adult book. In order to tell her story, the author introduces elements bordering on fantasy which would entice a slightly younger audience - there are castles, for example, which didn't exist in this time and place but add to the idea that this realm is not quite 'real'. An accomplished debut and the sequel has recently been published, which continues the story of the main protagonist, Daniel. Fantasy and adventure - a winning combination.

Philippa Jane Keyworth When an author announces on Twitter that one of her books is on special offer, it seems rude not to buy. So I picked up The Unexpected Earl on Kindle and so far have read the first chapter. We're back in the Regency era here, and as the blurb explains, Six years after being jilted without a word of explanation, Julia Rotherham finds Lucius Wolversley standing before her once again--unexpected, unannounced, unwelcome. With her heart still hurting and, more importantly, her pride, Julia must chaperone her younger sister, fend off fortune hunters, orchestrate a fake engagement, and halt an elopement--all whilst keeping the man who jilted her at arm's length. But what Julia doesn't know is that this time, the Earl has no intention of disappearing, and this time, he has more than an explanation to offer....

Jacqueline Kirk I 'know' Jacqueline from Twitter and I read this book on Kindle. Time after Time is now available again in Kindle format, as well as large print paperback. It's a time slip novel, and concerns Alice, who buys an old rectory which her frankly awful 'ex' is trying to get his hands on. The gateway in the garden is a portal to Victorian times, and Alice slips through. She seems to hold the key to solving a murder which had taken place in the rectory in times gone by and she also seems to have found love. I was really happy to suspend disbelief and enjoyed this tale, particularly the array of characters, both past and present. Some of the 'bedroom' scenes were a little racy for my taste, but not so salacious that it put me off the book. Although this is part murder-mystery, it's also a warm, feel-good book.

Judith Koll Healey Unfortunately I couldn't find a website for Judith. It also seems that The Lost Letters of Aquitaine might not be so readily available; I bought this in a secondhand bookshop when I was out with another writer friend who'll feature next week. It's 1200 and Alais Capet, once in line for the French throne, lives at the mercy of her stepbrother, King Philippe. Alais was once betrothed to Richard the Lionheart, but blames Eleanor of Aquitaine for the failed betrothal. Alais is sent on a mission to retrieve some secret letters but before she can do so, she is abducted and caught up in a conspiracy which involved King John, add the Knights' Templar... This looks like a great read, so it might be worth searching out, even if it's no longer available on the you-know-where site.

Perhaps you'll find your next favourite read here. If not, join me again next time when I'll be highlighting books I own written by authors whose names begin with L 😊

Friday Featured: H

Welcome to Friday Featured. I'm publishing, working from A-Z, a weekly list of authors whose works I think you should check out. Maybe I've read some of their works, maybe I've worked with them on various projects, perhaps their books are on my To-Be-Read pile, or perhaps they are friends of mine who have news that needs to be shared. The only rule here is that it is totally unsolicited. The authors don't know I'm going to feature them, and in that way you'll know that this is simply my honest opinion. If I haven't read their work yet I'll be candid and say so, but at least one book by each of these authors is either on my shelves, or on my Kindle; it might be that I just haven't got to them yet 😊

This week, H: (clicking on the names will take you to the author website; book titles will take you to Amazon)

Jane Harris I bought this in a secondhand book shop a few months ago and the back cover blurb just intrigued me. It says, "So there I was with two pens, my two titties, Charles Dickens, two slices of bread and a blank book at the end of my first day in the middle of nowhere. Except as it turned out it wasn't quite the end." The Observations has garnered mixed reviews,  but after reading the blurb I couldn't not buy it. The description on the well-known internet shopping site provides a bit more info: "Scotland, 1863. In an attempt to escape her past, Bessy Buckley takes a job working as a maid in a big country house. But when Arabella, her beautiful mistress, asks her to undertake a series of bizarre tasks, Bessy begins to realise that she hasn't quite landed on her feet." The blurb, and opening pages promise quite a  'romp'; I'll tell you more when I've read it!

Steve Harrison One of the first books I ever downloaded as an e-book, Time Storm was not my usual read, certainly not back then. I was quite new to 'time-slip' stories but I was aware of them and the idea that people can move from one time period to another. This one is different from most, in that people slip into the future, or rather, their future; right into modern-day Australia. And when I say people, it's a whole boat load of convicts from 1795. This is definitely time-slip with a twist, and what follows is part historical, part time-slip and part thriller. It's not always an easy read and there are some dark, violent moments, but it's easy to suspend disbelief and the author has a natural style which makes the narrative flow. Steve's blog is always worth a read too, where his posts are funny and insightful. 

Cathie Hartigan Cathie Hartigan is a busy lady, being the founder of CreativeWritingMatters, co-authoring books on how to write, running the Exeter Writing Prizes and winning awards herself. Secret of the Song is not time-slip, but has a dual timeline. In modern-day Exeter, a singing group decides to perform a song written by Carlo Gesualdo, a composer in Renaissance Naples. It seems that the song might in some way be cursed and we travel back to medieval Italy where there is a murder mystery. Strange goings-on in modern-day Exeter also need to be explained... I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The modern-day music group scenes were engaging, and the medieval Italian story was depicted beautifully, with setting and story-line deeply absorbing. A really satisfying read.

Suzy Henderson I met Suzy at a tiny pub in Buttermere when a few of us writers got together, and a few months later when she and I went off to a writers' conference in Newcastle. I didn't tell her at the time that I was reading her book, The Beauty Shop so I think my review came as a surprise to her. The Beauty Shop referred to in the title is where disfigured servicemen received 'plastic sugery' under the direction of pioneer Archibald McIndoe, but the story centres around Mac, a USAF pilot, and his girlfriend, Stella. The physical pain is only half the story for the men whom Archibald tried to help and there are poignant scenes where loved ones cannot cope and abandon the men. Mac and Stella's story is sweet, and felt real. The world-building is deftly done and the epilogue made me cry!

Georgia Hill I got to 'know' Georgia through a readers' club on Facebook and again, this was one of the first books I read as an e-book. While I Was Waiting  is a dual timeline story, concerning Rachel, who moves into a dilapidated Herefordshire cottage and finds letters and journals written by Hetty, who lived during the first world war. There is nothing beyond 1916, though, and Rachel tries to discover what happened. I found the modern-day scenes just as enjoyable as the historical ones, and the romance between Rachel and Gabe played out realistically without being too 'soppy'. Hetty's story was intriguing and I won't give away any spoilers but again, the period setting was very well-depicted and the heartbreak and horrors of the Edwardian period as it slipped into the time of WWI was well portrayed.

Helen Hollick I first came to know of Helen's books when The Kingmaking, the first in her Arthurian Trilogy, was a Book Club Editor's Choice. What a revelation. Not much myth and mystery here, but a realistic retelling of the Arthurian legend, with a wonderfully 'real' Guinevere. The picture here is the photo of my original hardback copy although the trilogy now boasts new covers. I've gone on to read not only volumes two and three, but Helen's Anglo-Saxon books, one about Queen Emma and one about Harold Godwineson, and the prequel to her Sea Witch Pirate series. But I think The Kingmaking is still my favourite. I should add that a dream came true in 2016 when I worked with Helen on an anthology of short stories and I now help her admin her Discovering Diamonds Review site. Pinch me!!

Perhaps you'll find your next great read from among this selection. Join me next time for authors whose names begin with J,K & L

Release News & Excerpt: A Rose By Any Other Name - Joanne Van Leerdam

I've read - and thoroughly enjoyed - two volumes of Joanne's poetry and I'm thrilled to help her announce the publication on June 14th of A Rose By Any Other Name

Sinister hands snatch a newborn child and carry her away to conceal her in a tower. 
Enmity between feuding families ends in tragedy. 

You think you know these stories... but do you really?
What if the stories you have always known were each only part of the truth?

‘A Rose By Any Other Name’ is a tangled-up tale that Shakespeare and the Brothers Grimm never told. 

‘A Rose By Any Other Name’ is available via Amazon or your other favourite digital store. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SHS8QBZ
www.books2read.com/arose

Paperback: ISBN 9780368929663

Excerpt from Chapter 1

Gnarled fingers gripped the doorframe tightly as she watched him riding slowly, as though searching for something. 

What does his lordship want now? By the stars, I have precious little left.  Is it not enough that he has built his mansion on my father's land? And his walls around the trees between which my poor mother is buried? I'll give him something... although it may not be what he wants. 

She grinned cynically, a glimpse of yellowed teeth between thin, hateful lips.

Wait. He's dismounting... Fool. There are no raspberries yet; it's still too warm. What kind of moron... picks raspberry leaves? Oh, now... that is interesting. Very interesting. 

Straightening her thin body to her full height, she stepped out into the field, heading straight for the thicket of barren raspberry bushes. 

"And what are you going to do with those?" she demanded. 

Nico jumped at the sudden intrusion. His thoughts scattered at the sight of Malevolenza.

Wizened and ghastly, she had become even thinner and more gaunt since he had last laid eyes on her over twenty years ago. She had watched in angry silence as the walls of the estate were built by his father's workmen. Her wailing curses had risen like a fortress of sound outside the completed estate walls continuing for what had seemed an eternity on the night they were finished and the gates locked - the night his father had died. Whether it was fear or black magic that had driven the soul from his body, Nicolas would never know. When his father was cold, his grey eyes staring sightlessly at the ceiling as though he had been interrupted mid-thought, the old crone had fallen silent and disappeared. Or so he had thought. 

"Well? Cat got your tongue? Or are you... bewitched?" she cackled.

Nico opened his mouth, but he could not speak.

"Raspberry leaves... what on earth would a man want those for? Unless... there is a child on the way?"

The fear in Nicolas' eyes was like a drug to her. 

Malevolenza pointed her bony finger at him, her dirty, ragged nail giving emphasis to her intent. She muttered the words of her spell under her breath: "Doppio, doppio, lavoro e disordine, Ora sono io il tuo maestro!"

Nico remained mute, entirely under her control. 

"You will take these leaves to your wife. Grind them into a powder, and make a tea. She will drink it, and her pains will begin. And then, when the child is born, you shall give the baby to me. You will tell your wife the child is dead. Go now. It shall be done."

Nico's senses returned to him only when she had disappeared. Shaking his head, and unable to recall what had crossed his mind just now, he resumed picking the leaves and placing them carefully in the pouch he had brought for his special harvest. 

As he returned home late that afternoon, the sun dropped low in the sky and a distinct chill fell over the air. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Rose By Any Other Name is published Friday 14 June 2019. Preorder HERE

Review: Severed Knot by Cryssa Bazos

Ever since reading the first book in this series, Traitor's Knot, I've been eagerly awaiting the follow-up so I was thrilled to be offered an advance review copy of Severed Knot. Ms Bazos has a true talent for imagery, such as when she describes the enemy 'surging like maggots over a carcass' to portray how the odds are stacked against the protagonists. And boy, are these odds stacked high!

Early on we are introduced to Iain, a Scot who has been fighting for the exiled Charles II, and Mairead, an Irish catholic, (this being enough of a crime to see her imprisoned) and with a lightness of touch we are given reminders of how they speak without heavy use of dialect. Iain sometimes adds a 'right' to the end of his sentences, while Mairead thinks in terms of things being 'grand'. 

This book focuses on the aftermath of battle during the English Civil Wars, but shines a light on a less well-known consequence of this conflict: the sending overseas of prisoners where they would be 'Barbadoed' - set to work in appalling conditions on the sugar plantations in theory as indentured servants, but in reality as little more than slaves. We might think we know the pitiful plight of such slaves, but some indignities make the point in subtler ways. 

The shaving off of his beard is, to a seventeenth-century Scotsman, a humiliation, while Mairead is stripped of something equally personal and precious - her very name. The love story which develops between the two plays slowly, each wary of the other, and the way they are drawn together is beautifully written. We can thoroughly believe and understand why these two want to be with one another. Neither is blind to each other's human failings, either - Iain can be an 'ogre', a trait which can see him seeming boorish, but can also serve him well. 

Both have their demons, causing them to doubt their worth and wonder if there can be redemption. This leads to misunderstandings when neither is sure how the other feels. There is no doubt that the situation into which they are thrown deepens their feelings for one another, but this is played out in a realistic way that chimes perfectly with the setting. The images of the stifling heat, the sensation of cooling water, meager rations and substandard grog all add to the three-dimensional imagery. Characters' reactions to the violence and degradation which they suffer, and which they see meted out, ring true and don't fall prey to melodrama.

The overall arc is a perfect shape, and there are moments of real, breath-holding tension, where I found my reading speeding up to keep pace with the action. There are also moments of real terror and, as no doubt in real life, no easy, happy resolutions. Fugitives might think themselves safe, but there is always fresh danger. I can only applaud the clever, tight, plotting which ensures that these action scenes work so well. The workings and layouts of the ships and the plantations have clearly been thoroughly researched.

Having finished the book, I feel like I have in some way been living alongside these characters, watching them as if in a visual drama. The story is entertaining, but is also thought-provoking. I certainly did not equate the period of the English Civil wars with exportation and slavery. 

This is a beautifully-written book and I especially liked the way it linked to the first book at the beginning and at the end, though this is not to say it can't be read as a standalone. I very much look forward to reading the next in the series.

You can connect with Cryssa on Facebook, Twitter, and via her Newsletter and for more information, check out her Website

To read more about the life of indentured servants in Barbados, read Cryssa's article on EHFA HERE