Review For MEDIUM DEAD By Paula Paul- 4*

Title: Medium Dead

Series: Dr Alexandra Gladstone #4

Author: Paula Paul

Genre: Historical Mysteries

Rating: * * * *

Publishers: Random House

(April 14, 2015)

Ebook: 188 pages

ISBN: 978-1101883211

FTC Disclosure: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

Copy provided for the purpose of providing an honest review.

 This does not affect my opinion of this book.

Sure to delight readers of Jacqueline Winspear and Ellis Peters, Medium Dead features Queen Victoria herself—and she’s rumored to have slain a local psychic in Newton-upon-Sea. Now the task of clearing her name and catching the real killer falls to Dr. Alexandra Gladstone. 
Under Victoria’s reign, women are barred from calling themselves physicians, but that hasn’t stopped Alexandra Gladstone. As the first female doctor in Newton-upon-Sea, she spends her days tending sick villagers in the practice she inherited from her father, with her loyal and sometimes overprotective dog, Zack, by her side.   
After the corpse of village spiritualist Alvina Elwold is discovered aboveground at a church boneyard, wild rumors circulate through the charming seaside village, including one implicating a certain regal guest lodging nearby. Tales of the dead Alvina hobnobbing with spirits and hexing her enemies are even more outlandish—but as a woman of science and reason, Alexandra has no doubt that a murderer made of flesh and blood is on the loose. 
Finding out the truth means sorting through a deluge of ghostly visitors, royal sightings, and shifty suspects. At least her attentive and handsome friend Nicholas Forsyth, Lord Dunsford, has come to her aid. Alexandra will need all the help she can get, because she’s stumbled upon dangerous secrets—while provoking a deadly adversary who wants to keep them buried.

I love the Victorian era and I loved most everything about this book other than the fact that I figured out way too early who the murderer was. This was actually much better at the historical fiction aspect rather than the murder mystery itself. I also loved seeing how this era treated a woman doctor. Not a great read but it wasn't so long  that I had  no problem finishing it. 

Award-winning novelist Paula Paul was born on her grandparents’ cotton farm near Shallowater, Texas, and graduated from a country high school near Maple, Texas. She earned a BA in journalism and has worked as a reporter for newspapers in both Texas and New Mexico. She’s been the recipient of state and national awards for her work as a journalist as well as a novelist. Her previous novels featuring Dr. Alexandra Gladstone, including Symptoms of Death,have appeared on bookstore and online bestseller lists. She is also the author of the Mystery by Design series, which she wrote as Paula Carter. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Blog Tour & Giveaway For THE OTHER ALCOTT By Elise Hooper

The Other Alcott

by Elise Hooper
Publication Date: September 5, 2017
Genres: Historical Fiction

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | HarperCollins | IndieBound

Elise Hooper’s debut novel conjures the fascinating, untold story of May Alcott—Louisa’s youngest sister and an artist in her own right.

We all know the story of the March sisters, heroines of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. But while everyone cheers on Jo March, based on Louisa herself, Amy March is often the least favorite sister. Now, it’s time to learn the truth about the real “Amy”, Louisa’s sister, May.

Stylish, outgoing, creative, May Alcott grows up longing to experience the wide world beyond Concord, Massachusetts. While her sister Louisa crafts stories, May herself is a talented and dedicated artist, taking lessons in Boston, turning down a marriage proposal from a well-off suitor, and facing scorn for entering what is very much a man’s profession.

Life for the Alcott family has never been easy, so when Louisa’s Little Women is published, its success eases the financial burdens they’d faced for so many years. Everyone agrees the novel is charming, but May is struck to the core by the portrayal of selfish, spoiled “Amy March.” Is this what her beloved sister really thinks of her?

So May embarks on a quest to discover her own true identity, as an artist and a woman. From Boston to Rome, London, and Paris, this brave, talented, and determined woman forges an amazing life of her own, making her so much more than merely “The Other Alcott.”

“Elise Hooper’s thoroughly modern debut gives a fresh take on one of literature’s most beloved families. To read this book is to understand why the women behind Little Women continue to cast a long shadow on our imaginations and dreams. Hooper is a writer to watch!”—Elisabeth Egan, author of A Window Opens

EXCERPT

Although a New Englander by birth (and at heart), Elise now lives with her husband and two young daughters within stone-skipping distance of the Pacific Northwest’s Puget Sound. When she’s not writing, she’s in her classroom making American history and literature interesting for high school students. Want to try your hand at creating a pitch for Shark Tank: Colonial America Edition? Stop by her classroom.

The Other Alcott is Elise’s debut novel and will be released by William Morrow/Harper Collins in September 2017.

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Tour & Giveaway For OBEDIENCE By V G Kilgore

Obedience

V G Kilgore

Genre: Historical Fiction,

Biblical fiction

Date of Publication:  4/22/17

ISBN: 154634330X

ASIN: B072B5BNSG

Number of pages: 352

 My father is a righteous man but I am just a man…who loves a woman

Ham is a man of passion and questions. He's adored his wife, Lita, since he first saw her draped in her father's fishing nets and threatened to leave with her if his father, Noah, didn't allow the marriage. She becomes his greatest comfort when Ham is at odds with his father and brothers.

When Noah claims their God has commanded him to build an Ark to escape a devastating flood, Ham worries about the construction stripping the land and the community's ridicule of the family. He and Lita draw closer together as outsiders. They're shocked when the rains come and the entire family is forced into the Ark, along with the animals that appeared.

Confinement and uncertainty of fate amongst the refugees exaggerate normal family tension, rivalries and forbidden love. On land, they reject efforts to reestablish traditions, feeling independent and invincible, as those chosen by their God to survive and thrive. But for Ham, there's tragedy and more doubt.

Noah warns him he must yield his will, lest there be even graver consequences. Ham can't imagine anything worse and careens down the path that forever links him with depravity and harsh judgment.

Amazon

Book Trailer:   https://youtu.be/FrvZEI8TW2s

Excerpt:

Review Of THE DRESSMAKER'S DOWRY By Meredith Jaeger-5*

Title: The Dressmaker's Dowry

Author: Meredith Jaeger

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: * * * * *

Publishers: William Morrow Paperbacks

(Feb 7, 2017)

Paperback: 384 pages

ISBN: 978-0062469830 

For readers of Lucinda Riley, Sarah Jio, or Susan Meissner, this gripping historical debut novel tells the story of two women: one, an immigrant seamstress who disappears from San Francisco’s gritty streets in 1876, and the other, a young woman in present day who must delve into the secrets of her husband’s wealthy family only to discover that she and the missing dressmaker might be connected in unexpected ways.
An exquisite ring, passed down through generations, connects two women who learn that love is a choice, and forgiveness is the key to freedom...
San Francisco: 1876
Immigrant dressmakers Hannelore Schaeffer and Margaret O'Brien struggle to provide food for their siblings, while mending delicate clothing for the city's most affluent ladies. When wealthy Lucas Havensworth enters the shop, Hanna's future is altered forever. With Margaret's encouragement and the power of a borrowed green dress, Hanna dares to see herself as worthy of him. Then Margaret disappears, and Hanna turns to Lucas. Braving the gritty streets of the Barbary Coast and daring to enter the mansions of Nob Hill, Hanna stumbles upon Margaret’s fate, forcing her to make a devastating decision...one that will echo through the generations.
San Francisco: Present Day
In her elegant Marina apartment overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, Sarah Havensworth struggles to complete the novel she quit her job for. Afraid to tell her husband of her writer’s block, Sarah is also hiding a darker secret—one that has haunted her for 14 years. Then a news headline from 1876 sparks inspiration: Missing Dressmakers Believed to be Murdered. Compelled to discover what happened to Hannelore and Margaret, Sarah returns to her roots as a journalist. Will her beautiful heirloom engagement ring uncover a connection to Hanna Schaeffer?

I love that this story takes place both in the present day and in 1876. It also takes place in San Francisco, a city ripe with history. The story is wrapped in a murder mystery which is another love of mine. I often stopped to Google a place or incident that arose during the read and it was obvious that Jaeger did a lot of research on this time in SF.

Though I figured out who the murder was and part of the why, there was a twist at the end that totally surprised me. A fast paced story that I throughly enjoyed. 

Release Day Blitz & Giveaway For ONLY A DUKE WILL DO by Tamara Gill

Only a Duke Will Do

To Marry a Rogue Series#2

Tamara Gill

Genre: Regency Historical Romance

Publisher: Entangled - Select Historical

Date of Publication: Feb 20, 2017

Number of pages: 300+

Cover Artist: Erin Dameron-Hill

Without a Season, Lady Isolde Worthingham captured the Duke of Moore’s heart at a country dance. But on the eve of her wedding, a scandal that rocked the ton and sent her fleeing to Scotland alone and unwed, leaves her perfectly planned future in a tangle of disgrace and heartbreak.

Merrick Mountshaw, the Duke of Moore loathes the pitiful existence he hides from the ton. With a scandalous wife he never wanted, who flaunts her many indiscretions, life is a never-ending parade of hell. When the one woman he loved and lost returns to London, he knows he can no longer live without her.

But vows and past hurts are not easily forgotten. Love may not win against the ton when a too proper Lord and Lady play by the rules.

Excerpt:

Blog Tour For SEVEN WILL OUT: A RENAISSANCE REVEL by JoAnn Spears

Seven Will Out:

A Renaissance Revel

JoAnn Spears

Genre:  Historical fiction, satire, women's fiction, chick lit, alternative history, historical fantasy

Print Length: 402 pages

Publication Date: Nov 9, 2015

ASIN: B017TCUYHA

If you thought Six of One: A TudorRiff was the most fun you could have with your nightdress on, wait until you see what Seven Will Out:A Renaissance Revel has in store.  Get ready for one 'ruff' night!Tudorphile Dolly thought that the night she spent on an astral plane with Henry VIII's six wives, learning their heretofore unknown secrets, was a one-time thing.  Not so!  In Seven Will Out, Dolly finds herself back in the ether with the women of later Tudor times:  Elizabeth I, ‘Bloody’ Mary, Bess of Hardwick, Mary, Queen of Scots, and Anne Hathaway Shakespeare, to name a few.  They too have secrets that will turn history on its head, and comic sass that will keep you laughing.You've read all of the traditional, serious and romantic takes on the legendary Tudors.  Why not try your Tudors with a new and different twist?

Amazon  Get it Free Nov 2-4

https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Will-Out-Renaissance-Revel-ebook/dp/B017TCUYHA

Excerpt from Seven Will Out:

 Chapter Fourteen, Menagerie and Query

My two welcoming companions were not, as on my last visit, those two medieval beauties, Margaret Beaufort and Elizabeth of York, grandmother and mother of Henry VIII. On my last stay here, I had learned that this was a strictly ladies-only domicile. That is why I rapidly concluded that my companions, who were a couple of dogs, were likely also a couple of bitches. This is not as rancorous a statement as you may think. You see, my stirring about had agitated two toy-size dogs that had been lying at the foot of the bed, setting them to romping and frolicking around. I settled them down a bit and then zeroed in for a closer look at my strange bedfellows. One of them I had met before. I had not gotten its name, but I knew it to be the terrier that had belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots, at the time of her death. Said pup had attended Mary’s execution, hidden under her skirts; it barked piteously as it emerged, bloodstained, unable to decide whether to stay with the decapitated queen’s body or with her head. Eventually it mourned itself to death. My understanding had been that, after my last visit here, the Tudor denizens of this celestial way station would have vacated the premises for good. But if this dog—and another to boot— were present here, then likely the queen of Scots was again, or perhaps still, in residence. And heaven knew who else.I looked a little closer at the other dog to try to figure out what, or at least, whose, it was. It appeared to be a sweet little bichon frise, and it looked back at me with head atilt and tail wagging.“Por quoi!” a female voice called from without the room, and the little bichon perked up its ears.“Por quoi to you too!” I sang out, playing for time as I tried to recall some of my high school French. As I did, I realized that I had just unintentionally given someone “what for.” I hoped this wouldn’t mean that my stay here this time was going to start off with me giving a bad impression. Wanting to take no chances, I got out of bed and began to smooth, as best I could, the wrinkles from my nightdress. As I did so, the person outside my room, getting closer by the sound of her voice, riposted my comment.“Your French accent is execrable, Dolly!”I wondered fleetingly if Marie Antoinette was in residence, but this was not the case. The lady who eventually rounded the doorway and entered my room was someone I had met before. She sported the Renaissance equivalent of a hippie-chick outfit that had seen better days. A parrot was circling above her in a holding pattern, and she was trailed by several feline friends whose orange calico markings resembled her own ginger coloring.I knew whose tragic and fascinating presence I was in.

JoAnn Spears couldn’t decide whether to major in English or History in college. Life stepped in, and she wound up with a Master’s Degree in Nursing instead. A twenty-five year nursing career didn’t extinguish that early interest in books and history-especially Tudor history. It did,however, stoke a decidedly gallows sense of humor. Eventually, JoAnn read just about every spin there was on the stories of Henry VIII and the extended Tudor family. Every spin, that is, except the one with the gallows humor. The Tudors certainly qualified for it, but it just wasn’t out there. JoAnn decided that with gallows humor to spare, she would do her best to remedy the Tudor comedy gap. A little inspiration from the classic “Wizard of Oz” showed her the way to go, and “Six of One”, a new kind of Tudor novel, was born. JoAnn thought “Six of One”, her story about Henry VIII’s six wives, would be an only literary child. Then, two years after its birth, she was caught by surprise with the idea for a sequel. In October, 2015, “Seven Will Out” made its debut and bought the latter-day Tudors into the comedy mix.JoAnn enjoys writing but maintains her nursing license because a) you never stop being a nurse and b) her son thinks she should be sensible and not quit her day job. She also enjoys life in the beautiful mountains of northeast Tennessee, where she gardens, embroiders antique reproduction samplers, and teaches yoga in her Methodist church basement. JoAnn shares her home with three cats and the works of Jane Austen, Barbara Pym, Louisa May Alcott, and of course, Alison Weir.

Author Amazon Page:  http://www.amazon.com/JoAnnSpears/e/B00FPMD780/

Author Web Page: http://joannspearsauthor.com/

Author Facebook Page:  https://m.facebook.com/JoAnn-Spears-393970884123468/

Author Twitter address:  @JoAnnSpearsRn

Tudor Pinterest Board:  https://www.pinterest.com/jospears/tudors-and-such/

Spotlight & Giveaway for The Art Of Rebellion By Brenda Joyce Leahy

The Art of Rebellion by Brenday Joyce Leahy
Publication Date:  June 15, 2016
Publisher:  Rebelight Publishing

Art is Gabrielle's passion, but her parents have other plans for her future-marriage to a man three times her age who holds nothing but disdain for art. Gabrielle is determined to escape life as the baron's trophy wife and the confinement of traditional roles. She flees her privileged home in the French countryside for Paris and the grandmother who understands her passion. When she cannot locate her grandmother, Gabrielle is left on her own in the City of Lights. The art world of Paris, 1900, brims with excitement, opportunity, and risk. Should Gabrielle trust her new friends, or will they take advantage of her hopes and dreams?

GOODREADS

Purchase Links:

BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

Link to Tour Schedule:

http://www.chapter-by-chapter.com/blog-tour-schedule-the-art-of-rebellion-by-brenda-joyce-leahy/    

Brenda Joyce Leahy has traveled to France five times but finds there’s always more explorations awaiting her. She loves historical fiction and thinks she was born a century too late but can’t imagine her life without computers or cell phones. So, perhaps, she arrived in the world at just the right moment to tell this story.

She grew up on a farm near Taber, Alberta but now lives with her family near the Rocky Mountains in Calgary, Alberta. After over 20 years practicing law, she has returned to her first love of writing fiction. She is a member of several writing organizations, including the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI): her profile there is http://www.scbwi.org/members-public/brenda-johnson-2. The Art of Rebellion is also profiled on the Humber School of Writers’ website at http://creativearts.humber.ca/programs/school-writers/published-books. Brenda is also a member of the Historical Novel Society: http://www.historicalnovelsociety.org, and leads a YA/MG writers’ critique group in Calgary.The Art of Rebellion is her first Young Adult novel, published by Rebelight Publishing, spring 2016.

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Giveaway Information:  Contest ends September 30, 2016

• Two (2) winners will received a physical copy of The Art of Rebellion
• by Brenda Joyce Leahy (US/Canada)
• Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of The Art of Rebellion
• by Brenda Joyce Leahy (INT)

Review of Brighton Belle by Sara Sheridan- 3 1/2 *

Title: Brighton Belle
Author: Sara Sheridan

Series: Mirabelle Bevan Mystery
Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: * * * 1/2

Publishers: Kensington 

(Mar 29, 2016)

Paperback: 256 pages

ISBN: 978-1472122476

FTC Disclosure: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

In post-World War II England, former Secret Service operative Mirabelle Bevan becomes embroiled in a new kind of intrigue…
1951: In the popular seaside town of Brighton, it's time for Mirabelle Bevan to move beyond her tumultuous wartime years and start anew. Accepting a job at a debt collection agency seems a step toward a more tranquil life. 
But as she follows up on a routine loan to Romana Laszlo, a pregnant Hungarian refugee who's recently come off the train from London, Mirabelle's instincts for spotting deception are stirred when the woman is reported dead, along with her unborn child. 
After encountering a social-climbing doctor with a sudden influx of wealth and Romana's sister, who seems far from bereaved and doesn't sound Hungarian, Mirabelle decides to dig deeper into the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. Aided by her feisty sidekick--a fellow office worker named Vesta Churchill ("no relation to Winston," as she explains)--Mirabelle unravels a web of evil that stretches from the Brighton beachfront to the darkest corners of Europe. Putting her own life at risk, she must navigate a lethal labyrinth of lies and danger to expose the truth.
First off, though I was pretty sure early  on what the mystery was, the story was interesting enough to keep me reading. One other aspect of the story that was rather annoying was the different POVs. I often found myself going back to see who was actually talking which is rather jolting when reading. This is a plot device that I've never been fond of even when done right. 
I'd hoped for a bit more of historical background. I love reading about the outfits and vehicles used during this time period. Mirabelle and her sidekick Vesta were charming and the mystery fast paced but I probably will not read any more in this series if alternating POVs are used.

Review-The Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey-5 *

Title: The Paris Time Capsule
Author: Ella Cary
Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: * * * * *

Publishers: Lake Union Publishing

(May 26, 2015)

Paperback: 274 pages

ISBN: 978-1477829936

FTC Disclosure: Purchased from Amazon

Inspired by the fascinating true story of a treasure filled apartment that was abandoned in Paris for seventy years,The Paris Time Capsule is a blend of romance, history and mystery that will take you on a journey through France, from the charms of Paris to Provence’s delectable vineyards and villages …

In 2010, New York photographer Cat Jordan is fighting against her difficult past. But when a stranger dies in Paris, Cat finds herself the sole inheritor of an apartment in the ninth arrondissement that has been abandoned for seventy years since its mysterious owner, Madame de Florian, fled on the eve of the Nazi invasion in 1940.

A stash of love letters belonging to the owner’s grandmother, the infamous Belle Epoque courtesan Marthe de Florian, and the appearance of the beautiful and mysterious Isabelle de Florian’s grandson, Loic Archer, leads Cat in search of the reasons why Isabelle kept her Paris apartment a secret until her death, and why she left her entire estate to Cat.

As Cat unravels the story, she too embarks on her own journey, realizing that the secrets in the apartment may finally unlock the future…

An enchanting tale, inspired by a fascinating true story, filled with unforgettable characters, each caught in the relentless turmoil of their own generation. Ella Carey’s The Paris Time Capsule will linger in your thoughts long after you have finished it.

While doing some early spring cleaning I ran across a review  that I had written but apparently never posted. At the time I read this it was only $.99 on Amazon but now has gone back up to $3.99. There are several used copies for $.05 so you with  shipping you still won't have but $4.04 in a print copy.

I've got to admit, I was intrigued about this book ages ago when I first heard mention of it. I immediately ran down and read every newspaper and magazine article I could get my hands on about the abandoned apartment.  I was fascinated by all the pictures and was looking forward to reading this gem. Having had a father-in-law who fought in WWII for 666 days and remembering some of the many stories he had told of his travels through France, really tweaked my interest. Somehow, I missed it when it was released but just ran across a blog review and noticed the eBook was only .99 cents so I immediately grabbed a copy to read on my new Kindle Fire.
It was every bit as great as I thought it would be and then some. There was romance and  mystery and for every question answered yet another pops up. This was a very quick read and the only thing missing would have been some color glossy pictures to go along with it. Luckily, I'd seen several from earlier newspaper reports and the author was very good at describing the stunning finds that had been locked away for 70 years.

Review- China Dolls by Lisa See -4 1/2*

Title: China Dolls
Author: Lisa See
Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: * * * * 

Publishers: Random House Trade Paperbacks

(Mar 3, 2015)

Paperback: 416 pages

ISBN: 978-0812982824

FTC Disclosure: Copy provided by the publisher 

It’s 1938 in San Francisco: a world’s fair is preparing to open on Treasure Island, a war is brewing overseas, and the city is alive with possibilities. Grace, Helen, and Ruby, three young women from very different backgrounds, meet by chance at the exclusive and glamorous Forbidden City nightclub. Grace Lee, an American-born Chinese girl, has fled the Midwest with nothing but heartache, talent, and a pair of dancing shoes. Helen Fong lives with her extended family in Chinatown, where her traditional parents insist that she guard her reputation like a piece of jade. The stunning Ruby Tom challenges the boundaries of convention at every turn with her defiant attitude and no-holds-barred ambition.

The girls become fast friends, relying on one another through unexpected challenges and shifting fortunes. When their dark secrets are exposed and the invisible thread of fate binds them even tighter, they find the strength and resilience to reach for their dreams. But after the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, paranoia and suspicion threaten to destroy their lives, and a shocking act of betrayal changes everything.

This is the first Lisa See book I've read and I thoroughly enjoyed both the San Francisco setting and pre-WWII era. I knew very little about the treatment of either the Chinese or Japanese before and after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I've got to admit it was a real eye opener. The references to articles in Time and Life magazine on how to tell the difference between a Chinese or Jap  was truly horrifying as were the request for licenses to hunt Japs. 

I loved the period details about the songs, TV programs, movies and actors. Reading about the World's Fair on Treasure Island and visiting the nightclub, Forbidden City, was enlightening. It was fascinating seeing the changes in the lives of women during this period of time. 

Despite the fact that the story is told from three different POVs, something I hate and normally refuse to read, I read nonstop to the end barely taking the time to stop and eat. 

Review- The Nightingale Girls by Donna Douglas -5*

Title: The Nightingale Girls
Series: Nightingales #1
Author: Donna Douglas
Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: * * * * *

Publishers: Arrow

(Sept 10, 2012)

Paperback: 512 pages

ISBN: 978-0000569350

FTC Disclosure: Net Galley

Three very different girls sign up as student nurses in January 1936, while England is still mourning the death of George V. Dora is a tough East Ender, driven by ambition, but also desperate to escape her squalid, overcrowded home and her abusive stepfather. Helen is the quiet one, a mystery to her fellow nurses, avoiding fun, gossip and the limelight. In fact she is in the formidable shadow of her overbearing mother, who dominates every aspect of her life. Can a nursing career free Helen at last? The third of our heroines is naughty, rebellious Millie -- aka Lady Camilla -- an aristocrat on the run from her conventional upper class life. She is doomed to clash over and over again with terrifying Sister Hyde and to get into scrape after scrape especially where men are concerned. This utterly delightful novel brings a London pre-war hospital vividly to life.