Review: Butterfly Palace by Colleen Coble

When Lilly Donnelly arrives at the Cutlers' famed Butterfly Mansion in 1899, the massive house and unfamiliar duties threaten to overwhelm her. Victorian Austin is lavish, highly political, and intimidating, but with the help of the other servants, Lilly resolves to prove herself to her new employers.

Then, while serving at an elegant dinner party, Lilly recognizes one distinguished guest as Andrew, the love of her life, who abandoned her without a word back home. He seems to have assumed a new identity and refuses to acknowledge her, leaving her confused and reeling.

Before Lilly can absorb this unwelcome news, she's attacked. Could it be the sinister Servant Girl Killer who has been terrorizing Austin? Or is it someone after something more personal--someone from her past?

Does she dare trust Andrew to help or is he part of the danger threatening to draw Lilly into its vortex?

 

Paperback, 320 pages

Published January 21st 2014 by Thomas Nelson Publishers 

my copy provided by NetGalley for this review

***

Look at that cover! To me that sends a chill down my spine, which is exactly the reason that I wanted to read this book.  I didn't know what it was about but that cover grabbed  my attention right away.  There is something sinister, creepy and rather spooky written all over it.

 

Colleen Coble has written a multi layered story, with suspense, mystery, murder and romance.  My first novel by this author and I wasn't sure what to expect, were my expectations to high because of how much I loved the cover?  I don't know but I had a hard time connecting with most of the characters.  Belle was someone who grew on me and another person (but sadly she got killed off).  Lilly's actions were flighty at times and didn't seem to match the time period and her station in life, I had a hard time with those.

 

Andrew is someone else I didn't get.  Given his purpose in Austin it was rather dumb of him to blab it and then Lily blabs it some more.

The storyline was interesting, at times a confusing given all the action that was taking place.  Lots of twists and turns with an ending that I didn't see coming (so that's a good thing, I love it when I can't figure out the bad guy.)

 

Waiting on Wednesday: The King's Curse by Philippa Gregory

 Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill  at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.   

   This week I am waiting for:   The King's Curse by Philippa Gregory

Final book in this 6 book series, I love reading about lessor known players of Tudor England.

Hardcover, 608 pages

  September 9th 2014 by Simon & Schuster Ltd 

The final novel in the Cousins’ War series, Philippa Gregory tells the fascinating story of Margaret Pole, cousin to the “White Princess,” Elizabeth of York, and lady-in-waiting to Katherine of Aragon.

Regarded as yet another threat to the volatile King Henry VII’s claim to the throne, Margaret Pole, cousin to Elizabeth of York (known as the White Princess) and daughter of George, Duke of Clarence, is married off to a steady and kind Lancaster supporter—Sir Richard Pole. For his loyalty, Sir Richard is entrusted with the governorship of Wales, but Margaret’s contented daily life is changed forever with the arrival of Arthur, the young Prince of Wales, and his beautiful bride, Katherine of Aragon. Margaret soon becomes a trusted advisor and friend to the honeymooning couple, hiding her own royal connections in service to the Tudors.

After the sudden death of Prince Arthur, Katherine leaves for London a widow, and fulfills her deathbed promise to her husband by marrying his brother, Henry VIII. Margaret’s world is turned upside down by the surprising summons to court, where she becomes the chief lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine. But this charmed life of the wealthiest and “holiest” woman in England lasts only until the rise of Anne Boleyn, and the dramatic deterioration of the Tudor court. Margaret has to choose whether her allegiance is to the increasingly tyrannical king, or to her beloved queen; to the religion she loves or the theology which serves the new masters. Caught between the old world and the new, Margaret Pole has to find her own way as she carries the knowledge of an old curse on all the Tudors.

What are you waiting for?

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists! 

June 3: Top Ten Books That Should Be In Your Beach Bag or Ten Books That Will Be In My Beach Bag This Summer

Here is a list of ten books that I will be reading this summer:

1.  The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness being released July 15th, so excited!!!

With more than one million copies sold in the United States and appearing in thirty-eight foreign editions, A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night have landed on all of the major bestseller lists and garnered rave reviews from countless publications. Eagerly awaited by Harkness’s legion of fans, The Book of Life brings this superbly written series to a deeply satisfying close. 

2.  Revenge & Retribution by Anna Belfrage is the sixth book in Anna Belfrage's time slip series featuring time traveller Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth century husband, Matthew Graham. 

I LOVE THIS SERIES!!!

3.  The Lost Sisterhood by Anne Fortier - I loved Juliet and can't wait to read this one.  Lovin' that cover too!

The Lost Sisterhood features another group of iconic, legendary characters, another grand adventure--you'll see in these pages that Fortier understands the kind of audience she has built with Juliet, but also she's delivering a fresh new story to keep that audience coming back for more.

 

4.  Flight of the Sparrow by Amy Belding Brown - being released July 1st, however I was lucky to get an advanced copy

Based on the compelling true narrative of Mary Rowlandson, Flight of the Sparrow is an evocative tale that transports the reader to a little-known time in early America and explores the real meaning of freedom, faith, and acceptance.

5. All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, a stunningly ambitious and beautiful novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. 

 6. Daughter of the Gods by Stephanie Thornton - because I LOVED The Secret History and adore all things Egypt.

Egypt, 1400s BC. The pharaoh’s pampered second daughter, lively, intelligent Hatshepsut, delights in racing her chariot through the marketplace and testing her archery skills in the Nile’s marshlands. But the death of her elder sister, Neferubity, in a gruesome accident arising from Hatshepsut’s games forces her to confront her guilt...and sets her on a profoundly changed course. 

 7. The Queen's Gamble by Barbara Kyle - book 4 in the Thornleigh Series, started it this year on audio and love it.

Young Queen Elizabeth I's path to the throne has been a perilous one, and already she faces a dangerous crisis. French troops have landed in Scotland to quell a rebel Protestant army, and Elizabeth fears once they are entrenched on the border, they will invade England. 

 8. Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin - I am feeling the need for a big book, coming in at 768 pages this fits the bill.  Plus I have to read the book before watching the movie (one of my quirks).

New York City is subsumed in arctic winds, dark nights, and white lights, its life unfolds, for it is an extraordinary hive of the imagination, the greatest house ever built, and nothing exists that can check its vitality. One night in winter, Peter Lake, orphan and master-mechanic, attempts to rob a fortress-like mansion on the Upper West Side. 

 9. The Midnight Rose by Lucinda Riley - I wasn't really thrilled with another book this author wrote and want to give her another chance.  

Spanning four generations, The Midnight Rose sweeps from the glittering palaces of the great maharajas of India to the majestic stately homes of England, following the extraordinary life of a remarkable girl, Anahita Chaval, from 1911 to the present day . . . 

10. A King's Ransom by Sharon Kay Penman - being a big fan of this author I am embarrassed to say that I haven't read this yet - it was released in March - what is wrong with me??! 

Traveling home from the bloody battlefields of the Holy Land, the Crusader King Richard the Lionheart is shipwrecked in the Mediterranean after an encounter with pirates. He should be protected by a papal decree, but he is betrayed and captured by the Duke of Austria – a man who has good reason to loathe him – and is immediately claimed by the Holy Roman Emperor, who also bears him a bitter grudge.

Fire & Sword by Louise Turner (Book Tour) - Review & $20 Amazon Giveaway (US Only) -

On the 11th June in 1488, two armies meet in battle at Sauchieburn, near Stirling. One fights for King James the Third of Scotland, the other is loyal to his eldest son, Prince James, Duke of Rothesay.
Soon, James the Third is dead, murdered as he flees the field. His army is routed. Among the dead is Sir Thomas Sempill of Ellestoun, Sheriff of Renfrew, whose son and heir, John, escapes with his life.
Once John’s career as knight and courtier seemed assured. But with the death of his king, his situation is fragile. He’s the only surviving son of the Sempill line and he’s unmarried. If he hopes to survive, John must try and win favour with the new king.
And deal with the ruthless and powerful Lord Montgomerie…

Publication Date: September 19, 2013
Hadley Rille Books
Formats: eBook, Paperback  

****

READ AN EXCERPT

My Review:
Here we are in late 15th century Scotland, James the Third is dead.  Oh what dreadful times this was.  I loved John right from the first page, is was hard not to root for him.  The author has a wonderful way with words, whether it was feeling right in the middle of battle scenes or feeling compassion for those unjustly punished and even disliking certain characters, her words were quite visual.

Coming in at 454 pages it isn't a quick read but it was not hard to get lost in this story.  Knowing very little about Scottish history it was definitely an eye opener and the fact that John Sempill was a real person made it all the more interesting.  I love learning some history at the same time as being entertained.

The authors attention to detail shows that this is a well researched book and that Louise Turner is knowledgeable with this time period.  I love debuts and this was one I enjoyed, will recommend and be on the lookout for more by this author.

Praise for Fire & Sword

“Louise Turner skillfully brings to life the conflict-ridden world of 15th century Scotland. Based on the true story of John Sempill, the narrative takes us from near ruin to an uneasy but satisfying final triumph. Thomas is a wonderfully flawed character, not your typical knight-in-shining-armor, but a young man plagued by uncertainty, prone to dark moods, and keenly aware of the ax hanging over his head. Hugh Montgomery, at once John’s nemesis and eventual ally, is simply delightful in his charisma and ruthlessness. The principle women of the story, Mary, Margaret, and Helen, bring fresh and varied perspectives to the events at hand, each one admirable in her own way. Honestly, I found nothing to complain about in this novel. It is expertly written, kept me turning the pages and reading late into the night. A fantastic debut, recommended for all fans of historical fiction, medieval times, and romance. I look forward to seeing what Turner has to offer next.” – Karin Rita Gastrich, Amazon Reviewer

Buy the Book

Amazon UK (Ebook)
Amazon UK (Paperback)
Amazon US (Ebook)
Amazon US (Paperback)

Born in Glasgow, Louise Turner spent her early years in the west of Scotland where she attended the University of Glasgow. After graduating with an MA in Archaeology, she went on to complete a PhD on the Bronze Age metalwork hoards of Essex and Kent. She has since enjoyed a varied career in archaeology and cultural resource management. Writing has always been a major aspect of her life and in 1988, she won the Glasgow Herald/Albacon New Writing in SF competition with her short story Busman’s Holiday. Louise lives with her husband in west Renfrewshire.

Author Links

Website
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads

Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, May 5
Review at The Mad Reviewer
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, May 6
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Monday, May 12
Interview at The Mad Reviewer
Tuesday, May 20
Review at Historical Fiction Obsession
Wednesday, May 21
Guest Post at Historical Fiction Obsession
Monday, May 26
Review at The Most Happy Reader
Tuesday, May 27
Guest Post at Book Lovers Paradise (with Kathy Fischer-Brown and Juliet Waldron)
Monday, June 2
Review at Just One More Chapter
Thursday, June 5
Interview at Caroline Wilson Writes
Tuesday, June 10
Review at Princess of Eboli
Thursday, June 12
Review at bookramblings
Monday, June 16
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews
Monday, June 23
Review at Book Nerd
Monday, June 30
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Giveaway

To win a $20 Amazon Gift Card please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form below. Giveaway is open to US residents only.
Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on June 30th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on July 1st and notified via email.
Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield

Bellman & Black is a heart-thumpingly perfect ghost story, beautifully and irresistibly written, its ratcheting tension exquisitely calibrated line by line. Its hero is William Bellman, who, as a boy of 11, killed a shiny black rook with a catapult, and who grew up to be someone, his neighbours think, who "could go to the good or the bad." 

And indeed, although William Bellman's life at first seems blessed—he has a happy marriage to a beautiful woman, becomes father to a brood of bright, strong children, and thrives in business—one by one, people around him die. And at each funeral, he is startled to see a strange man in black, smiling at him. At first, the dead are distant relatives, but eventually his own children die, and then his wife, leaving behind only one child, his favourite, Dora. 

Unhinged by grief, William gets drunk and stumbles to his wife's fresh grave—and who should be there waiting, but the smiling stranger in black. The stranger has a proposition for William—a mysterious business called "Bellman & Black"

Hardcover, 328 pages

Published November 5th 2013 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books

ebook provided by publisher through netgalley for review

The only reason that I requested this book was because of all the rave reviews for The Thirteenth Tale (which I have yet to read) by the same author.  I began this book with no preconceived ideas about what it was about, other than the fact this was a 'heart-thumping ghost story'.  The writing style was wonderful, the words just flowed so smoothly and for a time I did get lost in the story.

I hope that there aren't going to be any or too many spoilers here, I apologize for that. It was just over half way through this book that I began to wonder where the ghost was, yea there is a guy in black, but it's a guy not a ghost.  Deciding to read the synopsis I discovered that it basically told the plot to about 60% of the way through this book. That's a pet peeve of mine, tell me a little about the book but not everything, leave somethings for the reader to discover for themselves, that's what makes reading enjoyable.

I finished the book waiting for the ghost to show up, for some twist, any kind of satisfing conculsion, but alas it didn't happen.  Disappointing because I really wanted to like this book.  Most likely I will keep The Thirteenth Tale in by TBR pile and give this author another chance.

Waiting on Wednesday: Revenge & Retribution by Anna Belfrage

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill  at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.   

   This week I am waiting for:   

Book 6 in the Graham Saga - Revenge & Retribution by Anna Belfrage

(I started this series at book 3, you can read them as a stand alone.  But if you are like me and become attached to this family, well you'll just want to start from the beginning).

I think my mouth was left hanging open with that last little sentence of book 5 (Serpents in the Garden) and I did a 'high 5' to myself when I found out about this book.  Be sure to come back on Aug 15th when I review it.

 

 

Paperback, 390 pages

Published July 1st, 2014 by Silverwood Books

 'Revenge & Retribution' is the sixth book in Anna Belfrage's time slip series featuring time traveller Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth century husband, Matthew Graham. 

Life in the Colony of Maryland is no sinecure - as Alex and Matthew Graham well know. But nothing in their previous life has prepared them for the mayhem that is about to be unleashed upon them. 

Being labelled a witch is not a good thing in 1684, so it is no wonder Alex Graham is aghast at having such insinuations thrown at her. 

Even worse, it's Matthew's brother-in-law, Simon Melville, who points finger at her. Not that the ensuing hearing is her main concern, because nowadays Alex's entire life is tainted by the fear of what Philip Burley will do to them once he gets hold of them. 

On a sunny May afternoon, Philip finally achieves his aim and over the course of the coming days Alex sees her whole life unravelling, leaving her family permanently maimed. As if all this wasn't enough, Alex also has to cope with the loss of one of her sons.

 Forcibly adopted by the former Susquehannock, Samuel is dragged from Alex's arms to begin a new life in the wilderness. How is Alex to survive all this?

 And will she be able to put her damaged family back together?

What are you waiting for? 

Review: The Collector of Dying Breaths by M.J. Rose (Book Tour)

From one of America’s most imaginative storytellers comes a passionate tale of love and treachery, spanning the days of Catherine de Medici’s court to the twenty-first century and starring a woman drawn back, time and again, to the past.

In 1533, an Italian orphan with an uncanny knack for creating fragrance is plucked from poverty to become Catherine de Medici’s perfumer. To repay his debt, over the years René le Florentine is occasionally called upon to put his vast knowledge to a darker purpose: the creation of deadly poisons used to dispatch the Queen’s rivals.
But it’s René’s other passion—a desire to reanimate a human breath, to bring back the lives of the two people whose deaths have devastated him—that incites a dangerous treasure hunt five centuries later. That’s when Jac L’Etoile—suffering from a heartache of her own—becomes obsessed with the possibility of unlocking Rene’s secret to immortality.

Soon Jac’s search reconnects her with Griffin North, a man she’s loved her entire life. Together they confront an eccentric heiress whose art collection rivals many museums and who is determined to keep her treasures close at hand, not just in this life but in her next.
Set in the forest of Fontainebleau, crisscrossing the lines between the past and the present, M.J. Rose has written a mesmerizing tale of passion and obsession. This is a gothic tale perfect for fans of Anne Rice, Deborah Harkness, and Diana Galbadon.

Publication Date: April 8, 2014
Atria Books
Hardcover; 384p
ISBN-10: 1451621531

****

This is book 6 in the Reincarnationist series, I've only read #5 - Seduction and this one.  So no you don't have to read the whole series to enjoy this one.  I do have plans to go back and read this series right from the beginning.

MJ Rose has fast become one of my favorite authors. There are so many things that I love about her books

I love how she takes real historical figures and works them into her books.  This time around it was Catherine de Medici, what an interesting queen to read about.  There was enough historical fiction to satisfy my desire to learn while I read.

Reincarnation, now there is a subject that I love to read about.  Not really sure why, but I enjoy it and how the author ties the 1500's to present day is original and unique. Not being a big fan of fantasy the author wrote this in such a way that it was totally believable.

I also love a good multi genre book, one that doesn't overwhelm the senses.  There is so much going on with this book,  murder, mystery, suspense and yea some romance too.  Put them all together with a remarkable storyline and you get an unputdownable book that how me up into the wee houses of the night.

"It is with irony now, forty years later, to think that if I had not been called a murderer on the most frightening night of my life, there might not be any perfume in Paris today. And that scent—to which I gave my all and which gave me all the power and riches I could have hoped for—is at the heart of why now it is I who call myself a murderer."
From The Collector of Dying Breaths

"A perfume is an intimate object, it is the reflector of the heart." ―Emanuel Ungaro

Praise for The Collector of Dying Breaths

“History, mystery, ambition, lust, love, death and the timeless quest for immortality…a riveting tale of suspense.” – B.A.Shapiro, New York Times bestselling author of The Art Forger

“Mysterious, magical, and mythical…what a joy to read!” – Sara Gruen, New York Times bestselling author

Buy the Book

Amazon US Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble

M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of fourteen novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the ’80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors – Authorbuzz.com. The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose’s novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype. She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.

Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

 click on banner for more stops on this tour