Waiting on Wednesday: In the Shadow of the Storm (The King’s Greatest Enemy, Book One) 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:

Publication Date: November 1, 2015
Silverwood Books

Genre: Historical Fiction

Adam de Guirande owes his lord, Sir Roger Mortimer, much more than loyalty. He owes Sir Roger for his life and all his worldly good, he owes him for his beautiful wife – even if Kit is not quite the woman Sir Roger thinks she is. So when Sir Roger rises in rebellion against the king, Adam has no choice but to ride with him – no matter what the ultimate cost may be.

England in 1321 is a confusing place. Edward II has been forced by his barons to exile his favourite, Hugh Despenser. The barons, led by the powerful Thomas of Lancaster, Roger Mortimer and Humphrey de Bohun, have reasons to believe they have finally tamed the king. But Edward is not about to take things lying down, and fate is a fickle mistress, favouring first one, then the other.

Adam fears his lord has over-reached, but at present Adam has other matters to concern him, first and foremost his new wife, Katherine de Monmouth. His bride comes surrounded by rumours concerning her and the baron, and he hates it when his brother snickers and whispers of used goods.

Kit de Courcy has the misfortune of being a perfect double of Katherine de Monmouth – which is why she finds herself coerced into wedding a man under a false name. What will Adam do when he finds out he has been duped?

Domestic matters become irrelevant when the king sets out to punish his rebellious barons. The Welsh Marches explode into war, and soon Sir Roger and his men are fighting for their very lives. When hope splutters and dies, when death seems inevitable, it falls to Kit to save her man – if she can.

In the Shadow of the Storm is the first in Anna Belfrage’s new series, The King’s Greatest Enemy, the story of a man torn apart by his loyalties to his baron, his king, and his wife.

What are you waiting for? 

Audio Review: Mr. Mercedes/Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King

 I used to think of Stephen King as an author of horror/supernatural books that scared the daylights out of readers.  As a teen I remember reading Carrie, Pet Sematary and Cujo which all left such vivid imagines resulting in me not picking up any of his for literally decades.  When 11/22/63 came out it sound safe enough to read and I loved it.

Recently I thought to give an audio version a try, I did this with a little apprehension for the basic reason that audio book, when they have the right reader, breathes more emotion and life into the story.  A little scary when thinking of King books.  My first was Misery and loved it as well, check out my review.

Mr. Mercedes and Delores Claiborne are totally different genres (and its a really talented author who can do that).  Neither fall under horror, but both suspenseful and addictive reading/listening.

Delores Claiborne is a shorter audio (approx. 9 hours), it's a long monologue.  But what a story it is, totally addictive to the point I couldn't put it down.  An authentic story that shows what happened in a home of domestic violence.

Mr. Mercedes was equally addictive, but a little longer (approx 14 hours). Told from two different points of view, it digs into the mind of the good and the bad.  A brilliant start to a trilogy it introduces some very likable characters.

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

 
In a mega-stakes, high-suspense race against time, three of the most unlikely and winning heroes Stephen King has ever created try to stop a lone killer from blowing up thousands.

In the frigid pre-dawn hours, in a distressed Midwestern city, hundreds of desperate unemployed folks are lined up for a spot at a job fair. Without warning, a lone driver plows through the crowd in a stolen Mercedes, running over the innocent, backing up, and charging again. Eight people are killed; fifteen are wounded. The killer escapes.

In another part of town, months later, a retired cop named Bill Hodges is still haunted by the unsolved crime. When he gets a crazed letter from someone who self-identifies as the “perk” and threatens an even more diabolical attack, Hodges wakes up from his depressed and vacant retirement, hell-bent on preventing another tragedy.

Brady Hartsfield lives with his alcoholic mother in the house where he was born. He loved the feel of death under the wheels of the Mercedes, and he wants that rush again. Only Bill Hodges, with a couple of highly unlikely allies, can apprehend the killer before he strikes again. And they have no time to lose, because Brady’s next mission, if it succeeds, will kill or maim thousands.

Mr. Mercedes is a war between good and evil, from the master of suspense whose insight into the mind of this obsessed, insane killer is chilling and unforgettable. 

Audible Audio

Published June 3rd 2014 by Simon & Schuster Audio 

source - public library

***** 


"Everything I did, I did for love..."

For thirty years, folks on Little Tall Island have been waiting to find out just what happened on the eerie dark day Dolores Claiborne's husband died --- the day of the total eclipse. Now, the police want to know what happened yesterday when her rich, bedridden employer died suddenly in her care. With no choice but to talk, Dolores gives her compelling confession ... of the strange and terrible links forged by hidden intimacies ... of the fierceness of a mother's love and its dreadful consequences ... of the silent rage that can turn a woman's heart to hate. When Dolores Claiborne is accused of murder, it's only the beginning of the bad news. For what comes after that is something only Stephen King could imagine ... as he rips open the darkest secrets and the most damning sins of men and women in an ingrown. Maine town and takes you on a trip below its straitlaced surface. 

(first published January 1st 1992)
Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins
Release Date: 05-11-09

***** 

Review: Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart (Blog Tour)

From the New York Times best-selling author of The Drunken Botanist comes an enthralling debut novel based on the forgotten true story of one of the nation’s first female deputy sheriffs.

Constance Kopp doesn’t quite fit the mold. She towers over most men, has no interest in marriage or domestic affairs, and has been isolated from the world since a family secret sent her and her sisters into hiding fifteen years ago. One day a belligerent and powerful silk factory owner runs down their buggy, and a dispute over damages turns into a war of bricks, bullets, and threats as he unleashes his gang on their family farm. When the sheriff enlists her help in convicting the men, Constance is forced to confront her past and defend her family — and she does it in a way that few women of 1914 would have dared.

 Publication Date: September 1, 2015
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Formats: Ebook, Hardcover
Pages: 416

Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery

****

This was an interesting book to read and I enjoyed it.  What begins as an innocent buggy ride turns the lives of the Kopp sisters upside down.  With Constance demanding what is owed to her she sets off events that  shatter their quiet and hidden existence. 

I liked Constance, a woman ahead of her time and it isn't until this happens that she realizes it and takes action.  As if the author read my mind, I wondered why they chose to live in seclusion, Amy Stewart with flashbacks in time revealed secrets that shaped her into who she was.  Without divulging too much here I found that story line very interesting, it was real and written in a believable manner.  It shaped Constance and explains her drive and determination.

Constance and Fleurette added much to this story, their quirky character traits added a little humor and tension relief when needed.  

I was pleasantly surprised to read the authors notes and discover that Constance is based on a real person and that parts of this story come from real historical events.  The author then filled in the gaps with unique story lines filled with not just mystery and mayhem but discovering ones self, taking risks and not to give up when those around you pressure you to.  All in all a delightful book that keep me wanting to read more,  it ended in such a way that I can only hope to read more of Constance in the future.

 

PRAISE

“A sheer delight to read and based on actual events, this debut historical mystery packs the unexpected, the unconventional, and a serendipitous humor into every chapter. Details from the historical record are accurately portrayed by villains and good guys alike, and readers will cross their fingers for the further adventures of Constance and Sheriff Heath. For fans of the Phryne Fisher series by Kerry Greenwood, and the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes mysteries by Laurie R. King.”—Booklist, starred

“A smart, romping adventure, featuring some of the most memorable and powerful female characters I’ve seen in print for a long time. I loved every page as I followed the Kopp sisters through a too-good-to-be-true (but mostly true!) tale of violence, courage, stubbornness, and resourcefulness.”—Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

“Girl Waits With Gun makes excellent use of history to put a fresh spin on classic cop-and-crook types. Amy Stewart’s true-life protagonist is a ‘rough and tumble’ version of the early 20th century’s New Woman. She is witty, sharply-drawn, and suffers no fools!”—Suzanne Rindell, author of The Other Typist

“Girl Waits with Gun is fresh, funny and utterly compelling– and Constance Kopp and her sisters are not just great investigators, but completely original women. It was a blast from start to finish and I can’t wait to see what Deputy Kopp gets up to next.”— Lisa Lutz, author of The Spellman Files, How to Start a Fire, and others

“Amy Stewart has crafted the best kind of historical novel; she uncovers an intriguing, all-but-forgotten historical nugget and spins it into a wildly entertaining tale with an engaging, tough-minded heroine. Girl Waits With Gun hits the bulls-eye.”—Daniel Stashower, author of The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War

“Amy Stewart’s debut novel Girl Waits With Gun is an irresistible and thoroughly enjoyable book, a suspenseful historical mystery spiced with marvelous characters, wit, and humor. Is it too soon to beg for a sequel?” —Jennifer Chiaverini, author of Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | INDIEBOUND | POWELL’S

Amy Stewart is the author of seven books. Her latest, Girl Waits With Gun, is a novel based on a true story. She has also written six nonfiction books on the perils and pleasures of the natural world, including four New York Times bestsellers: The Drunken Botanist, Wicked Bugs, Wicked Plants, and Flower Confidential. She lives in Eureka, California, with her husband Scott Brown, who is a rare book dealer. They own a bookstore called Eureka Books. The store is housed in a classic nineteenth-century Victorian building that Amy very much hopes is haunted.

Stewart has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, and many other newspapers and magazines, and has appeared frequently on National Public Radio, CBS Sunday Morning, and–just once–on TLC’s Cake Boss. She is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, the American Horticulture Society’s Book Award, and an International Association of Culinary Professionals Food Writing Award.

For more information visit Amy Stewart’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest.

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Waiting on Wednesday: The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley

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:

  Hardcover – 5 Nov 2015

I loved The Seven Sisters - first book in this series.

 

Following the success of The Seven Sisters, this is the second book in Lucinda Riley’s spellbinding series based loosely on the mythology surrounding the famous star constellation. The Storm Sister tells Ally’s story. A talented sailor, Ally is about to compete in one of the world’s most challenging yacht races when she hears the news of her adoptive father’s sudden  and mysterious death and rushes back to meet her five sisters at their family home, a beautiful chateau on Lake Geneva. She is also, unbeknown to her sisters, involved in a deeply passionate love affair . . . In the aftermath of the harrowing events that follow, Ally leaves her life on the open seas to pursue the clues her father left her to the icy beauty of Norway. There, she begins to discover her roots – and how her story is inextricably bound to that of a young unknown singer, Anna Landvik, who lived there over 100 years before and sang in the very first performance of Grieg’s iconic incidental music set to Ibsen’s play “Peer Gynt”.

 

Each book of The Seven Sisters series follows one of the sisters’ stories. Maia, Ally, Star, CeCe, Tiggy and Electra were all adopted as babies from across the globe by the elusive billionaire affectionately known to them as Pa Salt. When he dies, he leaves  each of his daughters  a clue to their past, plus a set of coordinates engraved on an armillary sphere, showing exactly where in the world  he found them.

 

But who was Pa Salt? And why is the seventh sister missing.....?

What are you waiting for? 

Review: Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey

Inspired by the 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 fights 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 German 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…

A magical, 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.

Paperback, 290 pages

Published May 26th 2015 by Lake Union Publishing 

 paperback provided as part of tour

****

This is the type of historical fiction that I love, take an obscure and relatively unknown piece of history and create a wonderful book about it.  Finishing Paris Time Capsule had me googling this apartment and learning more about it. Be sure to check out the authors website for pictures.

This is the authors debut and I feel she is off to a roaring start.  Taking the discovery of that abondoned apartment in Paris and creating this mysterious story behind it shows not just her love of Paris but knowledge as well.  There are many layers her, it isn't just a story about the why Cat was left this apartment.  It's a story of self discovery, about Cat's journey to find herself and I liked watching the transformation. 

I won't say too much here about the romance part of this story, this is Paris after all so there has to be some romance.  I am not a big romance reader, but with this book it was done in a real and believable way. 

Ella Carey writes with such clarity, I could smell the dust in that apartment, feel the rank stale air and visualize that moment of awe when Cat first viewed it.  As I story unfolded it wasn't hard to visual what was taking place.  I think fans of  Lucinda Riley and Santa Montefiore would enjoy this one.

If there was anything that I struggled with here, it was the cover, it just seemed a little too modern for the story line (remember just my opinion).  Originally published in 2014, I loved that cover.  What do you think?

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

“Ella Carey creates an almost impossibly romantic atmosphere.”–Rachel Edwards, Review of Australian Fiction

“I am so looking forward to the release of Paris Time Capsule. Ella Carey is one of the most talented writers I have ever worked with. Roll on, release day!”–Melanie Milburne, USA Today best selling author

“Everything about this book was simply magical, the vividly described backdrops, the remarkable characters, the mysteries being unraveled, the romance, everything blended to pure perfection by this author. I highly recommend this read for anyone and everyone that loves reading. It was a history lesson mixed with a large dose of mystery and a dash of romance, what more could a reader ask for!” Desere Steenberg, reader, Amazon.com

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Ella Carey is a writer and a Francophile who can almost claim Paris as her second home.

She has learned French since she was five and has degrees in music, majoring in classical piano, and in arts, majoring in modern European history and nineteenth-century literature.

Writing has always been Ella’s real passion, but she has worked in various other guises. As an emerging author, Ella has had her work published in The Review of Australian Fiction.

She has traveled to France more than a dozen times and drew on her many experiences there when writing Paris Time Capsule. Ella knew straight away that the fascinating true story of the abandoned apartment was a perfect fit for her, with its blend of history; impossible, decaying romance; and mystery–not to mention Paris.

Ella released Paris Time Capsule as an indie book in 2014, and it rose to number 10 on Amazon in the US. This revised and extended edition is now released with Lake Union Publishing. A feature film screenplay version of the book is in development.

In her spare time, Ella walks her dogs along the beach, speaks her particular sort of Franglais whenever she can, reads, loves to visit art museums and collects every beautiful book on Paris that she can possibly find.

She is hard at work on her second novel, which is also set in Paris. Ella lives with her two children and two noble Italian greyhounds, which are constantly mistaken for whippets.

Connect with Ella

Website | Facebook | Twitter

A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell Mystery #1) by Deanna Raybourn

In her thrilling new series, the New York Times bestselling author of the Lady Julia Grey mysteries, returns once more to Victorian England…and introduces intrepid adventuress Veronica Speedwell.

London, 1887. As the city prepares to celebrate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee, Veronica Speedwell is marking a milestone of her own. After burying her spinster aunt, the orphaned Veronica is free to resume her world travels in pursuit of scientific inquiry—and the occasional romantic dalliance. As familiar with hunting butterflies as she is fending off admirers, Veronica wields her butterfly net and a sharpened hatpin with equal aplomb, and with her last connection to England now gone, she intends to embark upon the journey of a lifetime.

But fate has other plans, as Veronica discovers when she thwarts her own abduction with the help of an enigmatic German baron with ties to her mysterious past. Promising to reveal in time what he knows of the plot against her, the baron offers her temporary sanctuary in the care of his friend Stoker—a reclusive natural historian as intriguing as he is bad-tempered. But before the baron can deliver on his tantalizing vow to reveal the secrets he has concealed for decades, he is found murdered. Suddenly Veronica and Stoker are forced to go on the run from an elusive assailant, wary partners in search of the villainous truth.

Kindle Edition, 352 pages

Expected publication: September 1st 2015 by Penguin / NAL
ARC via netgalley for review
**** 
This is my second book by Deanna Raybourn, I loved her previous book Night of a Thousand Stars,  I had never read her Lady Julia books but suffice to say they are patiently waiting in my TBR pile.  I fell in love with the author's writing style, her ability to weave a mysterious story with a touch of whit made her a favorite of mine.  So it was with eager anticipation and excitement when netgalley approved my request to review her latest, A Curious Beginning and I wasn't disappointed.

It's London 1887 when we meet Veronica Speedwell, a woman ahead of her time.  Free spirited, adventurous, traveling the world while other woman conform to society, doing there duty with marriage and babies.  Veronica knows what she wants and makes it happen. But when her guardians both pass her life takes a turn.

Enter Stoker and the adventure begins.  Both Veronica and Stoker are likable character, both with mysterious backgrounds creating a plot that kept me captivated. The story unfolded with twists and turns, some I figured out and others not so much.   

The title fits this story perfectly.  There is mystery here as well as adventure and suspense, a great start to this new series.  The ending brought conclusion in one sense but also opened the door for the the next installment, one of which I am looking forward to reading.  If you like a well written book then look no further.

"I gave it to him, in my experience it is far better to tell a man what he wants to hear and then do as you please than attempt to reason with him."

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

A sixth-generation native Texan, Deanna Raybourn grew up in San Antonio, where she met her college sweetheart. She married him on her graduation day and went on to teach high school English and history. During summer vacation at the age of twenty-three, she wrote her first novel. After three years as a teacher, Deanna left education to have a baby and pursue writing full-time.

Deanna Raybourn is the author of the bestselling and award-winning Lady Julia series, as well as, The Dead Travel Fast, A Spear of Summer Grass, and City of Jasmine.

For more information please visit Deanna Raybourn’s website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

 

Waiting on Wednesday: The Secrets of Lizzie Borden by Brandy Purdy

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:

Paperback, 384 pages

Expected publication: January 26th 2016 by Kensington

In her enthralling, richly imagined new novel, Brandy Purdy, author of The Ripper’s Wife, creates a compelling portrait of the real, complex woman behind an unthinkable crime. 

 Lizzie Borden should be one of the most fortunate young women in Fall River, Massachusetts. Her wealthy father could easily afford to provide his daughters with fashionable clothes, travel, and a rich, cultured life. Instead, haunted by the ghost of childhood poverty, he forces Lizzie and her sister, Emma, to live frugally, denying them the simplest modern conveniences. Suitors and socializing are discouraged, as her father views all gentleman callers as fortune hunters. Lonely and deeply unhappy, Lizzie stifles her frustration, dreaming of the freedom that will come with her eventual inheritance. But soon, even that chance of future independence seems about to be ripped away. And on a stifling August day in 1892, Lizzie’s long-simmering anger finally explodes… 

Vividly written and thought-provoking, The Secrets of Lizzie Borden explores the fascinating events behind a crime that continues to grip the public imagination—a story of how thwarted desires and desperate rage could turn a dutiful daughter into a notorious killer.

What are you waiting for?

Sacrifice: Book One of y Ddraig (The Dragons of Brython) by Gwendolyn Beynon

528 A.D. Cymru (Wales)

Melangell is a ‘Lifebringer’, a dragon-maiden learning to protect one of the land’s most ancient mysteries, y Ddraig. She expects to pass her years as have a score of teachers before her—sequestered, safeguarding an egg that barely moves from year to year, never using the deadly and secret skills she has been taught. But the King’s relentless pursuit of this most holy relic throws her into the middle of war and though she is not yet adept Melangell must enter captivity with the egg to defend the sleeping dragonling within.

Her abductor is Cai ap Cynyr—fierce warrior, loyal brother and sword-arm to the high Chieftain, Artwr. He has been scouring the land for the relics Artwr demands to ensure triumph against the Angles invading from the east. Cai uses the Lifebringer’s mystique to master his armsmen, but when he spirits Melangell and the dragon egg further into seclusion, she grows intrigued by her captor. But she is a Lifebringer—sworn only to y Ddraig—and Cai must deliver the dragonling to Artwr to at last drag himself out of his legendary brother’s deep shadow.

And all the while, the egg readies itself to emerge…

*Sacrifice is the first in a series of three books based around y Ddraig (the Dragon) set in sixth-century Arthurian Wales, featuring characters based on Welsh myth, literature and/or history.

June 5, 2015 | Dark Pages Publishing

GENRE: Historical/Fantasy/Romance

paperback provided as part of tour

****

I am a big fan of historical fiction and tend to shy away from fantasy novels. However I do make exceptions every once in a while such is the case with Sacrifice.  Taking place in the fifth century during the Arthurian era I was keen to read this book.  Having an interest in Arthur but never really pursuing that desire, I jumped at the chance to be part of this tour. Sacrifice is the book in a planned trilogy and I was impressed with this book.

Melangell is a likeable character, given what she endures, especially as she is introduced to the reader, it isn't hard to feel compassion and connect with her.  The desire to know more about her, the way of  life for a Lifebringer and see where destiny takes her kept me reading and genuinely interested.  Though sometimes a little slow in places this was a unique storyline.  There are a few scenes of violence making this a novel for a mature audience, however they do reflect the time period and situation.  It is evident the author knows her genre and has a passion for it.

All in all this is a story of sacrifice, adventure, love and standing up for what you believe in.  Thank you for HFVBT for inviting me to be part of this tour, I might have missed this one.  I am not sure when the next book in series will be released, but suffice to say I look forward to reading it.

READ AN EXCERPT.

AMAZON PB | KINDLE | NOOK | CREATESPACE | ITUNES

 

Australian author, Gwendolyn Beynon, comes from a long line of storytellers of Welsh and Cornish stock. She grew up reading romance and fantasy novels but the y Ddraig series is her first foray into historical fantasy.

The idea for the y Ddraig series came while on a pilgrimage to Wales (the land of her fathers) where she was visiting holy wells and ancient yew trees. She grew captivated with the way that the ancient stories of Welsh literature, myth and history still co-existed comfortably in contemporary Cymru, and by the atmosphere of mystery that still exists around much of Wales’ natural spaces.

An Arts graduate from Curtin University (with double-majors in Film and Theatre), Gwen has worked in communications all her life. She sold her first book in 2008 and has been writing for a living with her hounds at her feet and Celtic music as a backdrop ever since.

For more information visit www.yDdraig.com.au. Follow Gwendolyn on Facebook and Goodreads.

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, August 24
Review at Book Nerd
Spotlight & Excerpt at Unshelfish

Tuesday, August 25
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective

Wednesday, August 26
Spotlight at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, August 27
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Friday, August 28
Spotlight & Giveaway at Susan Heim on Writing

Saturday, August 29
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Sunday, August 30
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Monday, August 31
Review at Just One More Chapter

Tuesday, September 1
Review at A Bibiliotaph’s Reviews
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Wednesday, September 2
Review at Broken Teepee
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Thursday, September 3
Interview at Passages to the Past

Friday, September 4
Review at I’m Shelf-ish

Review: Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

From the author of the breathtaking bestsellers Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, the extraordinary saga continues.

Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her... and her body still cries out for him in her dreams.

Then Claire discovers that Jamie survived. Torn between returning to him and staying with their daughter in her own era, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face the passion and pain awaiting her...the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland... and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that can reunite or forever doom her timeless love.

Published October 26th 1994 by Dell

Mass Market Paperback, 1,059 pages 

personal library

*****

I am relatively late to the Outlander party. With 8 books out, plus the Lord John Grey ones and some novella's out there too I have somehow manged thus far to make it spoiler free.  I don't read reviews and limit as much social media as I can, the only I will allow myself to check out is anything to do with the series on TV - I am past that part now.

Voyager is book 3 and comes in at a whopping 1059 pages (the mass paperback version I have anyways).  This is my favorite of the series so far and there is much that I could say about 'this and that' happening but I won't for fear of spoiling the ride for anyone else late to the party.

What I will say though is that I polished this off in just over a week, I couldn't stop reading even in parts with little action I needed to find out what was going on.  It's funny now that I have visual imagines of the cast it adds much to the story.  There are new characters here as well as old ones, new conflicts as well as older ones still.  Lots of surprises, adventures and an ending that will be a great start to the next book.

In June I had the privilege of meeting Diana Gabaldon at the HNS2015 conference.  She was so nice, took time out to talk with me when I asked about the beginnings of this series.  I can't imagine the amount of attention that she gets wherever she goes, throughout the conference she was always smiling and gracious to everyone (even when she sat for 2 hours talking to fans and signing books).

 

Review: The Lady and the Minstrel by Joyce DiPastena

A forbidden love and a past they can’t leave behind . . .

In King John’s England, Robert Marcel chafes against the law that holds him bound as a villein on his lord’s manor. He tries to make a daring escape and is nearly caught by his cruel master, but a young girl helps him slip away.

Years pass and Robert takes up trade as a minstrel. Invited to play at a banquet for the notorious Earl of Saxton, he is stunned to come face to face with the girl he’s never forgotten—now Lady Marguerite of Winbourne, betrothed to the earl. Her status as a noblewoman puts her completely out of Robert’s reach, but he knows they are meant to be together. He vows to make her his wife no matter what the cost.
Lady Marguerite has often thought of the young man she helped escape. Her tender feelings for him quickly turn into much more when they are brought back into each others lives. She longs to be free to marry Robert, the man she loves, but that will require her to sacrifice all she holds dear.


They are tested at every turn by those bent on driving them apart and destroying what they have found together. Can their love truly conquer all?

Publication Date: January 29, 2015
Publisher: Sable Tyger Books
Formats: Ebook, Paperback
Pages: 601
ISBN: 9780986239618

Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

****

 I was a little hesitant to sign up for this tour because of the sheer size of this book.  Don't get me wrong I love books of this size, when done right the time flies by but when it's an author you haven't read before - well that could be risky in terms of slugging through something dry and boring.  Suffice to said this book did not disappoint, it grabbed me right from the beginning and the time just flew by.

Marguerite is a very likeable character only 17 years old not but was just 10 when she assisted in the escape of Robert from a cruel master.  When they meet again she is betrothed to someone else and he is just a lowly minstrel.  You can feel the passion burning for each other, but it's the 1300's and ones feelings do not play a part in who you marry.  The author has definitely shown her love of this time period with not just descriptive scenery but the life style and the ways of court as well - it wasn't hard to visualize what was taking place.  I was not overly familiar with the entertainment at court and this was a nice glimpse at the roles minstrels, jesters and acrobats played.

There are a fair number of characters here, some fictional and some real.  The author provided a list (of who's who) at the being of the book which came in handy.  There are author notes at the end and I always find that a great way to end any HF novel.

An emotional story filled with forbidden love, mystery, betrayal, intrigue and so much more.  If you are a fan of HF give The Lady and the Minstrel a try, you won't be disappointed.

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  EXCERPT

“Why are you here? What do you want?” She wished to chill him again with her dignity, but the questions instead came out barely more than a whisper.
“To see you. To talk with you. To—” His voice snagged as the truth swept the impassive mask from his face. “Oh, heaven forgive me, to kiss you!”
His hand reached out again, then hesitated, hovering just below her chin. Instead of rebuffing him, she felt herself sway towards him ever so slightly. His fingertips, calloused from his lute’s strings, brushed against her cheekbone. Then her cheek cradled gently in his palm and the midnight eyes, no longer veiled, gazed into hers with a longing that took away her breath.
“I have thought of nothing but you since you gazed at me in the village today.” His voice shook slightly as the words spilled out in a rush. “Then when you smiled at me in the hall, I knew I was lost. I cannot hope to court you. I am only a poor minstrel, and you are betrothed to the Earl of Saxton. But one kiss—just one!—I would cherish to the end of my days. Just one, if you will grant it—and then I will be gone.”
Gone? Let him go now, when she had only just found him? Heaven could not be so cruel as to ask her to send him away so soon! If it took a kiss to bind him—
He must have taken her silence as assent, for he pulled her against his chest. He held her firmly, yet so gently that the embrace brought no pain to her back. Marguerite had never been in a man’s arms before. Her heart raced so hard a pleasurable little buzz of dizziness hummed through her mind and body. He did not look like a man who often hesitated to take what he wanted and yet when he bent his head towards hers, he checked himself just short of her lips. It was that instant of uncertainty in him, briefer than a heartbeat, that nudged her leap of faith in his honor and lifted her willing mouth and drifted shut her eyes.
And then she felt his mouth on hers, gentle, warm, strong, yet somehow cautious, as if weighing something in her, as if waiting … for what? Outrage on her part? Resistance? Oh, heavens! If Marguerite had felt dizzy before, her senses now swam in earnest, and she wound her arms around his neck and let her body melt against him and kissed him back as if all her future hung on this one moment.

 

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | ITUNES | KOBO | SMASHWORDS

 

PRAISE

“DiPastena portrays . . . the world Robert and Marguerite inhabit, with a great deal of confidence and skill; this is a deeply-researched book that wears its learning very lightly, and it bears comparison well with other great novels of the Middle Ages. I loved the book and highly recommend it.” ~ Historical Novel Society

“A grand novel of epic proportions . . . Both Marguerite and Robert are rich characters with much depth and background. . . . The storyline is unique . . . The solution to Marguerite’s problem is inspiring!” ~ InD’Tale Magazine

Joyce DiPastena dreamed of green medieval forests while growing up in the dusty copper mining town of Kearny, Arizona. She filled her medieval hunger by reading the books of Thomas B. Costain (where she fell in love with King Henry II of England), and later by attending the University of Arizona where she graduated with a degree in history, specializing in the Middle Ages. The university was also where she completed her first full-length novel…set, of course, in medieval England. Later, her fascination with Henry II led her to expand her research horizons to the far reaches of his “Angevin Empire” in France, which became the setting of her first published novel, Loyalty’s Web (a 2007 Whitney Award Finalist). Joyce is a multi-published, multi-award winning author who specializes in sweet medieval romances and romantic historicals heavily spiced with mystery and adventure. She lives with her two cats, Clio and Glinka Rimsky-Korsokov, in Mesa, Arizona.

For more information visit Joyce DiPastena’s website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

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