Posted Saturday, 24 October, 2015 by jorielov Gabriel Valjan, Roma series, Turning to Stone, Winter Goose Publishing 0 Comments
Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a part of the blog tour for “Turning to Stone” hosted by Italy Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the publisher Winter Goose Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Originally intended to read the series:
Although my first preference is to read series in the sequence they are intended to be read, there are on occasion a few hiccups towards that goal. For me, with the Roma series it was a combination of time delays to ILL the series through my local library and the circumstances of Summer where the lightning storms wrecked a lot of chaos into my reading life. Despite knowing I might have to read a series out of sequence didn’t deter me from being on the blog tour, because this has happened a few times before (such as with the Maisie Dobbs series and Bess Crawford series) and I was able to pick up the threads of the stories despite my late entry.
A word about the publisher Winter Goose Publishing:
I enjoy doing a bit of groundwork to learn about new publishers I haven’t yet come across in my literary wanderings, and finding Winter Goose Publishing was a bit of a treat, as I appreciated reading their story! (see their About page) I appreciate finding publishers (Small Trade, Major Trade and Indies) focusing on authors and their stories rather than the bottom-line. It is one thing to turn a profit but to sacrifice a story simply based on market trends in literature I never felt was a good way to go. I applaud Indie publishers who are trusting their instincts on stories and celebrating the writers who are writing stories that do not become set against ‘trends’ but rather the stories they are motivate to create.
The fact they are choosing a printer for the books who has green printing practices and certification’s to perfect where the paper is being sourced is another bonus.
Turning to Stone
Alabaster Black aka Bianca Nerini returns as an investigation into a public official’s assassination pits Bianca and her friends against a backdrop of financial speculation, female assassins on motorcycles, and the Camorra—the most ruthless of Italian organized crime gangs—in Gabriel Valjan’s TURNING TO STONE, the fourth book of the highly praised Roma series.
En route to a secret meeting, Aldo Giurlani—the regional commissioner of Lombardy in northern Italy and a specialist on organized crime—is assassinated in the middle of a public square.
More mysterious is the package sent to Giurlani’s hand-picked team of five top investigators within the Guardia di Finanza (GdF), the Italian law enforcement agency that investigates illegal financial transactions, from money laundering to drug trafficking. Within the package are five copies of a book entitled Man of Smoke written by Aldo Palazzeschi.
Then there is Bianca’s tenuous online contact with a mysterious online contact known as Loki, who delivers a cryptic message to her, takes on a new twist with the appearance of a brilliant young obsessive-compulsive man who joins her team.
Complicating matters even further, old enemies and, more problematically, Alabaster’s former employer—Rendition, a murky covert U.S. government agency that does more than just investigate financial crimes—still have grudges to bear against her.
As new mysteries unfold, Bianca’s group quickly discovers that Naples might just be the most dangerous city in Italy.
Readers looking for a suspenseful thriller with mysterious twists and turns abounding will love Gabriel Valjan’s TURNING TO STONE.
Places to find the book:
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 9781941058237
on 15th June 2015
Available Formats: Paperback and E-book
This is book four of the Roma Series:
Book 1 Synopsis | Book 2 Synopsis | Book 3 Synopsis
Converse via: #RomaSeries
About Gabriel Valjan
Gabriel Valjan lives in New England, but has traveled extensively, receiving his undergraduate education in California and completing graduate school in England. Ronan Bennett short-listed him for the 2010 Fish Short Story Prize for his Boston noir, Back in the Day. His short stories and poetry have appeared in literary journals and online magazines.
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Posted Saturday, 24 October, 2015 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Content Note, Crime Fiction, Fly in the Ointment, Indie Author, Italy, Italy Book Tours, Suspense, Vulgarity in Literature
Posted Monday, 19 October, 2015 by jorielov Butterfly Tree Productions, Easter Family series, Nancy Schoellkopf, Yellow-billed Magpie 1 Comment
Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a part of the blog tour for “Yellow-billed Magpie” hosted by iRead Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the author Nancy Schoellkopf in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Why my interest was piqued with this novel:
I like novels which ask questions of it’s readers inasmuch as a story whose heart is aching for a reader to dig a bit deeper than the superficial level of insight. I like finding novelists who write a story with it’s own uniqueness to where it cannot be measured against another novel; for it’s originality sets it apart. I like finding authors who are daring in their courage to tell stories other writers might not feel they can write as eloquently but I appreciate all writers who strive towards pushing themselves past their own set of comfort zones.
I was enthralled with the idea behind Yellow-billed Magpie by the title and then the synopsis. Generally titles may or may not sway me one way or the other; usually because until you sit down with a novel, the title is a bit elusive in explaining itself to you. A synopsis is only a short breath of a clue to what a novel could speak to you about as you read it, but it’s a hint of a suggestion nonetheless. For book bloggers and reviewers (like myself) the synopsis either wins us over in curiosity or we might take a pass on a title until lateron down the road.
In this instance, I was finding myself enjoying the pleasure of seeking out Indie Writers and/or Self Published Writers who were happily giving me a story-line which did not feel repetitive nor re-invented. I like finding writers whose stories tend to stand out from the pack and give you a character who might stay with you longer than the time it takes to read their story. All novels effect us in different ways, some even flutter back inside our memories at later dates – randomly overtaking our thoughts. I like seeking out the stories which give me something to chew on and give me a hearty story to appreciate as I read the words their author left behind for me to find. I was hoping this might be one I would find I couldn’t quite put down without gratitude for taking a chance on it’s author’s style.
Yellow-billed Magpie
by Nancy Schoellkopf
Source: Author via iRead Book Tours
Unlike their black-billed cousins, yellow-billed magpies are rarely found outside California’s central valley. So when they begin showing up in Samantha O’Malley’s dreams, she wonders: are they calling me home?
Disappointed by failed fertility treatments and the break-up of her marriage, Samantha returns to her home town and slips into old habits, resuming her teaching career, even hooking up with an old lover. But she also renews her friendship with Craig, the school custodian she honors as her spiritual guide. The work they do together with Samantha’s special education students will lead her to discoveries she never thought possible.
Yellow-Billed Magpie is a love story, a spiritual journey, a quest to look beyond appearances to the mystical rhythms that guide the human heart.
Places to find the book:
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 9780692445730
Also by this author: Red-tailed Hawk
on 3rd August 2015
Pages: 216
Available Formats: Paperback
Converse via: #YellowbilledMagpie
About Nancy Schoellkopf
Nancy Schoellkopf has been telling stories and writing poems for many lifetimes. It goes without saying she’s needed a second income, so this time around she happily taught amazing children in special education classes in two urban school districts in Sacramento, California.
A full time writer now, she enjoys lavishing attention on her cat, her garden and her intriguing circle of family and friends.
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Posted Monday, 19 October, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 21st Century, Animals in Fiction & Non-Fiction, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Cats and Kittens, Debut Author, Indie Author, iRead Book Tours, Modern Day, Vulgarity in Literature
Posted Saturday, 17 October, 2015 by jorielov A Kiss from France, Silverwood Books, Susan Hughes 7 Comments
I dearly love reading war dramas – there is something about being centered inside a period drama that takes place during a war where you get to see the sociological effects of both the strain of war and the pulling together of humanity. People knitted themselves closer together in communities and cities, helping not only the war effort itself but drawing a closer tuck around the will to overcome the adversities which were not even known at that point in time. This can be readily seen in war dramas that take place immediately after one of the World Wars or those in-between years where peace was commonplace and tensions were less distraught with uncertainty.
I appreciate the chance to dip back inside History to understand those generations and better get a glimpse of my own family’s heritage for the eras in which my relatives lived inside but were unable to share living histories or stories with me lateron. There is a connecting thread of interest for everyone or we wouldn’t have so many lovely war dramas to read – I think this niche of historical fiction seeks not only to educate us on the past, but to help us draw a line of empathy towards knowing how strong we all can be when circumstances dictate impossible situations.
Whenever I find a stirring dramatic war drama, odds are in favour I will want to devour it’s chapters whilst connecting with it’s lead characters. I felt a strong connection with A Kiss from France as I appreciated where the story was set (with the women who worked in munitions making) and I applauded the focus on the postal mail angle, too! I grew up realising that sending mail to deployed servicemen and women was a kindness that gave a bit of reprieve and a jolt of hope to those who received our letters and cards. Unable to find the words to send as a young girl, I sent mail to servicemen and women in 2011 and 2012; hoping in some small way I could uplift their day with a bit of cheer.
The correspondences in this novel talk about how given limited time and resources, these silk postcards were a handmade approach to send a bit of cheer back to someone who was not expecting a reply from someone who was deployed. I can agree with the sentiment of wanting to make that connection because I think that is why mail is still very important today for those who are deployed. Being able to send anything back in response is a bit of a luxury, and to imagine how much joy those men had sending these home is unmeasurable.
In regards to the story, I had a cursory insight into this setting due to an episode of Foyle’s War where there was an explosion at a munitions factory and a murder mystery for Detective Foyle and Sam to solve. You were able to see a take-on what the munitionettes lives were like as the episode gave way to seeing Sam work undercover. I appreciate watching the serial for it’s cutting research and it’s insightful new approach to showing us the war era between both World Wars by giving us an inside breech into everyday people’s lives. Similar to reading war dramas, Foyle’s War is approachable due to how it’s centered on humanity and focused on the will of the heart to both survive and to live as well as one can during times of difficulty.
In lieu of a being able to read this for review, I wanted to offer the author a guest feature as a tipping stone towards being able to find a print copy of it on my own. All the guest features I host in lieu of reviews are a small bit of hope for me in return, as one day I’d love to find a way to gather the print editions to happily engage with lateron. I hope you enjoy where the conversation took us and that if your a regular reader of historical fiction with a specific focus on war dramas, this one might touch your heart to pick up.
London, 1917. Lizzie Fenwick is young, ambitious, and in love. At least, she thinks she’s in love with the soldier who answered the note she concealed in a box of ammunition shells. She spends her days filling shells with TNT, and her nights dreaming of the mysterious Harry Slater.
Eunice Wilson knows the exact moment her marriage to Jack began to fracture. He refused to enlist, and their patriotic neighbours never let her live it down. Now he’s been conscripted and she can’t help but feel regret for shunning Jack before his departure.
As separate tragedies cause Lizzie to make hard choices and Eunice to cope with loss, the two women are unsure how to adjust when peace finally returns. Little do they know that an earlier war-time betrayal will force Lizzie and Eunice to confront everything they knew about friendship, loyalty, and love.
A Kiss From France is a historical fiction romance novel set in London’s East End during World War I. If you like compelling human stories, believable female protagonists, and the suspense and intrigue of war-time London, then you’ll love this heartfelt tale of two women who yearn to feel alive in a broken world.
I didn’t realise they made silk postcards – do you know who created the one you found amongst your grandmother’s belongings? Was it one she made herself or one you feel she might have received? Do you know what led to the art form of sending handmade postcards such as the one which inspired your novel?
Hughes responds: The postcard I found among my grandmother’s possessions was most likely made in France and sent to England. I have a handful of them; some might have been sent to her and others to her mother (unfortunately they have previously been stuck onto some sort of backing, for display purposes I believe, and any personal information has been obscured). These WW1 silk postcards became very popular among the Allied troops. Sending a card was much easier than a letter because they often had pre-printed, quite sentimental, messages on them and only required a signature. It became quite an industry among French housewives who, capitalising on the postcards’ popularity during the war, began to embroider Allied flags and patriotic messages onto them. Later they were manufactured in factories to cope with the demand. Read More
Posted Saturday, 17 October, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 20th Century, Blog Tour Host, Brook Cottage Book Tours, Debut Author, Debut Novel, During WWI, Historical Fiction, Indie Author, Reader Submitted Author Interview, The World Wars, War Drama
Posted Thursday, 15 October, 2015 by jorielov A Woman of Note, Carol M. Cram, Lake Union Publishing 0 Comments
Acquired Book By: I am becoming a regular tour hostess and reviewer for BookSparks, as I began to host for them in the Spring ahead of #SRC2015. I am posting my Summer Challenge reviews during October and November due to the aftereffects of severe lightning storms during July and August. As I make amends for the challenge reads I was unable to post until Autumn; I am also catching up with my YA challenge reads and the blog tours I missed as well. This blog tour marks one of the books I felt curious to read independent of the previous selections. I look forward to continuing to work with BookSparks once I am fully current with the stories I am reading for review.
I received a complimentary copy of “A Woman of Note” direct from the publicist at BookSparks in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Why this title stood out to me to read:
I personally grew up listening to classical music – either by vinyl records my family had collected or live in person at symphonies and musical concerts. I was instantly drawn to the verbosity of the classical composers and the emotionally keen insight their chords of choice drew out of their compositions. There is an eloquence and a hidden language to classical music – it’s so very evoking of thought and feeling it’s hard to listen to a piece and not become moved by the experience.
I’ve had my eye on Indie Writers for awhile now, and being a book blogger I try to seek out hosting an independently published author whenever a chance presents itself. I must admit, I was a bit surprised Lake Union Publishing is attached to a particular online giant, but it’s the stories the authors are telling which has given me the chance to celebrate their novels. For this reason, I am thankful I found Catherine Ryan Hyde’s The Language of Hoofbeats about a blended family of at-risk foster children who find a safe haven after placement and adoption. (review) And, quite surprised to find the heart-warming historical tale of The Shepherdess of Siena by Linda Lafferty where I was caught up inside a beautiful horse drama. (review) Sometimes the best stories are the ones which unexpected alight in your hands to read!
And, yet this isn’t my first musical fiction story I’ve ruminated about as I have started to find a secret niche of stories emerging of late where music is centered into the heart of the novel. Imagine my joy in being able to travel through the different centuries and imaginations of the writers who are bringing music into a literary showcase?
You can happily view my other thoughts on behalf of the following stories, where I reveal a few more tidbits about my own appreciation and passion for the musical arts:
Note on the Cover Art: I felt the portrait of Isabette on the cover was quite a clever one to be showcased because it showed her passion for her artistry. It has a very touching simplicity to it and reflects well the century in which the story is taking place. I liked the little details of the rose on her dress to the crimson colour of her outfit to the bracelets she’s wearing. It gives a small impression of the character’s personality whilst clearing stating how keenly important music was to her as it was her soul’s passion.
A Woman of Note
by Carol M. Cram
Virtuoso pianist Isabette Grüber captivates audiences in the salons and concert halls of early nineteenth-century Vienna. Yet in a profession dominated by men, Isabette longs to compose and play her own music—a secret she keeps from both her lascivious manager and her resentful mother. She meets and loves Amelia Mason, a dazzling American singer with her own secrets, and Josef Hauser, an ambitious young composer. But even they cannot fully comprehend the depths of Isabette’s talent.
Her ambitions come with a price when Isabette embarks on a journey that delicately walks the line between duty and passion. Amid heartbreak and sacrifice, music remains her one constant. With cameos from classical music figures such as Chopin, Schubert, and Berlioz, A Woman of Note is an intricately crafted and fascinating tale about one woman’s struggle to find her soul’s song in a dissonant world.
Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 9781503946835
Also by this author: Author Q&A with Carol M. Cram
on 8th September 2015
Pages: 358
Published By: Lake Union Publishing
Available Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, and Ebook
About Carol M. Cram
Before her debut as a critically acclaimed author of historical fiction, Carol M. Cram wrote dozens of bestselling college textbooks for courses in computer applications and communications. She served on the faculty at Capilano University in North Vancouver, Canada, for more than two decades and facilitated workshops for corporate and government clients in her role as vice president of Clear Communication Consultants. Carol holds a master’s degree in drama from the University of Toronto and a master’s degree in business administration from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. She lives on Bowen Island near Vancouver, British Columbia, with her husband, painter Gregg Simpson.
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook
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Posted Thursday, 15 October, 2015 by jorielov in 19th Century, Austria, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, BookSparks, Coming-Of Age, Composer, Historical Fiction, Indie Author, Mental Health, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Musical Fiction | Non-Fiction, Psychiatric Facilities, Vulgarity in Literature, Women's Fiction
Posted Wednesday, 14 October, 2015 by jorielov A Curious Beginning, A Thousand Words for Stranger, A Woman of Note, Avelynn, Darkness with a Chance of Whimsy, Decorum, Eight Hundred Grapes, Fool's Gold, Ghostlight, Girl Waits With Gun, Ignoring Gravity, Inspector Dewey, Mrs. Sinclair’s Suitcase, Recipes and Road Stories, Summer by Summer, Summer Campaign, The Dust that Falls from Dreams, The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley, The Tulip Resistance, The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, The White Magic Five and Dime, Those Who Remain: Remembrance and Reunion after War, Yellow-billed Magpie 1 Comment
I loved the premise of this meme {WWW Wednesdays} due to the dexterity that it gives the reader! :) Clearly subject to change on a weekly rotation, which may or may not lead to your ‘next’ read which would provide a bit of a paradoxical mystery to your readers!! :) Love the concept! Therefore, this weekly meme was originally hosted by Should Be Reading who became A Daily Rhythm. Lovingly restored and continued by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. Each week you participate, your keen to answer the following questions:
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What are you currently reading!?
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What did you recently finish reading!?
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What do you think you’ll read next!?
After which, your meant to click over to THIS WEEK’s WWWWednesday to share your post’s link so that the rest of the bloggers who are participating can check out your lovely answers! :) Perhaps even, find other bloggers who dig the same books as you do! I thought it would serve as a great self-check to know where I am and the progress I am hoping to have over the next week!
Join the Convo via: #WWWWednesday
What are you currently reading!? (Wednesday to Wednesday)
- A Woman of Note by Carol M. Cram (blog tour Thursday!) (Synopsis)
- Decorum by Kaaren Christopherson* (Synopsis)
- Those Who Remain by Ruth W. Crocker (Synopsis)
- The Tulip Resistance by Lynne Leatham Allen* (Synopsis)
- Summer Campaign by Carla Kelly* (Synopsis)
- Fool’s Gold by Zana Bell (Synopsis)
- A Thousand Words for Stranger by Julie E. Czerneda (Synopsis)
- The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley by Susan Örnbratt (Synopsis)
- Yellow-billed Magpie by Nancy Schoellkopf (Synopsis)
- #SRC2015: Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave (Synopsis)
- #ReadingIsBeautiful: Summer by Summer by Heather Burch (Synopsis)
- Ignoring Gravity by Sandra Danby (Synopsis)
*Titles were blog tours I missed hosting over the Summer.
A beautiful mixed bag of readerly delights await me, as I tackle the stories I had meant to read and review over the Summer (June – September) whilst dipping into my first reads for Autumn! As you might have noticed I have an appreciation for stories during the war eras and for war dramas in particular, but I took a chance on a non-fiction piece that is set around redemption and solace when I elected to read Ruth W. Crocker’s book. The Tulip Resistance will be taking me behind the lines of war from a Dutch perspective whereas I generally enter through the World Wars through the British or French lines of perception. Read More
Posted Wednesday, 14 October, 2015 by jorielov in 18th Century, 19th Century, Anthology Collection of Stories, Back to the Classics, Blog Tour Host, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Bookish Discussions, Books for Review Arrived by Post, Chunkster Reading Challenge, Classical Literature, Fantasy Fiction, Foodie Fiction, France Book Tours, Get Steampunk'd, Go Indie, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Indie Author, Indie Book Trade, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Library Find, Love for Books Readathon, RALs | Thons via Blogs, Reading Challenge Addict, Reading Challenges, Rewind Challenge, Science Fiction, Seriously Series Reading Challenge, SFN Bingo, TBR Pile Challenge, tCC The Classics Club, The Dystopia Challenge, Tomorrow Comes Media, Wicked Valentine's Readathon, William Shakespeare Challenge, Wuthering Heights, WWW Wednesdays, Xchyler Publishing