Posted Friday, 27 November, 2015 by jorielov ChocLitUK, Kathryn Freeman, Search for the Truth, Too Charming 0 Comments
I have come to appreciate finding new ways to help spread the word about the novelists and stories I personally enjoy reading via ChocLitUK. When Brook Cottage Book Tours first started to announce upcoming blog tours featuring the authors I’ve come to know as a book reviewer, I couldn’t wait to jump on board the tours! For you see, as a ChocLit reviewer, I haven’t had the pleasure of reading each ChocLit novelist as of yet – although my ChocLit Next Reads List on Riffle is a good indication of my earnest intention of reading their collective works!
Imagine my happy surprise finding in the batch of Autumn tours, one featuring a novel by Ms Harris (who is an auto-read author of mine!) and one novel by Ms Freeman of whom I have not yet had the pleasure of reading. Similar to my curiosities broached on a Cover Reveal by Ms Browne, I wanted to highlight what inspires me to read Ms Freeman; as I had happily shared my joy of finding a new adoption story during my spotlight for The Lost Girl.
I vaguely remember chattering about this novel on Twitter, yet when I went to find the tweets I shared about the story, I came up a bit empty! I am unsure why, as I tried to remember the wordings I had used to describe the exchanges, but for whichever reason, those tweets are lost somewhere in my feeds! The main reason I wanted to share them is because I believe I had mentioned the reason why this particular story leapt out at me to read initially? It’s hard to tell – that’s the irony of Twitter, you can share all these lovely convos, but trying to find where those tweets go weeks and months lateron is a bit of a mystery!
One thing I can say for certainty: I am finding myself drawn into heart-stirring contemporary fiction whose layers of intrigue and relationships are keenly becoming of interest to read.
Sometimes the truth hurts …
When journalist Tess Johnson takes a job at Helix pharmaceuticals, she has a very specific motive. Tess has reason to believe the company are knowingly producing a potentially harmful drug and, if her suspicions are confirmed, she will stop at nothing to make sure the truth comes out.
Jim Knight is the president of research and development at Helix and is a force to be reckoned with. After a disastrous office affair he’s determined that nothing else will distract him from his vision for the company. Failure is simply not an option. As Tess and Jim start working together, both have their reasons for wanting to ignore the sexual chemistry that fires between them. But chemistry, like most things in the world of science, isn’t always easy to control.
Places to find the book:
Add to Riffle
Published by: ChocLitUK (@ChocLitUK)
RELEASE DATE: 13th August, 2015 – ebook version
Formats Available: this is a Digital First release! print and audio should follow next!
Genre(s): Contemporary | BigPharma | Suspense | Espionage Fiction
A former pharmacist, I’m now a medical writer who also writes romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero.
With two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), any romance is all in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn’t always about hearts and flowers – and heroes come in many disguises.
Author Connections:
Personal Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
Converse via: #ChocLit
My best friend from high school went into the Pharmacy Industry, and coincidentally we reconnected after a long search to find each other again whilst she was at the latter stage of graduating as a pharmacist. I still remember our long conversations on the phone about the particulars of what was involved with her studies and how her impression of pharmacy had changed since before she started her studies; as the industry wasn’t quite what she imagined it was to be. I could sympathise as sometimes our initial impressions about something does not match or hold up against further enquiries and research. I oft think about her as she has a demanding schedule of hours and responsibilities, I had hoped might have calmed down after her last promotion. Read More
Posted Friday, 27 November, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 21st Century, Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Book Spotlight of E-Book (ahead of POD/print edition), British Literature, Brook Cottage Book Tours, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Contemporary Romance, Espionage, Indie Author, Modern British Author, Modern British Literature, Modern Day, Realistic Fiction, Romance Fiction, Romantic Suspense
Posted Monday, 23 November, 2015 by jorielov ChocLitUK, Liz Harris, The Lost Girl 0 Comments
I have come to appreciate finding new ways to help spread the word about the novelists and stories I personally enjoy reading via ChocLitUK. When Brook Cottage Book Tours first started to announce upcoming blog tours featuring the authors I’ve come to know as a book reviewer, I couldn’t wait to jump on board the tours! For you see, as a ChocLit reviewer, I haven’t had the pleasure of reading each ChocLit novelist as of yet – although my ChocLit Next Reads List on Riffle is a good indication of my earnest intention of reading their collective works!
Imagine my happy surprise finding in the batch of Autumn tours, one featuring a novel by Ms Harris (who is an auto-read author of mine!) and one novel by Ms Freeman of whom I have not yet had the pleasure of reading. Similar to my curiosities broached on a Cover Reveal by Ms Browne, I wanted to highlight what inspires me to read Ms Freeman; thus be sure to return on Friday to find out what I have to say!
Today, I am going to share a bit of insight into what I learnt about The Lost Girl during one of my #ChocLitSaturday chats inasmuch as share with you why I feel this will be my next unputdownable read by Ms Harris!
On my Connection to Ms. Harris:
I have been hosting #ChocLitSaturday chats on a regular basis for a bit over a year now. Eleven in the morning of a Saturday, has become a favourite hour for me to exchange conversation and joy with everyone who shows up to participate in a chat centered around ChocLit novels and the Romance branch of literature in general.
Similar to my previous thoughts I shared about Ms. Courtenay, I have come to appreciate chatting with Ms. Harris, either through #ChocLitSaturdays chats or privately. She is most giving of her time and I have appreciated the opportunity to know the writer behind the stories I enjoy reading! She always shares her happy spirit in the chats too, and her insights into why she enjoys writing the books that speak to her the most.
I am disclosing this, to assure you that I can formulate an honest opinion, even though I have interacted with Harris through our respective love & passion of reading inside the twitterverse whilst I host #ChocLitSaturday the chat as well as privately; I treat each book as a ‘new experience’, whether I personally know the author OR whether I am reading a book by them for the first time. Similarly this applies to spotlighting new books by an author I appreciate such as this one.
What if you were trapped between two cultures?
Life is tough in 1870s Wyoming. But it’s tougher still when you’re a girl who looks Chinese but speaks like an American.
Orphaned as a baby and taken in by an American family, Charity Walker knows this only too well. The mounting tensions between the new Chinese immigrants and the locals in the mining town of Carter see her shunned by both communities.
When Charity’s one friend, Joe, leaves town, she finds herself isolated. However, in his absence, a new friendship with the only other Chinese girl in Carter makes her feel like she finally belongs somewhere.
But, for a lost girl like Charity, finding a place to call home was never going to be that easy …
Places to find the book:
Add to Riffle
Published by: ChocLitUK (@ChocLitUK)
RELEASE DATE: 16th October, 2015 – ebook version
Formats Available: this is a Digital First release! print and audio should follow next!
Genre(s): Historical Fiction | Western | Adoption | Chinese-American ancestry
Liz Harris lives south of Oxford. Her debut novel was THE ROAD BACK (US Coffee Time & Romance Book of 2012), followed by A BARGAIN STRUCK (shortlisted for the RoNA Historical 2013), EVIE UNDERCOVER, THE ART OF DECEPTION and A WESTERN HEART. All of her novels, which are published by Choc Lit, have been shortlisted in their categories in the Festival of Romantic Fiction. In addition, Liz has had several short stories published in anthologies. Her interests are theatre, travelling, reading, cinema and cryptic crosswords.
Author Connections:
Personal Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
Converse via: #ChocLit
I wasn’t surprised that Ms Harris tackled another hard-hitting dramatic story-line in her new book The Lost Girl as I have previously come to find she has a way of elevating historical fiction to an emotional keel of clarity. There is a richness to her stories – she dares to capitalise on the emotional heart of her character’s journey; even within the pages of A Bargain Struck this was true, and she did it by taking a seemingly ordinary story-line and moulding it into such a convicting story of life, love and second chances.
Her stories give me a heap of pleasure to read due to how she layers her stories with honesty, conviction and soul-searching transparency of her character’s lives. Each of her characters is battling through a life difficulty when we meet them; as within A Bargain Struck it was a medical reality that altered the confidence of her Western Bride; whereas in The Road Back her character was facing breaking tradition and convention in order to pursue her true love to the man who connected directly to her soul. Read More
Posted Monday, 23 November, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 19th Century, Adoption, American Old West, Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Book Spotlight of E-Book (ahead of POD/print edition), British Literature, Brook Cottage Book Tours, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Historical Fiction, Immigrant Stories, Indie Author, Modern British Author, Modern British Literature, Orphans & Guardians
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 Saturday, 11 July, 2015 by jorielov Chronicles of Fane, Katy Haye, Self Published, The Last Gatekeeper 0 Comments
Acquired Book By: My path crossed with Ms Haye on Twitter in November of 2014, whereupon I was quite curious about the premise behind her debut Young Adult novel: The Last Gatekeeper! When she offered me the chance to read the novel, I was hoping to have read and reviewed it during my 2nd Year of either Sci Fi November and/or the Sci Fi Experience (which is now expanded into Dec/Jan). However, due to circumstances that arose I was unable to read the novel and was attempting to sort out the best time to do so, when I read a newsletter for upcoming blog tours via Brook Cottage Book Tours.
I decided to post originally on the first day of the tour (Monday, the 6th) except to say I hadn’t expected the intensely horrid lightning storms that arrived over Fourth of July weekend, not only knocking me offline but causing a bit of issues electronically as well. I re-scheduled for Friday, the 10th thinking the storms would decrease and give me enough time to participate. Clearly I misjudged mother nature!
I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the author Katy Haye, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Keenly Interested to Read:
I was so wrapped up in the premise of this novel, as it had me thinking of the different ways Haye could have written the story for Zan! I love how it is science fiction with a wicked sweet twist on the genre itself!
I positively love reading YA novels (as you might already know) – for the most part as I do like to seek out novels which are ‘clean’ from strong language but even if there are stronger words, as long as they are infrequent and not appearing on every page, I’m alright. YA to me should always not include heavy words, but I know some YA authors do include them. Aside from that, I just love the world of YA & the stories where characters are on the verge of discovering who they are and how they fit inside their worlds. It is an epic time of self-discovery but also of seeing past the scope of where their own lives lead.
I love seeing characters who have gifts outside the range of what we would normally expect them to be able to do or understand; telepathy and TK (telekinesis) are two of my favourite gifts I like to see explored, but this one knitted into Haye’s debut: EHS – wow! I have seen a few tv movies deal with something similar but never on the level of a character like Zan! How lovely!
The Last Gatekeeper
by Katy Haye
Source: Direct from Author
Zan knows she’s different. Today she discovers why …
Zanzibar MacKenzie knows she’s a freak. She has EHS – electrical hypersensitivity – which leaves her trying to live a Stone Age life in the twenty-first century: no internet, no phone, no point really. Then Thanriel knocks on her door and the dull summer holiday becomes maybe too exciting. Zan discovers fairies and angels are real beings from other planets, she herself is half alien, and the future of life on Earth rests on her shoulders.
This book is the first of the Chronicles of Fane series.
Places to find the book:
Add to LibraryThing
Series: Chronicles of Fane, No.1
Also in this series: Intangible, Beneath Creek Waters
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Read an Excerpt from the Novel | via the author’s website
Converse via: #TheLastGatekeeper, #KatyHaye, & #ChroniclesOfFane
About Katy Haye
Katy Haye spends as much time as possible in either her own or someone else's imaginary worlds. She has a fearsome green tea habit, a partiality for dark chocolate brazils and a fascination with the science of storytelling.
When not lost in a good book, Katy may be found on her allotment growing veg and keeping hens in order to maximise her chances of survival in the event of a zombie apocalypse or similar catastrophe (yes, she does have a very vivid imagination).
Website | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads
Read More
Posted Saturday, 11 July, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 21st Century, Angels, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Films, Brook Cottage Book Tours, Castles & Estates, Coming-Of Age, Compassion & Acceptance of Differences, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Equality In Literature, Faeries & the Fey, Fantasy Fiction, Folklore and Mythology, Genre-bender, Grief & Anguish of Guilt, Indie Author, Inspiring Video Related to Content, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Life Shift, Modern Day, Science, Science Fantasy, Science Fiction, Self-Published Author, Speculative Fiction, Supernatural Creatures & Beings, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense, YA Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction
Posted Thursday, 9 July, 2015 by jorielov ChocLitUK, Sheryl Browne, The Rest of my Life 2 Comments
I love being able to draw an attentive eye to upcoming new stories being released by publishers I happily devour and support on a regular basis. I haven’t had the pleasure to start hosting for Brook Cottage Book Tours thus far, however, when I spied a ChocLit author was using them for publicity, my heart warmed. I had previously booked my first blog tour with them for a stirring Sci-Fantasy debut novel: The Last Gatekeeper which will be arriving this Friday! Ironically, or not, the context of the novel involves electricity and it was lightning which kicked me offline the past six days, therefore, delaying both my review and this wicked awesome Cover Reveal!
On my connection to the author:
I happily host ChocLit authors on my blog throughout the year, however, when I saw a Cover Reveal for Ms Browne coming through my e-letter list for Brook Cottage Book Tours, I knew I wanted to participate! I love finding authors I appreciate getting to know in the twitterverse and of whose books are on my TBR next lists are finding creative and innovative ways of reaching new readers! I had already made the choice to request The Rest of my Life direct from ChocLitUK when it publishes in print as an upcoming ‘next’ review as part of my feature #ChocLitSaturdays; the reviews and guest features running in conjunction to my weekly Rom chat #ChocLitSaturday!
I happily have had the pleasure of interacting with Ms Browne through #ChocLitSaturday the chat off/on for the past half year or thereabouts. She is a delightful presence to have in the chats and I am thankful she found a niche where she felt comfortable chattering with fellow ChocLit authors, Romance novelists, book bloggers, readers, and other bookishly chatty spirits who alight on Saturdays!
I am disclosing this, to assure you that I can formulate an honest opinion, even though I have interacted with her ahead of reading her novels. I treat each book as a ‘new experience’, whether I personally know the author OR whether I am reading a book by them for the first time. This is also true when I follow-up with them on future releases and celebrate the book birthdays that come after their initial publication. Read More
Posted Thursday, 9 July, 2015 by jorielov in 21st Century, Animals in Fiction & Non-Fiction, Blog Tour Host, Book Cover Reveal, Brook Cottage Book Tours, Coming-Of Age, Contemporary Romance, Indie Author, Modern Day, Realistic Fiction, Rescue & Adoption of Animals, Romance Fiction, Second Chance Love