Category: Crime Fiction

Blog Book Tour | “Worlds of Ink and Shadow” by Lena Coakley The Brontes arrive on #JLASblog, in this aptly atmospheric and wicked emotionally dramatic inspired-by young adult novel!

Posted Sunday, 24 January, 2016 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Chapter by Chapter, where I receive opportunities to host Cover Reveals & Author Guest Features on behalf of the Indie Publisher Month9Books. I began hosting another Indie Publisher: Rebelight Publishing of whom I love the stories by their Middle Grade & YA authors during 2015.

This time around, it’s a new publisher who offered the chance to read an exciting new young adult novel inspired by the Brontë siblings: Charlotte (of whom I’m reading ‘Jane Eyre’), Branwell (of whom I never knew existed!), Emily and Anne. I am appreciating the diversity of choices being offered through Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours, as I am not only getting the chance to become introduced to new Indie Publishers but new writers of wicked good fiction for young readers! This is most inspiring as I love re-connecting with this generation of stories directly being crafted to readers of MG & YA from a Prospective Adoptive Mum and current Auntie of nieces/nephews point of view; inasmuch as a reader who found herself re-inspired by what she found inside the novels!

I received a complimentary copy of “Worlds by Ink and Shadow” direct from the publisher Amulet Books in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

A note about Charlotte and why I love Gothic Lit:

For a girl who has not yet finished her proper first reading of Jane Eyre it might seem a bit shocking to learn that Charlotte Brontë is amongst my favourite Classical authors to read! I appreciate a wide spectrum of literature as a rule, however, when it comes to the structure of Gothic Literature (both in Classical Lit and in Southern Gothic Lit) there is an undertone of suspense that lends itself towards the psychological analysis of fear and what can be perceived as fear by those who are placed inside a story whose narrative is meant to surprise it’s reader in more than one vein of thought.

I appreciate Mystery, Suspense, Thriller and Psychological Suspense (including those stories that are bent more readily towards Cosy Horror) in equal measures due to the nature of how intricate the writers who craft stories inside these layers of genre endeavour to take you on a visceral journey you may or may not imagine outside of their own vision. Gothic Lit for me is quite well suited to my appreciation for the mysterious and to be suspended inside a story that brokers itself to be equal parts fantastical and psychologically spellbinding.

I like to see where writers will take a Gothic tale – will they yield to the suspense within the hidden in-between or will they break my tolerance levels and go a bit too hard into the visual realms? I am quite Hitchcockian in wanting to keep quite a bit outside of view and fully feel the emotional anguish and the undercurrents of suspense by what can only be imagined. It isn’t oft I am in a position to explore a work of Gothic Lit, which is why each time I am able to pick up a work of narrative that befits this arm of literature, I am beyond delighted for the respite inside it’s story.

Notation about the Cover Art: I’ve blogged and actively tweeted about how ‘cover art’ by itself doesn’t sway me one way or another to read a novel; to be honest, if the premise of a story isn’t fetching in of itself, the cover art will not be the swing vote to convince me to read it. I have to feel something before I read a story: be that curiosity or a perk of interest towards seeing where the journey of a character takes me, *something!* must yield a flickerment of earnest desire to ‘know’ what happens as I open the pages of a novel. Stories are such personal experiences – however, I normally do not cross-compare a cover to another cover. Except to say, I truly much prefer this one on the Canadian edition over the American one I received:

Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley

Simply because I think it warms you to the spirit of the character of whom it’s based upon; Charlotte is such a well-known authoress who has inspired readers throughout centuries of literary wanderings. It provides a proper rooting of the narrative’s voice; and goodness! how clever too, with the dual portraits within the whole of the frame? I love cross-overlays and curious nods to narratives! The cover art on the American one is a bit too vague, but I do give them full props of gratitude for making the interior pages so very enticing to turn! Especially if your a writer who appreciates old world things such as ink wells, parchment paper, wax seals and those blessed ‘ink splotches’ from quill pens!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Blog Book Tour | “Worlds of Ink and Shadow” by Lena Coakley The Brontes arrive on #JLASblog, in this aptly atmospheric and wicked emotionally dramatic inspired-by young adult novel!Worlds of Ink and Shadow
Subtitle: A Novel of the Brontes
by Lena Coakley
Source: Publisher via Chapter by Chapter

Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. The Brontë siblings have always been inseparable. After all, nothing can bond four siblings quite like life in an isolated parsonage out on the moors. Their vivid imaginations lend them escape from their strict upbringing, actually transporting them into their created worlds: the glittering Verdopolis and the romantic and melancholy Gondal. But at what price? As Branwell begins to slip into madness and the sisters feel their real lives slipping away, they must weigh the cost of their powerful imaginations, even as their characters—the brooding Rogue and dashing Duke of Zamorna—refuse to let them go.

Gorgeously written and based on the Brontës’ juvenilia, Worlds of Ink & Shadow brings to life one of history’s most celebrated literary families.

Genres: Canadian Lit, Cosy Horror, Genre-bender, Gothic Literature, Historical Fiction, Metafiction, Suspense, Time Slip and/or Time Shift, YA Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781419710346

Published by Amulet Books

on 5th January, 2016

Format: Hardcover Edition

Pages: 352

Published By: Amulet Books

an imprint of Abrams (@abramskids)

a division of La Martiniere Groupe

Cross-released with HarperCollins Canada (@HarperCollinsCa)

Converse via: #WorldsOfInkAndShadow & #YALit OR #CanLit
Available Formats: Hardcover and Ebook

Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards Badge created by Jorie in Canva. Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

About Lena Coakley

Lena Coakley

Lena Coakley was born in Milford, Connecticut and grew up on Long Island. In High School, Creative Writing was the only course she ever failed (nothing was ever good enough to hand in!), but, undeterred, she went on to study writing at Sarah Lawrence College. She lives in Toronto, Canada. Witchlanders was her debut novel.

Photo Credit: Emma-Lee Photography

Read More

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

Divider

Posted Sunday, 24 January, 2016 by jorielov in 19th Century, After the Canon, Anne Bronte, ArchDemons or Demonic Entities, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Cover | Notation on Design, Bookish Discussions, Branwell Bronte, Brothers and Sisters, Canadian Literature, Castles & Estates, Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours, Charlotte Bronte, Childhood Friendship, Classical Literature, Coming-Of Age, Cosy Horror, Crime Fiction, Death of a Sibling, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Emily Bronte, England, Fantasy Fiction, Father-Daughter Relationships, Folklore, Good vs. Evil, Gothic Literature, Gothic Mystery, Grief & Anguish of Guilt, Haunting & Ethereal, Historical Fiction, Inspired By Author OR Book, Inspired by Stories, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Metafiction, Siblings, Sisters & the Bond Between Them, Supernatural Creatures & Beings, Supernatural Fiction, Superstitions & Old World Beliefs, Suspense, Teenage Relationships & Friendships, the Victorian era, YA Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction

Blog Book Tour | “The Haunting of Springett Hall” by E.B. Wheeler For readers who love a dash of #CosyHorror to the undercurrent of their paranormal readings!

Posted Friday, 6 November, 2015 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Cedar Fort whereupon I am thankful to have such a diverse amount of novels and non-fiction titles to choose amongst to host. I received a complimentary copy of “The Haunting of Springett Hall” direct from the publisher Sweetwater Books (imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Why I love a wicked good ghost story:

#HistoricalFix in October had a wicked good topic of discussion as it was centered around paranormal historical fiction, ghost stories and our genuine love of the cosier side of horror! I felt honoured I was able to attend this quarterly chat for a conversation which truly excited me beyond what words could express! In attendance were Katherine Howe, Cat Winters and Lynn Carthage (the latter of whom I interviewed when her debut novel Haunted was released!). Curiously, I ended up walking away with a copy of Haunted at the end of the evening, as the author appreciated the fact my favourite childhood toy was my Gloworm of whom was my reading companion as a child!

During the conversation, as with previous #HistoricalFix’s the tweets are lightning quick, the chatter blissfully addictive, I started to notice that I am not the only one who is bemused by ghost stories! In fact, what did surprise me is how many of us appreciate the lighter side of the genre vs the horror-esque style of modern ghost stories! Not every contemporary author writes the horror into a ghost story, but imagine my jolly surprise in finding there were other writers and readers out there who liked the same versions I did!

I happily mentioned The Haunting of Springett Hall and I believe I remembered to mention my readings of Edith Wharton’s Ghost Stories from Halloween 2014, as they became singularly memorable due to how Wharton wrote the ghosts inside her tales! I have been wanting to read more ghost stories and more PNR in particular, however, the hours slip past me in the hourglass, and another year has come and gone! Imagine!? I am hopeful by October 2016, I will have lots of lovelies to talk about inside this suspenseful genre as I do get a heap of happiness out of reading about ghosts!

Mind you, I’m a bit more scared to admit The Barter is keeping my imagination on high alert as it’s a ghost story unlike any other I’ve attempted to read! This was a curious suggestion of a book to read for Halloween and I must say, I’m still working my way through it! It’s so chillingly haunting and quite fetchingly edgy, it’s remarkable how the author managed to keep the tone introspective as her character is trying to ‘think her way’ out of the horror of keeping company with a ghost!

The beauty for me is finding stories like The Haunting of Springett Hall as I had a feeling even before I picked it up to read, this might become a seasonal favourite to re-visit due to how Wheeler pulled her story together and gave me such a wicked sweet read! Gentle spirits, innocent ghosts, expansive estates and the historical past – what is not to love about soaking inside this kind of a world where a girl realises she’s a ghost but forgets how that’s possible?

Notation on the Cover Art: Quite happily, when I first soaked inside the first chapter, the image on the cover art started to percolate inside my mind’s eye as the young girl whose become the ghost of the hour is quite aptly described as the same ghost featured on the cover! So much so, you can almost feel her discomfort of wandering around an old Victorian estate home without so much as a clue as to why she’s there and what could possibly have caused this new ‘state’ of her life.

Blog Book Tour | “The Haunting of Springett Hall” by E.B. Wheeler For readers who love a dash of #CosyHorror to the undercurrent of their paranormal readings!The Haunting of Springett Hall
by E.B. Wheeler
Source: Direct from Publisher

I gasped and jerked my hand back, staring at it. Through it, really. Even when I covered my eyes, I could see the furniture on the other side of the room: a grandfather clock with its hands stopped, a mahogany side table and sofa, and a portrait draped in black.

Someone had died.

I turned my translucent hand back and forth. Yes. Someone had.

Eighteen-year-old Lucy can't remember how she became a ghost, but the more she discovers about her past, the more she wants to forget. With the help of a servant named Philip, the only living person who can see her, Lucy must find a way to erase the mistakes of her former life before it's too late.

This haunting romantic mystery takes you back in time to Victorian England. Filled with suspenseful scenes and thrilling twists - it's an impossible romance you won't be able to put down.


Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Published by Sweetwater Books

on 14th July, 2015

Format: Paperback Edition

Pages: 256

Published By: Sweetwater Books (@SweetwaterBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)

Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Converse via: #HauntingOfSpringettHall, #ghoststory, #paranormal,

#PNR or #paranormalrom

About E.B. Wheeler

E.B. Wheeler

E.B. Wheeler grew up in Georgia and California, where she became fascinated by stories of the places around her. She studied English and history at Brigham Young University and earned an MA and MLA from Utah State University.

After several years teaching and writing about history, she decided to pursue her other dream of writing fiction. “The Haunting of Springett Hall” is her first novel. She currently lives in northern Utah with her husband, daughters, various pets, and a garden full of antique roses.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com Read More

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • 2015 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Divider

Posted Friday, 6 November, 2015 by jorielov in 19th Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Castles & Estates, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Cosy Horror, Cosy Horror Suspense, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Earthen Magic, Folklore and Mythology, Ghost Story, Ghosts & the Supernatural, Good vs. Evil, Gothic Literature, Gothic Mystery, Haunting & Ethereal, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical Thriller Suspense, Indie Author, Life Shift, Paranormal Romance, Parapsychological Suspense, Psychological Suspense, Shapeshifters, Supernatural Creatures & Beings, the Victorian era

Blog Book Tour | “Turning to Stone” by Gabriel Valjan

Posted Saturday, 24 October, 2015 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

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.

Blog Book Tour | “Turning to Stone” by Gabriel ValjanTurning 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

Roma Underground by Gabriel ValjanWasp's Nest by Gabriel ValjanThreading the Needle by Gabriel Valjan

Converse via: #RomaSeries

About Gabriel Valjan

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.

Read More

Divider

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

Author Guest Post | “What is Death?” by Ann Farnsworth (author of: ‘The Throne of David’) answering Jorie’s enquiry about an ethereal scene in her novel.

Posted Tuesday, 13 October, 2015 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Author Guest Post Banner created by Jorie in Canva.

There was a moment whilst I was reading ‘The Throne of David’ where I settled inside this beautiful passage of a man finding himself between living and dying – he was cast between the worlds and equally so, caught between letting himself go and fighting to come back to the surface of where he fell below the ocean’s currents. It was a passage that was written with such a clarity of knowing what would happen inside those moments of where the soul takes over the conscience thinking of the man and a will to survive is not the only motivation behind what is happening.

Farnsworth delve into a deeper part of what happens when we are taken out of our ‘life’ and placed in this in-between place between where we are, where we could be going, and where we might honestly end up. It’s a fusion of spirituality and an awareness of what can be felt and seen between the veils of where time and life intersect. I was caught so tightly into her vision of what David Lord was experiencing that I wanted to know more about how this section was written, hence this guest post!

What I hadn’t expected is that the inspiration behind this passage was heart-centered on a personal tragedy and was written after a period of healing on behalf of a Mum who had lost her child. I hadn’t realised I would broach a subject that was so dearly personal to Ms Farnsworth, but it’s how she responded to my enquiry that touched my own heart. Despite the circumstances of her son’s death, it’s how his passing has influenced and inspired his mother that truly stays with you as you read their story.

This new insight into ‘The Throne of David’ provides a beautiful back-story to David Lord’s out of body experience and re-grounds part of his character’s journey in the author’s search for understanding about what happens when this chapter of our lives ends. It’s a beautiful testimony about life and the heart of how each hour we are given with each other is a treasured gift not to be forsaken but cherished and celebrated. I found her response quite uplifting and a lovely open letter from a Mum to her child.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

The Throne of David by Ann Farnsworth

The book begins when a mysterious letter is delivered to the Prince of Wales 32 years after it was posted. Hinting of a secret royal marriage, the letter raises the specter of an unknown heir to the British throne and sets in motion a desperate race for the truth.

The search sets David Lord, an American accountant, against the unlimited resources of the Royal Protection Service (the SO14) who do whatever it takes to protect the King of England.

Critical to settling the issues spawned by the letter is locating the coronation stone, one of the holiest artifacts of the Hebrew nation and a companion to the Ark of the Covenant, of ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ fame. The coronation stone legend originates in ancient Israel and travels, over time, to Ireland, Scotland and London. The revered stone is currently on display in Edinburgh castle.

Or is it?

Mounting evidence indicates that the genuine coronation stone disappeared before it ever reached Westminster Abbey. The sacred stone Mr. Lord uncovers could prove the downfall of the House of Windsor or validate their divine right to rule through the ancient Throne of David.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Proposed Topic:

There is a sequence within The Throne of David where David Lord takes an ethereal journey outside of his body where the journey of his soul is revealled for a brief expanse of the story. The way in which you portrayed this journey was quite beautiful – my question truly is how did you come up with the vacuum of space you’ve explored and painted such a clear picture of what he was thinking and feeling during this moment of being between life, death, and heaven?

You can write any length you’d like on this as it was truly such a curious part of the story — I loved it personally. I was wondering if you did research about near death experiences or it this sequence just came to you as your wrote it?

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Before you read this Guest Post, kindly note the author invites you to read the passage from her novel which inspired me to pitch this topic of enquiry on her website.
You can find the excerpt here.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

The story of my novel ‘The Throne of David’ is really a tale of a 50 year old mother who finally saved up enough life experience to write a book. There is a scene in the book that has captured my readers attention in a way I never anticipated. It is a sequence of scenes where David Lord is out of his body, some would say he was dead. But, for me, death is really nothing at all. Read More

Divider

Posted Tuesday, 13 October, 2015 by jorielov in 21st Century, Action & Adventure Fiction, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Britian, British Literature, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Crime Fiction, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Equality In Literature, Espionage, Good vs. Evil, Grief & Anguish of Guilt, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical Thriller Suspense, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Inspired by Stories, Modern Day, Political Narrative & Modern Topics, Reader Submitted Guest Post (Topic) for Author, Treasure Hunt