Posted Sunday, 20 March, 2016 by jorielov Bonneville Books, By the Stars, Cedar Fort Inc, Lindsay B. Ferguson 0 Comments
As a regular reader of Jorie Loves A Story you will readily observe, one of my favourite niches of literature is Historical Fiction (view the stories threaded on this tag) and of the wicked lovely diversity of choices inside the gateway of History are ‘war dramas’ which I have a natural inclination towards devouring every sweet chance I have at consuming their scope of heart, depth and strong will to surmount life’s hardships against the tumultuous backdrop of war.
The main draw for me as a reader is the humanistic instinct to rise above circumstances outside our own control and to find a way to thread Hope into a state of chaotic uncertainty. War dramas curate a wide expanse of History – as the four corners of the world have dealt with war and the after effects of how war affects the ordinary stasis of life and the peace which resumes after the battles are concluded. I have the tendency to focus on the World War Eras – moving between America, Great Britain and Europe, however, I am expanding outside of this niche of time this week as I resume where I left off reading The Bridges of Constantine by Ahlem Mosteghanemi as a precursor of concentrating on a variety of war dramas across both mainstream and inspirational markets. The lyrical prose of Mosteghanemi’s classic work of a trilogy rooted in the humanity behind the war and the pursuit of love against the harshness of that reality is what drew me into it’s narrative heart.
The last war dramas which evoked such a heart-centred story-line of full immersion were The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley (read my ruminative thoughts) and The Silver Locket (read my ruminative thoughts) wherein each author took a different approach to telling a guttingly realistic impression on the drama spinning out of the war era they chose to highlight through their character’s journey. Picking up from whence I left off with these stirringly brilliant observations on the human condition and the anguish of living within a reality of hard choices, I turnt my eye towards a story rooted inside an IRL inspiration! This story, By the Stars was one of a handful of selections I personally sought from the catalogues of Cedar Fort via Edelweiss a few moons ago as the conclusion of one year started to shift forward into a New Year.
I was truly inspired by the proposition of how this story was augmented out of a living history of someone’s past and thus, I created a topic for the author to respond too which would knit out the back-story to give us an inside glimpse of how Ms Ferguson approached writing the bones of her war drama.
If you are curious about where my readerly heart has wandered within this branch of #HistFic you’ll be happily ensconced into my archives! (previously read war dramas are collected via this tag)
Deep in the alcoves of 93-year-old Cal Morgan’s mind is an unexpected and intriguing past. Recollections of growing up a farm boy during the Great Depression, learning to foxtrot in the largest ballroom in America, and serving as an infantry soldier in World War II are fragments of his memories. But perhaps above all, a once in a lifetime love story is seared in his soul, reminding us that some things in life are meant to be.
When Cal finally gets a chance with Kate, the girl he’s loved since grade school, their easy friendship quickly blossoms into a meaningful romance. Spirited and independent, Kate keeps a guarded heart due to a painful past, and Cal wants nothing more than to gain her trust. But the WWII draft calls him to the war in the Pacific and with no way of knowing when and if he will return, Cal prepares to part from her for good. After he’s gone, what Kate does next changes everything.
In the suffocating jungles of the Philippines Cal encounters the chilling life of a soldier and deadly battles of war. But with Kate’s memory always near and willing him on he puts his trust in God, ultimately driven to return to her. Inspired by a true story, By the Stars shows that love, faith, and perseverance can overcome insurmountable obstacles.
Proposed Topic for Ms Ferguson:
You’ve crafted an enduring romance set against WWII involving two strong characters whose will to not only survive the war but to believe in the hope of reunion after it concludes is at the heart of the story. It was referenced this is based on a true story – was this one from your family’s ancestral past or a story you discovered whilst you were researching the era? How did your penchant for historical fiction encourage you to write a war drama with such a convicting note of Hope?
First off, I want to say thank you to Jorie for inviting me on to do a guest post on her fabulous blog! I’m excited to have an opportunity to share about some of the backstory of By the Stars with readers and how the novel came to be.
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Posted Sunday, 20 March, 2016 by jorielov in 20th Century, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Indie Author, Reader Submitted Guest Post (Topic) for Author, The World Wars, War Drama
Posted Saturday, 5 March, 2016 by jorielov Charton Minster series, ChocLitUK, Magic Sometimes Happens, Margaret James, The Golden Chain, The Penny Bangle, The Silver Locket, The Wedding Diary 4 Comments
Acquired Book By:
I am a ChocLit reviewer who receives books of my choice in exchange for honest reviews! I received a complimentary copy of “The Silver Locket” from ChocLit in exchange for an honest review! I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
An Introduction to the Charton Minster series:
Order of Sequence of Charton Minster series:
The Silver Locket Book One | The Golden Chain Book Two | The Penny Bangle Book Three
The Wedding Diary Book Four | Magic Sometimes Happens Book Five
The first story begins in 1914, where we enter the life of Rose Courtenay – the impression of how this story settled inside my mind will play out below this introduction, as I have decided to start at the beginning of this saga, as I make my way through each of the novels. I love reading series in order of how their stories are being told – mostly due to continuity but also, as I like to see how an author grows the arc of the character’s journey inasmuch as how the story evolves per installment of the series as a whole. I love finding the connective threads and the little nuances which knit everything together or leave a plausible line of thought to question certain motives or outcomes.
Serial fiction is one of my favourite mainstays when it comes to what I appreciate reading on a regular basis – so much so, I decided to dedicate this year to seeking the series within the catalogue of ChocLit; to see the beautiful diversity of characters and stories interacting through a myriad of timescapes which truly give my heart a heap of joy to discover! This is part of the beauty of reading ChocLit – if you love relationship-based Rom set in both the historical past or the contemporary modern world – you’ll always find something to cosy up inside as you pick up a ChocLit novel!
Here is the description for the original books which made up the series trilogy:
Starts in 1914 and ends in 1948. A compelling and intensely romantic tale of the lives of a Dorset family throughout the wars. Set in the UK, France, Belgium, Egypt and Italy.
If you love Downton Abbey, you’ll adore Charton Minster!
You can see what drew me to this series – I was a big appreciator Downton before they killed off Matthew and then, a test of wills followed whilst I have put-off seeing the last two series until they are available to borrow through my local library. It’s simply something that can await my attention, as the story-lines and choices Fellowes was making with his creation irked my ire more than once. Having said that, what I appreciated in the description for this series is how it’s similar to Downton by scope – focusing on a singular family and the trials which will befell them as the series proceeds forward in time.
I love sagas – you get to become so intimately familiar with the characters, caught up in their tides and get to have this extended visitation which you hardly ever want to see end. This is what was so fascinating for me when I realised there were two new novels attached to this trilogy: The Wedding Diary and Magic Sometimes Happens as I had a feeling this might prove to be a hard series to put down. The new installments sound as though they are set in the contemporary world, and perhaps, are linked through the descendants of the original characters – I tried to root out a back-story on these whilst reading through the author’s blog, but I did not find exactly what I was searching for to reveal the particulars.
Which makes my entrance into the series even more delightful, as I get to relate to you, dear hearts, what I am finding and how everything ties collectively together as I move through the series!
Notation on Cover Art: Being a mixed media collage artist who loves to focus on Vintage Ephemera supplies including old photographs from the early 20th Century, I must say, I loved the focus on the women of the Charton Minster series! I had hoped they might be spotlighting the lead characters per novel before the series turns contemporary and thereby the focus of the covers would surely shift. This vintage styling for the cover art truly matched my impressions of the stories by reading their synopsises as it’s a story told through it’s women & how their lives shaped the family’s destiny.
The Silver Locket
Source: Direct from Publisher
If life is cheap, how much is love worth?
It’s 1914 and young Rose Courtenay has a decision to make. Please her wealthy parents by marrying the man of their choice – or play her part in the war effort? The chance to escape proves irresistible and Rose becomes a nurse.
Working in France, she meets Lieutenant Alex Denham, a dark figure from her past. He’s the last man in the world she’d get involved with – especially now he’s married
But in wartime nothing is as it seems. Alex’s marriage is a sham and Rose is the only woman he’s ever wanted. As he recovers from his wounds, he sets out to win her trust. His gift of a silver locket is a far cry from the luxuries she’s left behind.
Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 9781906931285
Series: Charton Minster
Also in this series: The Golden Chain, The Penny Bangle, Cover Reveal w/ Notes (Girl in Red Velvet), The Wedding Diary, Magic Sometimes Happens
Published by ChocLitUK
on 29th May, 2012
Format: Paperback Edition
Pages: 320
Published by: ChocLitUK (@ChocLitUK)
Formats Available: Paperback, Audiobook and E-book
Converse via: #ChocLit
About Margaret James
Margaret James was born and brought up in Hereford and now lives in Devon. She studied English at London University, and has written many short stories, articles and serials for magazines. She is the author of sixteen published novels.
Her debut novel for Choc Lit, The Silver Locket, received a glowing review from the Daily Mail and reached the Top 20 Small Publishers Fiction List in November 2010 and in the same year a Reviewers’ Choice Award from Single Titles. The Golden Chain also hit the Top 20 Small Publishers Fiction List in May 2011. The Wedding Diary was shortlisted for the 2014 Romantic Novel of the Year Award.
Novels: The Silver Locket, The Golden Chain, The Penny Bangle, The Wedding Diary and Magic Sometimes Happens which are part of the Charton Minster series.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2016 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Posted Saturday, 5 March, 2016 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 20th Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Britian, British Literature, Castles & Estates, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Coming-Of Age, Debut Author, Debut Novel, During WWI, England, Father-Daughter Relationships, Flashbacks & Recollective Memories, Green Publishing, Historical Fiction, Indie Author, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Life Shift, Medical Fiction, Military Fiction, Modern British Author, Modern British Literature, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Nurses & Hospital Life, Political Narrative & Modern Topics, Realistic Fiction, Romance Fiction, the Nineteen Hundreds, The World Wars, War Drama, Warfare & Power Realignment, Women's Fiction, Women's Rights, Women's Suffrage
Posted Tuesday, 1 March, 2016 by jorielov Claire Flynn, Cranbrook Press, Letters from a Patchwork Quilt 0 Comments
Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours whereupon I am thankful to have been able to host such a diverse breadth of stories, authors and wonderful guest features since I became a hostess! I received a complimentary copy of “Letters from a Patchwork Quilt” direct from the author Claire Flynn in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Old World Arts & Crafts and a joy of letter-writing:
When I originally read the synopsis for this novel, I was hoping the title would yield to a revelation of how letters and quilts would come together to unite the story! I wasn’t entirely sure how Flynn would pull this off, but as I started to read the Prologue something quite wicked happened: the letters and the quilt were stitched together as one, thus lends the precursor glimpse into how Letters from a Patchwork Quilt picks up the story-line and the reader’s heart-centred attention! As who wouldn’t want to read a novel where a character discovers hand-written missives stitched protectively inside an heirloom quilt?
This is a nod towards old world arts and crafts and the joy of letter-writing, of which I happily am a fond appreciator of both on equal terms. I love the mystery of the premise inasmuch as the allure of how the letters were purposely and lovingly placed underneath the patchwork in order to be secured safe for time’s arrow to reveal them at a point in the future they were meant to be read again. Isn’t it a wonderfully delish premise that gives your mind a lot to ponder even before you open the pages inside Chapter One?! This is how I found myself on the precipice of the story and the intrigue of where Flynn would take me once I was fully ensconced inside her prose!
Letters from a Patchwork Quilt
In 1875 England, a young man, Jack Brennan, from a large and impoverished Catholic family refuses to be pushed into the priesthood and runs away to fulfill his dream of becoming a teacher.
Jack falls in love with Eliza Hewlett, but his dreams and plans are thwarted when his landlord’s daughter, Mary Ellen MacBride, falsely accuses him of fathering the child she is expecting.
Rather than be forced to marry his accuser, Jack decides to run away to America with Eliza. Just as they are about to sail, Jack is arrested and dragged from the ship, leaving Eliza alone en route to New York with just a few shillings in her pocket.
Places to find the book:
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 9780993332418
on 1st October, 2015
Pages: 360
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2016 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Posted Tuesday, 1 March, 2016 by jorielov in 19th Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Britian, Bullies and the Bullied, Catholicism, Coming-Of Age, Content Note, Fly in the Ointment, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, History, Indie Author, Passionate Researcher, Prejudicial Bullying & Non-Tolerance, Time Slip, Vulgarity in Literature
Posted Saturday, 27 February, 2016 by jorielov Daughter of Destiny, Guinevere's Tale, Lawson Gartner Publishing, Nicole Evelina 0 Comments
Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours whereupon I am thankful to have been able to host such a diverse breadth of stories, authors and wonderful guest features since I became a hostess! I received a complimentary copy of “Daughter of Destiny” direct from the author Nicole Evelina in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
A note about how the author enscribed my copy:
The first thing which struck my fancy to notice is the red seal with a crown inside the wax which was quite cleverly affixed next to the author’s signature on the title page of this novel! The reason such a gesture from the old world signified such delight in me, is because I’m a letter-writer whose appreciation for all things papery and postal extend back into my childhood. Seals, waxes and emblems have bewitched my writerly heart for awhile now, and the hardest part to sealing wax is getting it to behave in such a manner as you can be certain of where it shall affix and how the look your hoping to gain will be presented exactly as you intended it.
This was definitely a special surprise for me, as it gave a bit of a definitive nod of the novel’s heart etched out of both history and lore entwined together. I definitely think the author gave me a strong impression on how to greet your book blogger ‘at hallo’ and give them a wink of a surprise as they settle inside your story! It is always the small things that inspire the most happiness, I find, and this small gesture of yesteryear was wicked brilliant!
Daughter of Destiny
Subtitle: Guinevere's Tale Book One
by Nicole Evelina
Illustrator/Cover Designer: Jenny Quinlan (JennyQ)
Source: Author via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
Before queenship and Camelot, Guinevere was a priestess of Avalon. She loved another before Arthur, a warrior who would one day betray her.
In the war-torn world of late fifth century Britain, young Guinevere faces a choice: stay with her family to defend her home at Northgallis from the Irish, or go to Avalon to seek help for the horrific visions that haunt her. The Sight calls her to Avalon, where she meets Morgan, a woman of questionable parentage who is destined to become her rival. As Guinevere matures to womanhood, she gains the powers of a priestess, and falls in love with a man who will be both her deepest love and her greatest mistake.
Just when Guinevere is able to envision a future in Avalon, tragedy forces her back home, into a world she barely recognizes, one in which her pagan faith, outspokenness, and proficiency in the magical and military arts are liabilities. When a chance reunion with her lover leads to disaster, she is cast out of Northgallis and into an uncertain future. As a new High King comes to power, Guinevere must navigate a world of political intrigue where unmarried women are valuable commodities and seemingly innocent actions can have life-altering consequences.
You may think you know the story of Guinevere, but you’ve never heard it like this: in her own words. Listen and you will hear the true story of Camelot and its queen.
Fans of Arthurian legend and the Mists of Avalon will love Daughter of Destiny, the first book in a historical fantasy trilogy that gives Guinevere back her voice and traces her life from an uncertain eleven year old girl to a wise queen in her fifth decade of life.
Genres: After Canons, Arthurian Legend, Feminist Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Historical-Fantasy, Spirituality & Metaphysics, Women's Fiction Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 978-0-9967631-0-3
Also by this author: Nicole Evelina (Guest Post: Camelot's Queen), Camelot's Queen, Been Searching For You, Madame Presidentess, Mistress of Legend
Also in this series: Camelot's Queen, Mistress of Legend
Published by Lawson Gartner Publishing
on 21st December, 2015
Format: Softcover Edition
Pages: 327
Published By: Lawson Gartner Publishing
Book No. 2 Camelot’s Queen releases 12th of April 2016
Book No. 3 Mistress of the Legend releases late 2016/early 2017
Formats Available: Softcover, Audiobook and Ebook
About Nicole Evelina
Nicole Evelina is an award-winning historical fiction and romantic comedy writer. Her current novel, Been Searching for You, a romantic comedy, won the 2015 Romance Writers of America (RWA) Great Expectations and Golden Rose contests.
She also writes historical fiction. Her debut novel, Daughter of Destiny, the first book of an Arthurian legend trilogy that tells Guinevere’s life story from her point of view, took first place in the legend/legacy category of the 2015 Chatelaine Awards for Women’s Fiction/Romance, and was short-listed for the Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction. Later this year (2016), she will release Madame Presidentess (July 25), a historical novel about Victoria Woodhull, America's first female Presidential candidate, which was the first place winner in the Women’s US History category of the 2015 Chaucer Awards for Historical Fiction.
Nicole is one of only six authors who completed a week-long writing intensive taught by #1 New York Times bestselling author Deborah Harkness. Nicole has traveled to England twice to research the Guinevere’s Tale trilogy, where she consulted with internationally acclaimed author and historian Geoffrey Ashe, as well as Arthurian/Glastonbury expert Jaime George, the man who helped Marion Zimmer Bradley research The Mists of Avalon.
Nicole is a member of and book reviewer for the The Historical Novel Society, and Sirens (a group supporting female fantasy authors), as well as a member of the Historical Writers of America, Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Romance Writers of America, the St. Louis Writer’s Guild, Women Writing the West, Broad Universe (promoting women in fantasy, science fiction and horror), Alliance of Independent Authors and the Independent Book Publishers Association.
Author biography was updated July 2016.
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumblr | LibraryThing | YouTube
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2016 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Posted Saturday, 27 February, 2016 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 6th Century, After the Canon, Apothecary, Arthurian Legend, Avalon, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Britian, British Literature, Bullies and the Bullied, Coming-Of Age, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Earthen Magic, Earthen Spirituality, Folklore and Mythology, Herbalist, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Romance, History, Indie Author, Inspired By Author OR Book, Mythological Societies, Naturopathic Medicine, Parapsychological Gifts, Passionate Researcher, Prejudicial Bullying & Non-Tolerance, Premonition-Precognitive Visions, Re-Told Tales, Sewing & Stitchery, Spirituality & Metaphysics, Supernatural Fiction, Superstitions & Old World Beliefs, Warfare & Power Realignment, Women's Fiction, Wordsmiths & Palettes of Sage, Writing Style & Voice
Posted Thursday, 25 February, 2016 by jorielov Emmy Nation series, Emmy Nation: Undercover Suffragette, L. Davis Munro, Self Published 2 Comments
Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a part of the blog tour for “Emmy Nation: Undercover Suffragette” wherein I received a complimentary copy of “Emmy Nation: Undercover Suffragette” direct from the author L. Davis Munro in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
I am appreciating reading Feminist Historical Fiction:
I believe part of me was drawn into this sub-focus of historicals long before I cued the titles into my reading queues as I fondly recall seeking out strong female characters where the arc of the stories were not only focused on their lives but focused on how women could succeed in a highly dominated men’s world. For a girl who arrived on the scene and grew up in the decades where Working Girl and Baby Boom attempted to make a point about how successful a woman could be if she thought outside the proverbial box and/or wrote her own lifepath out of what was generally expected of her – you could say I was growing up in a potboiler of a new generation of Feminism without realising it!
What I find most inspiring by digging through the historical past via authors such as I am finding now, is this whole new plethora of stories wherein the women who rose out of the shadows to “effectively turn the tides of change” are brought so beautifully to life and within their characters journey we see bits of ourselves; where we can ascertain a focal point in history where women started to say ‘No’ and started to voice not only their opinions but their rights – to be wholly whole and true to themselves without having to back down due to socioeconomic pressure, familial protocol or society’s expectations which held them under a drowning sea of expectations.
I definitely am akin to reading more Feminist Historical Fiction and anxiously await where my next read will generate itself – this is to say, I can find a third author who whets my palette of thirst before either Ms Flynn (the Rebellious Times series) or Ms Munro (Emmy Nation series) complete their next books in sequence of their debuts!
Emmy Nation
Subtitle: Undercover Suffragette
by L. Davis Munro
Source: Author via iRead Book Tours
Being an independent woman in 1913 London is certainly empowering, but Emmy Nation is tired of the inescapable damp seeping through her worn shoes and the hopeless grumblings of her stomach.
When she receives an offer from Scotland Yard to boost her typist income by spying on the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), Emmy jumps at the chance. But as she grows closer to the WSPU women the lines begin to blur, and when a painful part of her past resurfaces Emmy begins to question her choices.
How far are you willing to go to secure your equality?
Genres: Feminist Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, Women's Studies Places to find the book:
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 9781517529673
Also by this author:
Published by Self Published
on 22nd November, 2015
Format: POD | Print On Demand Paperback
Pages: 336
About L. Davis Munro
L. Davis Munro holds a master’s degree with a focus on women’s suffrage theatre and works in theatre and dance. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with her husband and her dog.
Author Links Updated: January, 2018
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2016 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Posted Thursday, 25 February, 2016 by jorielov in 20th Century, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Blog Tour Host, Britian, Debut Author, Debut Novel, England, Feminine Heroism, Historical Fiction, Indie Author, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Self-Published Author, the Nineteen Hundreds, The Writers Life, Vulgarity in Literature, Women's Fiction, Women's Rights, Women's Suffrage
