Posted Thursday, 30 July, 2015 by jorielov Alchemy's Daughter, Lake Street Press, Mary A. Osborne 2 Comments
Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a part of the blog tour for “Alchemy’s Daughter” hosted by Italy Book Tours. Although I recently started to host for iRead Book Tours, this is my first tour with the Italian side of this duo book touring company! I received a complimentary copy of “Alchemy’s Daughter” direct from the publisher Lake Street Press in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Switching from France to Italy:
When I was first approached to host for iRead Book Tours, and their sister hosting services via Italy Book Tours, something inside me was quite keen on the idea to start reading stories set in Italy as I have been spending nearly two full years residing in the historical past of France! I love learning about different cultural traditions inasmuch as I like the angling of insight into my own heritage but sometimes I find that if I switch up the locales a bit, exchange one country for another, it keeps everything quite fresh and invigorating! Therefore, imagine my sweet surprise in finding I can start to tuck inside novels set in Italy and continue to time travel through history!?
I was quite happy to discover inside my ARC copy of this YA Historical a lovely bookmark from the publisher! Quite a keen surprise to discover and I can assure you it was used as I read the book! I love finding bookmarks in the pages of a book I am reviewing; as I am definitely a book blogger who can NEVER have too many! Laughs with mirth. Perhaps you feel the same!? Does your bookshelf have a lot of current reads and must-get-those-soon reads begging for your attention? Do you pick out bookmarks to compliment your reading queue whilst finding each book to be read has a bookmark, which leaves you a bit curious to find one to use with the current book in hand? Thus, you can see how lovely it was indeed for me to pull out a bookmark from a book I was reading as I blog my review! Quite champion of Lake Street Press!
Alchemy's Daughter
by Mary A. Osborne
Source: Publisher via Italy Book Tours
In medieval San Gimignano, Italy, daughters of merchants are expected to marry. But Santina Pietra cares only for Calandrino, a brilliant young scholar who is preoccupied with his ancient alchemical texts.
Soon Santina meets Trotula, the village midwife, who might or might not be a "strega," a witch. Trotula challenges her to forget Calandrino and become the woman she is meant to be. Some say she is a victim of the midwife’s spell, but Santina is determined to follow in Trotula’s footsteps even as calamities strike.
Genres: Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, Midwife | Midwifery, Young Adult Fiction, INSPY Realistic Fiction, Spirituality & Metaphysics, Women's Studies Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
Published by Lake Street Press
on 14th May, 2015
Format: Paperback ARC
Pages: 288
Published By: Lake Street Press (@LakeStreetPress),
Available Formats: Trade Paperback only
NOTE: Alchemy’s Daughter is the PREQUEL to Nonna’s Book of Mysteries
Read more about the 1st Novel in the series
I opted to read the PREQUEL ahead of the first novel!
About Mary A. Osborne
Mary A. Osborne is the multiple award-winning author of Alchemy's Daughter and Nonna’s Book of Mysteries. A graduate of Rush University and Knox College, where she was mentored in the Creative Writing Program, Ms. Osborne is a registered nurse and holds degrees in chemistry and nursing.
Her freelance work has appeared in publications such as Hektoen International, Newcity, and the Examiner.com. Ms. Osborne lives in Chicago.
Website | Twitter | Facebook
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2015 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Posted Thursday, 30 July, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 14th Century, Ancient Egypt, Apothecary, ARC | Galley Copy, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookmark slipped inside a Review Book, Catholicism, Christianity, Coming-Of Age, Epistolary Novel | Non-Fiction, Father-Daughter Relationships, Herbalist, Historical Fiction, History, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, INSPY Realistic Fiction | Non-Fiction, Italy, Italy Book Tours, Late Middle Ages (1300-1500), Life Shift, Literature of Italy, Medical Fiction, Midwife | Midwifery, Midwives & Childbirth, Naturopathic Medicine, Passionate Researcher, Philosophical Intuitiveness, Philosophy, Political Narrative & Modern Topics, Religious History, Single Fathers, Spirituality & Metaphysics, Superstitions & Old World Beliefs, the Renaissance (14th-17th Centuries), Women's Fiction, Women's Health, Women's Right to Choose (Health Care Rights), Women's Rights, Wordsmiths & Palettes of Sage, World Religions, Young Adult Fiction
Posted Thursday, 21 May, 2015 by jorielov Anaiah Press, Angela Schroeder, Love Overcomes 2 Comments
Acquired Samplers By:
Chapter Samplers for her Contemporary Romance “Love Overcomes” was provided for free download by the author, Angela Schroeder via her Smashwords Author’s Page. The samplers are complimentary of the author, Ms Schroeder to encourage readers to become familiar with her writing style for Contemporary Romance ahead of purchase. I was not obligated to post a review nor share my opinions of the chapter samplers I downloaded; as I elected to do this for my own edification. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
I was selected to be a tour stop on the “Love Overcomes” book blitz through Lola’s Blog Tours. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Inspired to Read:
If you spend a bit of time with me on Jorie Loves A Story, you’ll find a heap of commentary on my bookish blog reflecting my hybrid readings and adventures taking me across literary divides whilst enveloping me inside both mainstream and INSPY markets. It is quite the happy day when you can discover not only a ‘new-to-me’ author but one who knits together a sweeter side of a genre I personally have loved for absolute ages!
I love relationship-based Romances (irregardless of which section of the genre they take up a niche inside) and when I first read the synopsis for this one, I felt as if it was a bit unique in it’s conception and a read that would interest me if it were available in print. I have started to become a bit more organised with how I present the Digital First book releases of whom I showcase time after time as a measure of joy ahead of being able to devour the books in their physical formats! It took a bit for me to realise how to navigate this changing tide of the pub world, as I originally felt that perhaps a traditional reader like me might be left behind but happily I was mistaken!
Instead, I am finding a lot of readerly love from Digital First publishers, as I regularly host releases by ChocLitUK and Month9Books where I split the bookjoy between reading print editions of the Romance novels via ChocLit whilst focusing on guest author features by Month9. I do host a weekly Romance chat on Saturdays @ChocLitSaturday (all writers and readers of Romance are welcome to drop-in!) which was directly inspired by ChocLitUK inasmuch as I try to host their authors for special events and guest features as often as I can. In this unique world of publishing even traditional readers can navigate the changing tides and find a heap of joy in the stories they gravitate towards reading regularly.
I am grateful Lola started to feature authors by Anaiah Press as I might not have found them otherwise, and this to me is one of the benefits of hosting blog tours, author guest features, and even Book Blitzes! For me hosting a Book Blitz is more about an ‘introductory announcement’ of a book I am seeking to read whilst giving my readers an impression of how the novel interested me at first sight. With Chapter Samplers, I am finding myself quite wicked happy authors are giving readers a snippet of a glimpse into their stories — not only to help us decide to pick up the novels themselves but to be allowed to blog about the beginnings as we elect to reach out to those who follow us about a new story we’re happy to have found.
You’ll notice this isn’t my first Chapter Sampler impression I’ve blogged as I am only just getting started to bringing to my readers attention the samplers I am finding (both in ePub or audio formats)! I do list these posts in my Story Vault, because to be truthful they are my first encounter with the stories ahead of further reading.
Love Overcomes
by Angela Schroeder
Source: Author via Lola's Blog Tours
Going to Hollywood was supposed to be something that would change Clara Mackenzie’s life forever.
Her younger sister, single mother Arabella, never imagined that going to California with her sister would have such a huge impact on her life. Now, she needs to try to overcome her past and try to trust again or be doomed to be single forever.
Arabella Mackenzie and her son Liam have never wanted or needed anyone other than their family. When Arabella meets Jeremy Fowlis she begins to have feelings for a man for the first time since before her son was born. Shy, Clara begins to fall for an actor of her own when she meets dashing Jake.
Jeremy is not use to women who do not want to date him because he is an in-demand actor let alone a woman who does not even recognize him. He finds he wants to know more about her but is not sure if he can handle the fact that she is a single mother and has a past that seems to be shrouded in mystery.
Can Arabella and Jeremy both overcome their doubts, fears and past in order to find love?
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, INSPY Realistic Fiction, Romance Fiction, Sweet Romance Places to find the book:
Add to LibraryThing
Published by Anaiah Press
on 14th November, 2014
Format: eBook
Published By: Anaiah Romance {an imprint of} Anaiah Press (@anaiahpress)
{ a Digital First Christian Indie Publisher }
Available Formats: Paperback and Ebook
Converse on Twitter via: #LoveOvercomes, #AngelaSchroeder,
#INSPY or #ChristFic & #AnaiahPress
About Angela Schroeder
Angela was born and raised in Iowa, in a river town known for its pearl buttons. Having four siblings, she never lacked for someone to play with. As she grew older, she found herself pulled into books and writing more and more. Her parents are her heroes, her siblings her confidants and tormentors, and her children her wonderful blessings.
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
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Posted Thursday, 21 May, 2015 by jorielov in 21st Century, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Trailer, Bookish Films, Contemporary Romance, Dating & Humour Therein, Family Life, Fathers and Daughters, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, INSPY Realistic Fiction | Non-Fiction, Lola's Blog Tours, Modern Day, Romance Fiction, Single Mothers, Singletons & Commitment, Small Towne USA, Sweet Romance
Posted Sunday, 1 February, 2015 by jorielov A Woman of Fortune, Amy Durham, Asher's Mark, Becca Stevens, Berni Stevens, Brenda S. Anderson, C.A. Gray, Camille Eide, Chandice Probst & Tana Besendorfer, Dance Until Dawn, First Frost, Gluten-Free On A Budget, Henriette Gyland, Impossible, Katy Haye, Kellie Coates Gilbert, Letters to my Future Husband, Like There's No Tomorrow, Lisa McKendrick, Marilee Jackson, Midnight Runner, Pieces of Granite, S.C. Barrus, Sarah Addison Allen, Stephen J. Valentine, The Gin Thief, The Last Gatekeeper, The Lazarus Game, The Way of Tea and Justice, Up Close 2 Comments
One of the happiest moments for a book blogger is eagerly going to their postbox & seeing what delightfully wicked print books have arrived for their reading pleasure! I have always held a keen interest in postal mail, being a long-term postal letter correspondent which has given me such a heart of joy seeing envelopes & bundles of love arrive from dear friends around the world. Imagine my new excitement in seeing the books I am reviewing arriving by publisher, author, publicist, or literary agent! Such an exciting new chapter in postal splendor!
I have been wanting to blog about my excitement about being placed on certain blog tours and/or in receiving books for review direct from authors, publishers, or publicists. I originally came across a weekly meme on Mondays entitled Mailbox Monday and you could say, that my new feature on Jorie Loves A Story is an extended idea from the original! Except to say, with one minor switch-up! Although I attempt to write down when books arrive by Post, I am never quite as certain when the books arrive as I am always reading the next book in hand! Therefore, please join me as I get excited about the books on my shelf which are next in line to read!
I apologise I was not able to keep up with my posts for this Feature. Most of the latter half of 2014 was a bit difficult for different reasons, wherein I simply tried to read all the books I could whilst I had captured the hours to give to them. I was too wrapped up in my readings to realise I had forgotten to post about upcoming books of interest! You will happily see a resurgence of this post hitting weekly starting this Winter 2015!
I am working on completing my “End of the Year Survey 2014”:
Spring & Summer might have dissolved into each other and collided straight into Autumn, but I must confess I read a heap of beautiful writ stories! Enchanting my mind, endearing my heart, and enveloping me inside a knitted eclipse of story craft by writers who know how to give readers a pause out of their hours and a settling inside their spirits as they turn page after page of evoking narrative which never fully leaves you once you place the novel on your bookshelf!
By the time it came around for the *End of the Year Survey* to be written, I must admit I was still working on a few reviews whilst resting a bit after New Year’s as I love to watch the ball drop in Times Square! I have been compiling the survey for more than a month now, working on it off/on whenever I have a few free hours to go back over the books I read during the past year, inasmuch as sort out my final thoughts as where they might ‘fit’ into the survey itself. I plan to release my “Top Picks of 2014” and the completed survey quite soon! Stay tuned to see what truly captured my mind from last year!
I have several carry-overs from January,
of which I will be reading whilst tweeting about this week:
- Impossible by C.A. Gray (last book in the Piercing the Veil series: Book 1, Book 2, Interview)
- The Last Gatekeeper by Katy Haye (part of my readings for Sci Fi Experience 2015)
- The Gin Thief: Ep 1 by S.C. Barrus (manuscript I served as a betareader)
- First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen (part of Book Browse First Impressions)
- Up Close by Henriette Gyland (romantic suspense by ChocLitUK)
- Dance Until Dawn by Berni Stevens (vampire romance by ChocLitUK)
- A Woman of Fortune by Kellie Coates Gilbert (author contacted me about her books)
- *I will be talking about the library books I’m reading lateron in the week!
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Posted Sunday, 1 February, 2015 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Book Trailer, Bookish Discussions, Bookish Films, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Contemporary Romance, Cookery, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Down Syndrome, Equality In Literature, Gluten-Free Foods, Historical Fiction, Historical Thriller Suspense, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, INSPY Realistic Fiction | Non-Fiction, JKS Communications: Literary Publicity Firm, Jorie's Box of Joy, Life Shift, New Adult Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Romance Fiction, Royal Social Media, Science Fiction, Special Needs Children, Steampunk, Street Team for Author, Time Travel, Time Travel Adventure, Women's Fiction
Posted Monday, 1 December, 2014 by jorielov All Our Yesterdays, Anthony Russo, B.R. Maul, Berni Stevens, Blood for Blood, Brenda S. Anderson, C.A. Gray, Camille Eide, Christina Courtenay, Coming Home series, Cristin Terrill, Crown of Dust, Dance Until Dawn, Dare to Kiss, Deborah Heal, E. Chris Garrison, French Toast, French Twist, Glynis Astie, History Mystery Trilogy, I Walter, Laura Brown, Like There's No Tomorrow, Lila's Choice, Mari Passananti, Mary Volmer, Mike Hartner, New England Rocks, Paranormal Texas, Paul Mark Tag, Pieces of Granite, Piercing the Veil series, Portals Passages & Pathways, S.B. Alexander, S.C. Barrus, S.K. Rizzolo, Science Thrillers Trilogy, Sharon Cameron, Sinking Down, The Dark Unwinding, The Dragon of Unrest, The Gin Thief, The Hazards of Hunting While Heartbroken, The Rose in the Wheel, Trade Winds, Tui Snider, Unexpected Texas 1 Comment
Each of us who joyfully blogs about books will find at times, even our best laid plans to host concurrent blog events can sometimes become a bit hard to juggle when our personal lives intercede on the time we had scheduled to devout to the events themselves. I found myself in this particular pickle last Sci Fi November, but this year, I felt I had shifted a few things around to where I had more hours to give and thereby could redeem myself from what I could not put together last year. Suffice to say, a few unexpected issues arose the least of which were a knock-out of my internet connection by a severe lightning storm and a broken toe of which looked far worse than the injury itself yet gave me enough wincing pain to forestall my blogging.
I was able to jump dive into the #RRSciFiMonth chat at the very tail-end of the conversation, whereupon I happily enjoyed speaking with Ms. Czerneda, Asti, Ana, and Rachel Noel (@Silelda & Purple Owl Reviews)! It was during this part of the convo, I expressed my desire to carry forward into December the posts I was unable to contribute during the last fortnight of SFN: 2014! I was happily surprised to find others were in agreement; November for whichever reason had become a bit of a quagmire for a lot of us, and I was not the only one wanting to extend the celebrations!
*I received a bit of a surprise whilst getting the link for Rachel Noel’s blog! (read: 2014 Thanks) I have always appreciated the randomness to my conversations with Rachel Noel on Twitter & I had always meant to expand our connection by visiting her blog. To see my name listed as a part of a note of gratitude of whom gave her the most joy and support in 2014 was simply an unexpected blessing to discover. Our lives touch each other in ways we do not always realise have an impact that gives us all a boost when we need it most. I can attest the same in return! Read More
Posted Monday, 1 December, 2014 by jorielov in #IndieWriterMonth, #SciFiReadathon, Blog Tour Host, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Book Junkie Promotions, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, ChocLitUK, Contemporary Romance, Cosy Historical Mystery, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Dystopian, Fantasy Fiction, France Book Tours, Go Indie, Hard Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Romance, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, INSPY Realistic Fiction | Non-Fiction, JKS Communications: Literary Publicity Firm, Jorie Loves A Story Features, Local Libraries | Research Libraries, Memoir, Month9Books, Non-Fiction, RALs | Thons via Blogs, Realistic Fiction, Romance Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Royal Social Media, Sci-Fi November, Science Fiction, Seventh Star Press, SFN Bingo, Small Towne Fiction, Soft Science Fiction, Steampunk, Sweet Romance, Time Travel, TLC Book Tours, Twitterland & Twitterverse Event, Western Fiction
Posted Tuesday, 18 November, 2014 by jorielov Brenda S. Anderson, Coming Home series, Pieces of Granite, Vivant Press 3 Comments
Ever since I hosted Ms. Anderson on the book release of her debut novel Chain of Mercy, I have been itching to tell the world and the bookish blogosphere all about this lovely new author & her series of realistic INSPY fiction! I have come to use the shortened version of “Inspirational” via Twitter recently, as I started to notice writers, readers, & book bloggers alike are starting to grow towards creating a community for the those of us who appreciate faith-based fiction. I have been a support of the INSPY Awards since I learnt of them in 2013, and even applied to become a judge in 2014. I love the close-knitted bookish community overall, but I have found the Inspirational side of the bookish market to be sorting out their own niche in the twitterverse and I am appreciating the journey!
I love being a book cheerleader (if you hadn’t noticed, I created the tag #bookcheerleader during this year’s #ArmChairBEA!) for writers who not only tell a convincing story but writers who dig deep and pull out of the cosmos compelling characters, fully realised worlds in which their characters not only live but find growth through the passageways which deepen their character’s perspective, and the convicting narratives which not only leave me bemused in ruminative thoughts upon completing a novel but leave me altered. I love feeling as though the reconnection to my own living reality is a bit of a tug-of-war out of the fictional reality I had just lived inside for the length of time the novel was perched open in my hands.
When my path originally crossed with Ms. Anderson, she was a book blogger who was creating her own niche in the book blogosphere for showcasing heart-warming INSPY fiction (of late her debut novelist features have been inspiring in their own right) which is how our friendship began; now that I’m a bonefide member of her Street Team, I cannot quite express the gratitude I have knitted into my heart to help give new readers a chance to discover what I always knew I would find within her novels! She truly has carved out her own style within the world of INSPY fiction and I cannot wait to nominate her for the next INSPY Awards, as her works truly deserve to become recognised for helping to pave the road forward for Inspirational Fiction as this branch of literature continues to expand, grow, and cart new territory through the story-tellers who curate a truism within their writing which resonates within our spirit and heart.
It is with great pleasure I can not only highlight the Coming Home Series today, but I can give a window into the next book being released THIS November: Pieces of Granite, the prequel to Chain of Mercy!
Schedule of Book Releases:
PREQUEL: Pieces of Granite | November 2014
BOOK 1: Chain of Mercy | April 2014
BOOK 2: Memory Box Secrets | April 2015
BOOK 3: Finding Home (working title) | September 2015
Converse via: #ComingHomeSeries + #ChainOfMercy + #PiecesOfGranite
Book Synopsis for the first two novels of the “Coming Home series”:
They forgave him for the accident that killed their son, but he will never forgive himself. Manhattan businessman Richard Brooks was at the top of the world, drunk with success, wealth, and women. Until one disastrous evening, when his world came crashing down. Richard flees to Minneapolis where he repairs ancient boilers instead of solving corporate problems, and he’s determined to live the solitary life he now deserves. But Executive Sheila Peterson has other plans for the handsome custodian. Richard appears to be the perfect match for the no-strings-attached romance she’s after, but she soon discovers that he’s hiding more than the designer suits in his closet.
A distressing diagnosis
A retreating husband
A prodigal brother
Debbie Verhoeven is not your typical woman
*She sacrificed her counseling career to be a full-time mom
*She’d rather pound a nail than round steak
*Oprah? No way! Give her ESPN any day
*Nothing could be more stressful than scrapbooking
Nothing except …
A distressing diagnosis
A husband who is pulling away
And two brothers who refuse to get along
When the counselor is caught in the middle,
When she needs to be strong for those around her,
Who is left to be strong for her?
Read an Excerpt from Pieces of Granite
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Posted Tuesday, 18 November, 2014 by jorielov in #IndieWriterMonth, 21st Century, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Christianity, Down Syndrome, Equality In Literature, Indie Author, Indie Book Trade, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, INSPY Realistic Fiction | Non-Fiction, Jorie Loves A Story Features, Modern Day, Reader Submitted Q&A, Special Needs Children, Women's Fiction, Women's Health, Women's Right to Choose (Health Care Rights)
