Posted Sunday, 23 July, 2017 by jorielov Ashtyn Newbold, Cedar Fort Inc, Lies and Letters, Pure Romance series, Sweetwater Books 2 Comments
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 “Lies & Letters” 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.
To find out why I love Sweet Romances and the #PureRomance imprint you might like to check out my previous postings for Cedar Fort blog tours, wherein I related my love of Historical & INSPY stories on a blog tour featuring To Suit a Suitor, however, I have happily been reading the offerings of this particular imprint for quite a long while now. To follow through my readings, be sure to scroll through this tag Pure Romance!
Why I was eager to read ‘Lies & Letters’
As stated, I was a bit on the fence about the writing style and pace of Ms Newbold – but dear hearts, Ms Newbold surprised me! This particular novella is such a stark contrast from the debut novel I read previously – where I found repeated sequences and a slower pace of getting further along to the point of a particular arc in the narrative. By contrast, I found conviction, emotional centreing and a strong presence of characterisations which were quite grounded in their lives to where nothing felt out of step or out of narrative scope for this novella! The voice inside this novella is very strong and the direction of the story was well in-tune with how it began. If anything this novella made me dearly hopeful to one day read Ms Newbold’s sophomore novel and continue to watch her develop the strength of her craft! Very thankful I held out a candle of hope a new story of hers might give me a chance to see her truer nature as a novelist and writer. She has grown in this novella – I look forward to continuing to follow her authorly journey!
(*) quoted from my review of Unexpected Love
Lies & Letters
Subtitle: Pure Romace
After a season in London, Charlotte Lyons is still regrettably unattached. With her family's finances in peril, she is sent away with her sister to a bleak coastal town where she is expected to pursue a wealthy Earl. Beautiful and talented, how could she possibly fail? But when her heart is captured by someone entirely unexpected, Charlotte finds herself caught up in a web of lies and intrigue. Between hardship and sorrow, she finds more than she bargained for, forced to choose between the life she once wanted and a new love she never imagined.
Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
Find on Book Browse
ISBN: 9781462119844
on 1st July, 2017
Pages: 272
Published By: Sweetwater Books (@SweetwaterBooks),
an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc (@CedarFortBooks)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Stories by Ashtyn Newbold
Mischief & Manors| debut novel | (see also Review )
Unexpected Love | anthology | “Beauty and the Beholder” | (see also Review)
Recently mentioned Lies & Letters via The Sunday Post
Converse on Twitter via: #INSPYRom, #SweetRomance, #HistRom + #Regency
About Ashtyn Newbold
Ashtyn Newbold discovered a love of writing early in high school. Inspired by regency period romance, she wrote her first novel at the age of sixteen. Because she can’t vacation in her favorite historical time periods, she writes about them instead. When not crafting handsome historical heroes, she enjoys baking, sewing, music, and spoiling her dog. She dreams of traveling to England and Ireland. Ashtyn is currently studying English and creative writing at Utah Valley University. She lives in Lehi, Utah, with her family.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2017 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Posted Sunday, 23 July, 2017 by jorielov in 19th Century, Blog Tour Host, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, Content Note, England, Fly in the Ointment, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Indie Author, Romance Fiction, Siblings, Sweet Romance, the Regency era
Posted Friday, 21 July, 2017 by jorielov Candace Robb, Kate Clifford Mysteries, Pegasus Books, The Service of the Dead 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! The interesting bit to note is I am happily reading the first two Kate Clifford Mysteries for this particular blog tour; thereby this is the first post in a series of two reviews. I received a complimentary copy of “A Twisted Vengeance” direct from the publisher Pegasus Books in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Why I loved reading the Kate Clifford Mysteries:
Robb has created a thinking man’s mystery – you have to peel back the layers (as you would an onion) to sort through how she’s drafted an intellectually intriguing tale. Having learnt her prior series #OwenArcher is interlinked into the #KateCliffordMysteries I must admit, the idea of back-tracing through the prior series to re-enter into the latter is going to be wicked sweet fun! (as foresaid on Twitter; the tweet is below this review) One reason I love reading Mysteries (and Suspense or Thrillers) and watching them is because of the exercise they give your mind! I find them as challenging to undertake as a stellar crossword! The intricacies abound and it is by moving in the directions the writer wishes you to traverse you not only gather the evidence along with the sleuths on the page but you draw closer to understanding how the mind of the writer first conceived their idea which is keeping you up late and musefully happy for the experience of reading their story.
For me, Robb not only entertained me from the stand-point of a new chapter of understanding of the Middle Ages (as she threads the everyday politico very well into the backbone of her series foundation) but she grants you licence to step with a certain bias of interest to see Ms Clifford succeed even if her methods are not entirely on the level of what you’d expect a woman of her status to choose.
(*) quoted from my review of The Service of the Dead
The Service of the Dead
As the fourteenth century comes to a close, York seethes on the brink of civil war―and young widow Kate Clifford, struggling to keep her businesses afloat, realizes that her mother is harboring a dangerous secret…
1399. York is preparing for civil war, teeming with knights and their armed retainers summoned for the city’s defense. Henry of Lancaster is rumored to have landed on the northeast coast of England, not so far from York, intent on reclaiming his inheritance―an inheritance which his cousin, King Richard, has declared forfeit.
With the city unsettled and rife with rumors, Eleanor Clifford’s abrupt return to York upon the mysterious death of her husband in Strasbourg is met with suspicion in the city. Her daughter Kate is determined to keep her distance, but it will not be easy―Eleanor has settled next door with the intention of establishing a house of beguines, or poor sisters. When one of the beguines is set upon in the night by an intruder, Kate knows that for the sake of her own reputation and the safety of her young wards she must investigate.
From the first, Eleanor is clearly frightened yet maintains a stubborn silence. The brutal murder of one of Eleanor’s servants leads Kate to suspect that her mother’s troubles have followed her from Strasbourg. Is she secretly involved in the political upheaval? When one of her wards is frightened by a too-curious stranger, Kate is desperate to draw her mother out of her silence before tragedy strikes her own household.
Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
Find on Book Browse
ISBN: 9781681774527
on 9th May, 2017
Pages: 297
Published By: Pegasus Books (@pegasus_books)
Available Formats: Hardback & E-Book
The Kate Clifford Mysteries:
I personally love the cover art design on this series! There is something about it which lends well to the era in which they are set but also the appeal for those of us who crave a heroine out of a wicked good Cosy Historical Mystery!
The Service of the Dead | Book One | (see also Review)
A Twisted Vengeance | Book Two | Synopsis |
Read this lovely Guest Post about the Kate Clifford series | via Patricia Bracewell
Converse via: #Cosy + #HistoricalMystery | #HistoricalMystery | #KateCliffordMysteries | #CandaceRobb
About Candace Robb
Candace Robb did her graduate work in medieval literature and history, and has continued to study the period while working first as an editor of scientific publications and now for some years as a freelance writer. Candace has published 13 crime novels set in 14th century England, Wales, and Scotland. The Owen Archer series is based in York and currently extends over 10 novels beginning with THE APOTHECARY ROSE; the most recent is A VIGIL OF SPIES. The Margaret Kerr trilogy explores the early days of Scotland’s struggle again England’s King Edward I, and includes A TRUST BETRAYED, THE FIRE IN THE FLINT, and A CRUEL COURTSHIP.
Writing as Emma Campion, Candace has published historical novels about two fascinating women she encountered while researching the Owen Archer mysteries, Alice Perrers (THE KING’S MISTRESS) and Joan of Kent (A TRIPLE KNOT).
Candace was born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has lived most of her adult life in Seattle, Washington, which she and her husband love for its combination of natural beauty and culture. Candace enjoys walking, hiking, and gardening, and practices yoga and vipassana meditation. She travels frequently to Great Britain.
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | LibraryThing
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2017 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Posted Friday, 21 July, 2017 by jorielov in 14th Century, Amateur Detective, Animals in Fiction & Non-Fiction, Beguine, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Blog Tour Host, British Literature, Brothers and Sisters, Cosy Historical Mystery, Crime Fiction, Death of a Sibling, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, England, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Indie Author, Lady Detective Fiction, Late Middle Ages (1300-1500), Religious Orders, Siblings, Twin Siblings
Posted Thursday, 20 July, 2017 by jorielov Candace Robb, Kate Clifford Mysteries, Pegasus Books, The Service of the Dead 0 Comments
Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!
I have a special treat for you today! I have invited Ms Robb (of the Kate Clifford series) to join me in discussing her writerly approach to not only creating this captivating Cosy Historical Mystery series but to dig a bit into the heart of what motivates her as a writer inasmuch as asking her a few curious questions about things I had noticed as I read her novel: The Service of the Dead!
It has been a true pleasure and honour becoming introduced to this Historical author – as some of her writerly instincts match my own – whilst I have a fond respect for anyone who not only can curate a brilliant threading of continuity in serial fiction but who can fully embrace the spontaneity of an organic writing process!
Without further adieu, here is our conversation!
The Kate Clifford Mysteries:
I personally love the cover art design on this series! There is something about it which lends well to the era in which they are set but also the appeal for those of us who crave a heroine out of a wicked good Cosy Historical Mystery!
Robb has created a thinking man’s mystery – you have to peel back the layers (as you would an onion) to sort through how she’s drafted an intellectually intriguing tale. Having learnt her prior series #OwenArcher is interlinked into the #KateCliffordMysteries I must admit, the idea of back-tracing through the prior series to re-enter into the latter is going to be wicked sweet fun! (as foresaid on Twitter; the tweet is below this review) One reason I love reading Mysteries (and Suspense or Thrillers) and watching them is because of the exercise they give your mind! I find them as challenging to undertake as a stellar crossword! The intricacies abound and it is by moving in the directions the writer wishes you to traverse you not only gather the evidence along with the sleuths on the page but you draw closer to understanding how the mind of the writer first conceived their idea which is keeping you up late and musefully happy for the experience of reading their story.
For me, Robb not only entertained me from the stand-point of a new chapter of understanding of the Middle Ages (as she threads the everyday politico very well into the backbone of her series foundation) but she grants you licence to step with a certain bias of interest to see Ms Clifford succeed even if her methods are not entirely on the level of what you’d expect a woman of her status to choose.
(*) quoted from my review of The Service of the Dead
The Service of the Dead | Book One (see also Review)
A Twisted Vengeance | Book Two | Synopsis | *forthcoming review
I also blogged about this series via #TheSundayPost this week!
Converse via: #Cosy + #HistoricalMystery | #HistoricalMystery | #KateCliffordMysteries | #CandaceRobb
How did you initially develop the Kate Clifford Mysteries? What drew you into developing Kate Clifford as the series lead as well?
Robb responds: I wanted to get back into the crime genre after stepping away to write two standalone historical novels, The King’s Mistress(Alice Perrers, mistress to Edward III) and A Triple Knot (Joan of Kent, wife of the Black Prince and mother of King Richard II). What I really wanted to do was reboot my Owen Archer series, but while my agent was exploring that I needed to keep working, keep writing. While writing the two standalones I’d become aware of an opportunity missed in the Owen Archer series—I was never going to reach an interesting and dangerous period in the history of late medieval York, Henry of Lancaster’s return from exile, his unseating of his cousin Richard II, and the ensuing troubles of Henry’s reign. York has an active role in all this.
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Posted Thursday, 20 July, 2017 by jorielov in 14th Century, Amateur Detective, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Blog Tour Host, British Literature, Cosy Historical Mystery, Crime Fiction, England, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Indie Author, Lady Detective Fiction, Late Middle Ages (1300-1500), Reader Submitted Author Interview
Posted Wednesday, 19 July, 2017 by jorielov D.E. Night, The Croswald Series, The Crowns of Croswald 4 Comments
Acquired Book By: JKS is the first publicity firm I started working with when I launched Jorie Loves A Story in August, 2013. I am honoured to continue to work with them now as a 4th Year Book Blogger. I was approached to receive a mystery book mail box from a debut YA author (D.E. Night) in conjunction with her release The Crowns of Croswald wherein I would have a lovely bookish box to open, photograph and share with my readers the impressions it gave me ahead of reading the novel! This review comes after showcasing my #unboxing during last Wednesday’s #WaitingOnWednesday showcase as a follow-up and surprise for my readers!
I received my complimentary ARC copy of “The Crowns of Croswald” from D.E. Night courtesy of the publicist at JKS Communications in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
a word about ‘waiting on Wednesday’:
I have decided to start participating in this book blogsphere meme with a few small changes of how it’s regularly blogged about by my fellow book bloggers. I will either be introducing my current reads of upcoming releases as I am in the process of reading them and/or I might be releasing a book review about a forthcoming title by which I had been blessed to read ahead of publication. The main purpose behind the meme is to encourage readers and your fellow book bloggers to become aware of new books being released which caught your eye and which held your interest to read. Sometimes if your still in the process of reading the books, its the titles which encouraged your bookish heart. I look forward to spending the next seasons of the year, talking about the books I have on hand to read, the books I’ve been reading and the books I might not even have a copy to read but which are of wicked sweet interest to become a #nextread of mine.
Thus, this book review is showcasing a title which is set to release in a few short days (21st July)! This review is an anchour to my #unboxing post about the same book & author wherein I had a bit of magical joy in sharing how I opened the book parcel which gave me such a delightfully magical reading experience! I must admit, both experiences for me has been wonderful and I would not be surprised if this is only one of several unboxings you might see flutter onto Jorie Loves A Story!
This is my 3rd #WaitingOnWednesday showcase, be sure to visit my 1st & my 2nd!
A new meme inspired by Waiting on Wednesday is Can’t Wait Wednesday for which this marks my first #WaitingOnWednesday post I’ve been able to share with the bloggers following this version of the meme hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings! (Tressa introduces her meme) Here is the post by which I shared my link. Be sure to find out which book bloggers I visited who helped ADD to my #TBRList by finding my blog hop route below this showcase!!
be sure to visit my #unboxing to understand why I became so dearly attached to Croswald ahead of reading it’s debut to Middle grade fantasy:
The Crowns of Croswald
In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret...
For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald's mysterious gems.
When Ivy's magic - and her life- is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.
Places to find the book:
Add to LibraryThing
Find on Book Browse
ISBN: 978-0-9969486-5-4
on 21st July, 2017
Pages: 314
Published By: Self Published / Stories Untold Press
Available Formats: Trade Paperback and Ebook
Converse via: #CrownsOfCroswald or #CroswaldSeries + #MGFantasy
OR #MiddleGrade + #Fantasy
About D.E. Night
D.E. Night lives, dreams, and writes in South Florida amid her menagerie – two dogs and two cats – with her husband.
“The Crowns of Croswald” is her first book. She draws inspiration from silver-screen storytellers, magical imaginings, and her younger brothers. A day spent in Croswald, or another whimsical world, is her favorite kind of day.
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Instagram | LibraryThing
Entering ‘Croswald’:
The fey are called ‘Hairies’ and they remind me of Trolls (ie. the cheeky dolls recently starring in their anime film which honestly wasn’t my cuppa?) – they have seriously long hair and the ability to :blink: from sight simply by extending their ‘hair’. I can see how they came to have their nickname! And, here dear hearts is where things start to get interesting – because within my #bookmail parcel, was a piece of the newsprint Derwin is referencing in the Prologue! (I kid you NOT!) I can now see how ingenius my little magical parcel was – it wasn’t just a clever way of giving a reader a magical mystery to unbox, no, it was literally giving a reader bits and bobbles of Croswald itself! To take the world out of it’s dimensional space and inserting it into our own – crossing the gap between the imagined and the tangible! Now, that’s seriously wicked clever!
Posted Wednesday, 19 July, 2017 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book Trailer, Bookish Discussions, Bookish Films, Bookish Memes, Fantasy Fiction, Folklore and Mythology, JKS Communications: Literary Publicity Firm, Middle Grade Novel, Waiting on Wednesday
Posted Tuesday, 18 July, 2017 by jorielov ChocLitUK, Evonne Wareham, Never Going Home, Out of Sight Out of Mind, Summer in San Remo 0 Comments
If your a regular reader or frequent visitor of Jorie Loves A Story, you know I’ve been smitten with the novelists who publish their relationship-based Romances with ChocLitUK for a good two years now! I love being on the cusp of learning about a ‘new release’ whilst I remain patient to see if the Digital First new ChocLit novel will make it to a print release further down the road of it’s lifetime. I don’t mind the gaps between the ebooks and the print editions – as it’s always given me the pleasure of balancing my ‘next ChocLit reads’ to include both Front List and Back List offerings. Thus, I am enjoying being a member of the Reveal Team at ChocLit whilst it gives me a chance to introduce my readers to a variety of sub-genres within Romance I appreciate picking up to read!
It has been a few months since I shared a new ChocLit novel getting ready to publish – I lost track of time for awhile there whilst I was dealing with my Spring allergies and helping my Dad through an issue with his BP medicines. Somehow May folded into July, to where this happily is the next time I can talk about a ChocLit author I haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading but one in which has switched-up her style of writing Roms! I have had my eye on Ms Wareham’s novels, as they are a bit on the intense side as their Romantic Suspense – a genre I do enjoy reading, but sometimes find I have to read it in-between reading lighter entries as depending on the plot lines, at times I find Rom Suspense even harder to read than say a Crime Suspense or Thriller novel!
You get so dearly invested in the characters in a Rom Suspense you see, and for me personally; I am definitely the reader who gets a bit on pins curiously wondering how everything will turn out right in the end; if things can turn out! Sometimes your on the edge of your seat awaiting the final chapter – how everything you’ve hoped will conclude in a way you hope may or may not even be part of the ending chapters! This is both the joy of reading these stories and the reasons why these stories keep me up at night! However, when it comes to ChocLit, I have had some of the most enjoyable finds for Rom Suspense in the past – such as Up Close by Henriette Gyland (see also Review), Somewhere Beyond the Sea by Amanda James (see also Review), You Think You Know Me by Clare Chase (see also Review) and Talk to Me by Jules Wake (see also Review).
When I was reading the plot for Summer in San Remo, I was reminded why I like watching televised versions of these kinds of story-lines – there is something quite charming about detectives and the curious situations they can find themselves involved! I also was happy to see Ms Wareham was switching her style a bit – as although I do enjoy the Suspense plots, there is something to be said for a lighter story-line with Suspenseful elements stitched inside it, which I think is where Summer in San Remo will find it’s balance!
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Posted Tuesday, 18 July, 2017 by jorielov in 21st Century, Blog Tour Host, Book Cover Reveal, Book Spotlight, ChocLitUK, Indie Author, Modern Day, Romance Fiction
