Posted Monday, 12 October, 2015 by jorielov A Thomas Donne Book, Avelynn, MacMillian Publishers, Marissa Campbell, St. Martin's Griffin, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Publishing Group 0 Comments
Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a tour stop on the “Avelynn” virtual book tour through HFVBT: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I received a complimentary ARC copy of the book direct from the publisher St. Martin’s Press, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
There is something about the Vikings:
Ever since I was a young girl who enjoyed her history lessons in grammar school, you could say I had a healthy fascination with the Vikings. They were painted quite the brogue and rough turnt bunch of warriors of whom you wouldn’t seek to cross if you had any sense of mind about your well being; yet within those whim-some chapters of text about who they were and who they weren’t (as let’s be honest, textbooks rarely were the tell-all place to find truth out of history) a curiosity of mind developed.
I yearned to read more about them and to uncover fact from fiction inasmuch as find a way to seek out stories about them that perhaps softened their plight and plunder on history’s fabled chapters. I wouldn’t have minded a romanticised view of their lives but I would have appreciated truism if it wasn’t brokered to be bent towards violent gore nor of brutality for the sake of it rather than for the authenticity. Vikings at mere mention stroke the coals of memories most of us have about what we were taught vs what we might have learnt on our own accords.
Whether or not, I knew enough about them prior to reading Avelynn is not in question but to have a curiosity about a community of people who enticed me to find stories set around their lives is worthwhile because it is something I was wondering if others were curious about too. I know this only my first foray into Viking fiction, as the only other story I can lay thought upon having seen prior to reading this story is How to Train Your Dragon Parts I & II where the Vikings are seen in all their familiar glory! Lest, I mention how wicked awesome those films were!?
Avelynn
by Marissa Campbell
Source: Publisher via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
One extraordinary Saxon noblewoman and one fearless Viking warrior find passion and danger in this dazzling and sensuous debut.
Marissa Campbell’s debut novel is a winning combination of romance, history, and adventure sure to appeal to fans of Diana Gabaldon.
It is 869. For eighteen years, Avelynn, the beautiful and secretly pagan daughter of the Eadlorman of Somerset has lived in an environment of love and acceptance. She hasn’t yet found a man to make her heart race, but her father has not pressured her to get married. Until now. With whispers of war threatening their land, her father forces Avelynn into a betrothal with Demas, a man who only covets her wealth and status. The dreaded marriage looming, she turns to her faith, searching for answers in an ancient ritual along the coast, only to find Alrik the Blood-Axe and sixty Viking berserkers have landed.
Alrik is unlike any man she has ever known, strong and intriguing. Likewise, he instantly falls for her beauty and courage. The two stumble into a passionate love affair, but it’s more than just a greedy suitor who will try to keep them apart.
As the Saxons and Vikings go to war, Avelynn and Alrik find themselves caught in the throes of fate. Can they be true to their people as well as to each other?
Genres: Feminist Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Spirituality & Metaphysics Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 978-1250063939
Also by this author: Avelynn
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
on 8th September 2015
Format: Paperback ARC
Pages: 320
Published By: St. Martin’s Griffin via St. Martin’s Press
imprints of St. Martin’s Publishing Group,
which is now a part of MacMillian Publishers
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Converse via: #Avelynn
About Marissa Campbell
Marissa Campbell is a published freelance author, and co-author of the award-winning, spiritual self-help book Life: Living in Fulfillment Every Day.
Her debut historical fiction AVELYNN, was published through St. Martin’s Press, September 2015. She self-published her sophmore release Avelynn: The Edge of Faith. She is a proud member of the Historical Novel Society, Romance Writers of America, Writer’s Community of Durham Region, and local critique group B7.
When she is not writing, she is busy looking after her wonderful children, spending time with her fantastic husband, hanging out with her awesome friends, teaching yoga, dancing, laughing, and having fun!
Author's biography updated October 2016.
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumblr | LibraryThing
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2015 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Posted Monday, 12 October, 2015 by jorielov in 9th Century, Action & Adventure Fiction, ARC | Galley Copy, Arthurian Legend, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Cover | Notation on Design, Book Trailer, Bookish Discussions, Bookish Films, British Literature, Brothers and Sisters, Canadian Literature, Compassion & Acceptance of Differences, Crime Fiction, Debut Author, Debut in United States, Debut Novel, Earthen Magic, Earthen Spirituality, England, Equality In Literature, Fantasy Fiction, Folklore and Mythology, Gods & Goddesses, Heroic Bloodshed, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Mystery, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Marriage Rituals, Passionate Researcher, Reader Submitted Q&A, Rituals for the Afterlife, Saxon | Viking History, Siblings, Superstitions & Old World Beliefs, Warfare & Power Realignment, Writing Style & Voice
Posted Wednesday, 22 April, 2015 by jorielov A Fall of Marigolds, Coco Chanel, Jan Moran, MacMillian Publishers, Reincarnationist series, Scent of Triumph, St. Martin's Griffin, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Publishing Group, The Shell Seekers, The Witch of Painted Sorrows 4 Comments
Acquired Book By: Winning a contest adverted through “Shelf Awareness for Readers” bi-weekly newsletter, April 2015. I received the hardcover book direct from the publisher St. Martin’s Griffin via St. Martin’s Press without obligation to post a review. The timing of the book’s arrival happily coincided with the Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours route for this novel in the book blogosphere, as I originally had wanted to participate in one of the two blog tours I knew about for this particular release, however, from my understanding only ebooks were available for review. Therefore, upon receipt of the book itself from the publisher, I contacted HFVBTs and requested to be placed on the last stop for the blog tour itself: Friday, the 17th of April.
Unfortunately, the timing ended up being a difficult one for me, as I was blogging about the stress and illness I was under last week on my reviews (both for ‘Inspector of the Dead‘ and ‘The Masque of a Murderer‘; the latter of which ended up posting on Friday in lieu of this one as I fell behind). I technically only had the novel a few short days ahead of Friday, but at that time I felt I could make the quick deadline. Instead, my reflections are posting the Monday after the tour ended. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts herein.
Intrigued to Read:
Much to my chagrin, the reason I am curiously receptive to historical novels surrounding parfum is due to my encounter with the writings of M.J. Rose; specifically the book showcases I wrote on behalf of The Collector of Dying Breaths and The Witch of Painted Sorrows. I fully immersed myself into the Reincarnationist series prior to settling inside Dying Breaths, as I wanted to understand the world and the back-story of the lead protagonist. Following through to Painted Sorrows, I found myself with a beautiful arc of continuity where fragrance played an under-note of connection to this new release on behalf of Rose. Shortly thereafter, I had the pleasure of reading a Historical Biographical Fiction novel on behalf of Coco Chanel by Gortner; of whom I had the pleasure of reading previously through The Tudor Vendetta. It was during my ruminations on behalf of Coco Chanel I revealed my connection to The Shell Seekers which had given me my first connection to parfum and the intoxicating connections of scent in fiction.
Throughout my readings, one singular thread of context remains and that is the allure of scent and fragrance has sensory triggers that alight through the heart first and the mind second. It is through our memories and the ‘scents therein’ we attach to memory in it’s rawest of forms that allows us to transcend through time and go backwards to a singular moment which stands out to us. It is this pursuit of reading how writers can inflict and inflect resonance with their audience with a particular scent or the allure of a passionate attachment to a particular smell that draws me into their story-lines.
The fact Moran used the basis of her novel on memories of her mother added to my curiosity to pick up her novel, inasmuch as having read her author newsletters for a good portion of the past year. She happily keeps her readers informed of her stories whilst revealing just enough to whet a thirst of interest if you haven’t yet read a novel she’s published. For me, the short notes and the synopsis of Scent of Triumph implored me forward to finding a way into her re-released debut novel. As this was originally published by Crescent House Publishing | Briarcliffe Press in 2012. Read a bit about her Indie Press to Major Trade journey on her blog.
Coincidently, to my own recollection Ms Moran is one of the ‘writers who found me’ via Twitter, thus I started to follow in-kind and signed up for her author’s newsletter. This is one reason I curate a list on Twitter for writers who find me as I keep a list of the authors and stories which alight quite serendipitously across my ‘twitterverse journey’ for the day in which I can properly become introduced to their stories. This is another example of how finding each other on Twitter can be a wicked sweet discovery for both writers and readers alike and I encourage you, if your following me on Twitter, tweet me and/or convo me on my blog — you never know when I might be inspired to read your novel!
As an aside, as I have the hours to do this, I am uploading a list of books to a special list on Riffle solely dictated by the writers who found me and the stories they’ve written which ignite a reason of interest for me to read them. I am not sure why some writers find me and then disappear or if I add them to my Twitter list why they stop following me, but once an interest is sparked, trust me, I stay curious. I presume it’s because I do not ‘auto-follow’ back as I like to get to know the writer (or book blogger, reader, etc) following me before I follow them myself. I like to understand their writing style and the stories they publish, as much as I read their feeds to ascertain a bit about them as a person. Word to wise: if you find a book blogger, tweet them a ‘hallo’ and start a random convo interdependent from your novel. Conversations are golden!
After all, if Ms Moran hadn’t found me, how would I have known about Scent of Triumph?
Yes, I would have found it via Shelf Awareness, but would I already be committed to reading it?
More incredible is I truly believe I was meant to read all of these novels in succession of each other: The Shell Seekers, A Fall of Marigolds, the Reincarnationist series, The Witch of Painted Sorrows, and Coco Chanel in order to fully appreciate what I would find inside Scent of Triumph. There is something to be said for reading intuitively and reading the stories we recognise are meant to enter our lives at the time in which they are meant to come alive in our imaginations.
Scent of Triumph
by Jan Moran
Source: Direct from Publisher via Shelf Awareness for Readers
Book Synopsis of Scent of Triumph:
When French perfumer Danielle Bretancourt steps aboard a luxury ocean liner, leaving her son behind in Poland with his grandmother, she has no idea that her life is about to change forever. The year is 1939, and the declaration of war on the European continent soon threatens her beloved family, scattered across many countries. Traveling through London and Paris into occupied Poland, Danielle searches desperately for her the remains of her family, relying on the strength and support of Jonathan Newell-Grey, a young captain. Finally, she is forced to gather the fragments of her impoverished family and flee to America. There she vows to begin life anew, in 1940s Los Angeles.
Through determination and talent, she rises high from meager jobs in her quest for success as a perfumer and fashion designer to Hollywood elite. Set between privileged lifestyles and gritty realities, Scent of Triumph is one woman’s story of courage, spirit, and resilience.
Genres: Historical Fiction Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 9781250048905
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
on 31st March, 2015
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 384
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2015 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Posted Wednesday, 22 April, 2015 by jorielov in 20th Century, Author Found me On Twitter, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Blog Tour Host, Book Trailer, Bookish Discussions, Bookish Films, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Fashion Fiction, Fashion Industry, French Literature, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Perspectives, Historical Romance, History, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Life Shift, Parfum Industry, Passionate Researcher, Romance Fiction, Shelf Awareness, The World Wars, War-time Romance, Writing Style & Voice
Posted Wednesday, 7 January, 2015 by jorielov Laura Joh Rowland, MacMillian Publishers, Minotaur Books, Sano Ichiro Mysteries, St. Martin's Publishing Group, The Iris Fan 0 Comments
It isn’t often when I have the chance to *catch a series* whilst the breadth of the series has been written, released, and on the fringes of bowing out of the public eye! A few of the series I am attempting to read further inside during 2015 dance around this same fact, as I haven’t been able to read the books as quickly as they have been produced! However, it was such an honour to host Ms. Rowland on the curtain call for her series set in 17th Century Japan! There were moments of the story wherein I found myself a bit unsettled but overall, I felt a growing curiosity in seeking out more information surrounding Reiko and Sano — how their lives would continue to knit together and what might befall them in the end!
I had no idea as I was reading the stories I had selected from the Sano Ichiro series, that within The Concubine’s Tattoo would await the fuller back-story on how Reiko and Sano came together! I never would have guessed Rowland might have considered giving Reiko a lesser role of importance in the series — as I must confess, I appreciated the change of broadening her appeal and giving her such a strong presence within the interior structures of where the stories within the series take the reader! To me, Reiko was quite the asset to have alongside Sano!
As I mused about what I wanted to focus my conversation with Ms. Rowland upon, most of my emerging questions were fuelled by wanting to understand her journey with the series, and how the series evolved from Book 1 to Book 18; there were twenty years between the two bookends, and for me, it provided me with an unending muse to draw out the questions I wanted to broach of her! I hope as you read this conversation, you will not only be inspired by her answers, but perhaps, will feel inspired to tackle reading a series of this length and/or of attempting to write an ongoing series if your a writer! Read More
Posted Wednesday, 7 January, 2015 by jorielov in 17th Century, Blog Tour Host, Crime Fiction, Family Drama, Family Life, Ghost Story, Good vs. Evil, Hard-Boiled Mystery, Haunting & Ethereal, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Mystery, Historical Thriller Suspense, Japan, Japanese Fiction, Japanese History, Library Love, Local Libraries | Research Libraries, Martial Art History, Reader Submitted Author Interview, Uncategorized
Posted Tuesday, 6 January, 2015 by jorielov Laura Joh Rowland, MacMillian Publishers, Minotaur Books, Sano Ichiro Mysteries, St. Martin's Publishing Group, The Iris Fan 3 Comments
Acquired Book By:
I was selected to be a tour stop on the “The Iris Fan” virtual book tour through Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I requested and borrowed the first novel (“Shinju”) as well as the 16th (“The Incense Game”) and the 17th (“The Shogun’s Daughter”) in the series to better understand the flow of continuity and the origins of the Sano Ichiro mysteries series of which I borrowed via my local library and their ILL services.
I read portions of these three novels back to back for the blog tour and was not obligated to post a review for them. I received a complimentary ARC copy of “The Iris Fan” direct from the publisher Minotaur Books, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Interested in reading:
Due to my intense love of the Shinobi mysteries by Susan Spann, of which I previously blogged about during the Blade of the Samurai blog tour via TLC Book Tours I was motivated to sign myself up for this tour! I was not entirely sure if the context of this series would be similar to the former, but I had hoped to become wholly enthused by a new author’s interpretation of a past era of Japan, whilst being able to soak inside a new version of samurai history and the variants of where an author could take the central theme of their narrative arc! Read More
Posted Tuesday, 6 January, 2015 by jorielov in 17th Century, ARC | Galley Copy, Blog Tour Host, Content Note, Crime Fiction, Excessive Violence in Literature, Family Drama, Family Life, Fly in the Ointment, Ghost Story, Good vs. Evil, Hard-Boiled Mystery, Haunting & Ethereal, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Mystery, Historical Thriller Suspense, Japan, Japanese Fiction, Japanese History, Library Love, Local Libraries | Research Libraries, Martial Art History, Uncategorized
Posted Sunday, 30 November, 2014 by jorielov Cecil Castellucci, MacMillian Publishers, Roaring Brook Press, Stone in the Sky, Tin Star 0 Comments
I am truly honoured to have been amongst the Sci Fi November 2014 participants who could showcase a science fiction release as well as host the author of one of the books I felt I might appreciate reading down the road! I was given a list of authors, many of whom I did not recognise by sight and asked by Andrea (@redhead5318) to pick out a top favourite list and she would pair me with an author who was not yet selected to be hosted by a SFN blogger! Here is the short list I sent to her after visiting & reading each author on the list:
Benjanun Sriduangkaew (site) – I have seen her novella Scalebright around the book blogosphere a heap lately, and I just read the Book Smugglers review on Kirkus & another review on TOR. I’m sold. I love seeing the combination of mythology and lore into the fabric of a well-crafted fantasy novel and this being a short sounds sublime! :)
Julie E. Czerneda (site) – Oh, my! I love how she writes both sci-fi & fantasy! :) Her world-building is the kind I’ve been hunting for to discover and I love her approach to which stories she’s bringing into focus!
Siobhan Davies (site) – I know True Calling is a bit outside what I generally read but I like that about it. I like remaining open to finding authors who are outside my comfort zone
Cecil Castellucci (site) – I have been wanting to get back into Space Opera & Space centered sci-fi for quite a bit now, and when I read the premise of Stone in the Sky & Tin Star, I must say, I enjoyed where this was leading!
There wasn’t an order of preference to the way in which I wrote the list, as I simply went from the top to the bottom, and wrote down a few notes or observations therein! One of the best blessings of this event, is how we can expand our knowledge of authors and stories to further our readings within the genre itself! I love the discovery period of finding wicked new characters and new worlds to explore whilst seeking out authors who not only cultivate a strongly built world but they give us something to ponder outside the stellar fact we’re travelling to a whole new dimension within the framework of science-based worlds!
I love reading stories which stitch inside a life lesson or a moral stimulating plot which leaves you pensive after you’ve concluded the story itself. Science Fiction and Sci-Fantasy (as I had a sub-focus this year on the blurred lines between science fiction & fantasy) are two of my favourite genres to consume next to High Fantasy itself. Speculative literature to me is happily read in tandem as I could never choose between science fiction and fantasy but rather, I love seeing where the two cross-sect with each other! Perhaps, you dear hearts, feel the same?
I will always seek out stories which cart me straight out of my comfort zones and take me on a literary adventure as lived through my imagination and the portals of where each individual writer wants to take us viscerally as much as visually! I am so happy to welcome Ms.Castellucci to my blog and bring a bit of insight into her writing life and world to my readers! Rock on!
Book Synopsis for Tin Star:
On their way to start a new life, Tula and her family travel on the Prairie Rose, a colony ship headed to a planet in the outer reaches of the galaxy. All is going well until the ship makes a stop at a remote space station, the Yertina Feray, and the colonist’s leader, Brother Blue, beats Tula within an inch of her life. An alien, Heckleck, saves her and teaches her the ways of life on the space station.
Book Synopsis for Stone in the Sky:
Years ago, Tula Bane was beaten and left for dead on a remote space station far from Earth, her home planet. She started with nothing and had no one, but over time, she found a home, a family, and even love. When it’s discovered that the abandoned planet beneath the station is abundant with a rare and valuable resource, aliens from across the galaxy race over to strike it rich. With them comes trouble, like the man who nearly killed Tula years ago—the man she has dreamed of destroying ever since.
Tin Star & Stone in the Sky are published by: Roaring Brook Press an imprint of MacMillian Publishers Read More
Posted Sunday, 30 November, 2014 by jorielov in Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Bookish Films, Booktuber : Bookish & Geeky Readers, Reader Submitted Author Interview, Readerly Musings, Sci-Fi November, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Speculative Fiction, The Writers Life, Young Adult Fiction