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Sunday, January 30, 2022

Read an excerpt from The Coronation by Justin Newland #HistoricalFantasy #CoffeePotBookClub @matadorbooks @maryanneyarde

 



The Coronation
By Justin Newland



It is 1761. Prussia is at war with  Russia and Austria. As the Russian army occupies East Prus-sia, King Frederick the Great and his men fight hard to win back their homeland. 

In Ludwigshain, a Junker estate in East Prussia, Countess Marion von Adler celebrates an ex-ceptional harvest. But it is requisitioned by Russian troops. When Marion tries to stop them, a Russian captain strikes her. His lieutenant, Ian Fermor, defends Marion’s honour and is stabbed for his insubordination. Abandoned by the Russians, Fermor becomes a divisive figure on the estate.
 
Close to death, Fermor dreams of the Adler, a numinous eagle entity, whose territory extends across the lands of Northern Europe and which is mysteriously connected to the Enlightenment. What happens next will change of the course of human history… 

Publication Date: 28th January 2019
Publisher: Matador
Page Length: 216 Pages
Genre: Historical Fantasy, Supernatural Thriller



EXCERPT

This is an excerpt from The Coronation by Justin Newland. 
It’s the closing scene of Chapter 1. 
It’s from the point of view of Marion Grafin (or Countess) von Adler and takes place in her home in Schloss (or Castle) Ludwigshain.



They were about to set off on the annual end-of-harvest tour of the estate borders. It had been a tradition since her husband’s family had acquired Ludwigshain nearly a century before. The ceremony was akin to an eagle flying the boundaries of its territory, except that Marion marked hers with grace and by sprinkling a handful of wheat at regular intervals. 

She and Sisi sat in the little pony trap next to Grenda, the coachman, who wore a feather in his peaked cap. Alongside her, Hans and Christoph rode their mares, whose tails casually flicked away marauding summer flies. Grenda tapped lightly on the reins and steered them along the eastern lake shore, where butterflies danced on the water’s glassy surface. They headed along the sand ridge overlooking the quiet course of the River Pregel in the valley. Below them, the green water meadows and golden yellow fields basked in the ebullient rays of the summer sun. The panoramic view, the sultry day, the bright light, and the trundle of the cart had a timeless quality. 

Christoph rode up to the trap. He had something on his mind. “How is the Graf, Your Excel-lency?” 

“From his last correspondence,” she replied, “he is in good health.” 

“Praise the Lord. Did he say if we are winning the war?” 

“He did, and yes, of course we are,” she replied with a forced smile. 

Two years previously the Russian Army had occupied Königsberg – the capital of Ostpreussen – barely four hours’ ride away. Since then, the tide of the war had turned against King Freder-ick. She needed to keep up their morale so she wasn’t going to tell that to her estate workers. Nor that the King’s army was smaller than both the individual armies of their Austrian and Russian enemies. 

“It’s only a question of time,” she added with deliberate ambiguity. 

“That’s good,” Christoph said. 

He rode in silence, distractedly flicking his mare’s whip. He kept glancing towards her, as if he wanted to say something else and turned away at the last moment. 

“What’s the matter? Is it the harvest?” she asked. 

“No, Your Excellency,” he replied. “We’ll bring it in. And it’s a good one, no doubt about it. No, it’s the maintenance – mending broken fences, clearing the streams, pollarding the trees. It’s a huge job and we’re short-handed. I wish more men would return.” 

Her dogs ran alongside her until they spotted a squirrel and chased it across the meadow, be-fore returning to the fold with tongues hanging out of their mouths.

Soon they could hear the plaintive cries of the peafowls in the nearby pheasantry. 

By the time they’d reached Löwenhagen, the next village, the sun had climbed high in the sky. Sisi took off her wreath and waved her fan to cool her face. In this heat, even a small breeze was a welcome reprieve. They trundled passed the Municipal House, where a life-size statue of King Frederick I, the present king’s father, seated on his stallion, dominated the village square. In every house, the doors and windows were flung open. Other than a few dogs and a stray pheasant or two, the village was deserted. Everyone was in the fields. At the other end of the village, they came across the church and the fishing lake. 

Along the bumpy path to the next hamlet with its Lutheran chapel, they passed by the fields, where the workers waved cheery greetings. They veered off the main track towards Barthen from where they could see the two strands of the River Pregel – the Neuer and the Alter – sluggish in the summer heat. 

Passing by the rickety barn, the old cattle shed with a gaping hole in the roof, and the water meadows, they encountered a large herd of sheep. Squatting in the shade of a tree like a Chi-nese sage and wielding a shepherd’s crook was…

“Caspar!” Sisi blurted out. “I’m so pleased to see you.” 

The young man dithered, frozen by the sudden attention. Marion was frightened by what she saw in him, or rather what was absent in him. Caspar had been conscripted at the raw age of sixteen. That was two years ago. Now his face looked as dry and crumpled as a discarded cleaning rag. He wore leggings and a simple peasant’s smock that was too big for him. 

Sisi jumped down from the trap and went to greet him. 

Caspar hobbled towards her, leaning on his crook, saying, “Boris, heel.” And a large, boister-ous, black and tan dog bounded after him. 

“What are you doing here?” Marion asked Caspar. “I thought you were at the front.”

“He was shot in the leg,” Sisi explained. “He received an honourable discharge.”

Friends since childhood, Caspar and Sisi had played, rode, and made mischief together with the other rapscallions on the estate. Caspar’s family was far from the aristocratic rank of the von Adlers, meaning anything more than cordial friendship was socially unacceptable. 

“How long…?” Marion asked. 

“I-I come back to Barthen two day ago.” He spoke like he had a potato in each cheek. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked her daughter. 

“Oh, Mother,” Sisi replied, waving her hands in the air, “you’ve been so busy with the harvest, I’ve barely seen you.”

“I still need to know who is on my estate,” Marion said firmly.

Sisi ignored her, turned to Caspar and in a voice as soft as rose petals, asked, “How are you? How is your leg?” 

“I been better,” he mumbled, tapping his leg with his crook. “And Papa is poorly.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Sisi answered. 

Caspar switched his balance from leg to leg. Uncomfortable in the full glare of the von Adler family, the boy had left his confidence on the battlefield and wasn’t going to get it back soon. At least Boris showed him plenty of affection, jumping up at him and licking his hand. 

Caspar plucked a strand of grass and began chewing on one end of it. He stared up at the cloudless sky, a look in his brown eyes as empty as that of his cows. Out of the blue, the dog barked at a rabbit and Caspar jumped out of his skin. In a flash, his voice and demeanour changed, as if a cloud had passed across the face of the sun. 

“Line up and do your duty!” he snarled, his strident voice reminiscent of a drill sergeant. “The Russians must not pass. We’re gonna defeat them.” 

The poor boy was transported to the battlefield and was shouting commands to imaginary com-rades. 

“Caspar, there’s no danger here. We’re friends,” Sisi comforted him. 

“Ah,” he replied and plucked another straw. 

“Caspar’s got his family,” Hans said, apparently trying to offer her some reassurance. 

“Oh, yes, his mother’s dead and that leaves him and his father,” Sisi observed pointedly.

“I don’t care, it’s an honour to serve your country,” Hans said. “I’m ready and willing. I’d wear the Prussian blue any day.” 

“Be careful what you wish for, little brother,” Sisi replied. “Besides, you’re too young. You have to be sixteen to wear the uniform.”

“Children, don’t squabble. Besides, there’s nothing we can do,” Marion said.

“But there is, Mother,” Sisi insisted. Marion raised an eyebrow – her daughter rarely answered her back. “We’ve more rooms in the Schloss than acorns on an oak tree. Caspar and his father can move in there with the staff. We can feed him and get them both well again.” 

Marion asked, “Is that what Caspar wants?” 

Caspar looked at the ground for what seemed like an age and then shook his head. “No, Ex-cellency. Papa’s ill. He don’t wanna move. Caspar stay in Barthen with Papa.” 

“That’s settled then,” Marion said. Now Caspar was back, she would have to keep a wary eye on him and Sisi, in case their relationship became inappropriate. 

Sisi got back in the trap and they moved on. With each field they passed, the workers serenaded the harvest queen with cheers and hurrahs. 

Grenda encouraged the mares down the slope and along the wide river bed, mostly dried out by the summer’s heat. Their spirits were lifted by the river’s cool, refreshing waters and Grenda’s whistling of his favourite tune. They followed the flow of the river until they reached a small inlet and anchorage for rowing boats to cross the river. From there, they headed up the valley slope towards the village of Steinbeck. Hans reached the top of the ridge first where he brought his mare to a halt. Bathed in bright sunlight, the boy shared his father’s blue eyes, high fore-head and fiery looks. He pointed at a cloud of dust in the distance. 

A column of horses was galloping towards them along the ridge road, in pairs, flags flying in the breeze. 

“They ours?” Sisi asked, more in hope than expectation.

“Nah!” Hans snarled. “See the blue and white stripes? They’re Russians!” 

Marion swallowed hard. He was right; Imperial Russian cavalry – on the road from Königs-berg.

“What are they doing here?” Hans asked.

“I don’t know.” Her voice was hoarse.

The lead rider was wielding his sword above his head. Grenda seemed dumbstruck by the rid-ers. The trap had ground to a halt in the middle of the path – their path. Their commander led the charge and had no intention of halting the column.

Marion shouted, “Grenda, they’re not going to stop. Move us. Quick!”

At the last moment, he hauled on the reins and the trap slid out of the way onto the verge. The column raced by like a whirlwind, stirring up dust in their faces, the horses’ hooves pounding the dry earth and thundering in their ears. 

“Hussars. Imperial Hussars,” Hans declared. “Fifty of them, I’d say.” 

She didn’t know about that, but she did know they were arrogant and they’d left an acerbic taste in her mouth. 

“Christoph, let me have your ride,” she said, then coughed, her throat hoarse from the dust cloud. 

“Yes, Your Excellency,” Christoph replied. 

“Hans, come with me,” she said and mounted the mare astride. 

“Where are they going?” Hans asked anxiously as they set off. 

“That’s what I want to find out,” she said. Deep down, she feared she knew exactly where they were headed – and why


Justin Newland is an author of historical fantasy and secret history thrillers - that’s history with a supernatural twist. His stories feature known events and real people from history which are re-told and examined through the lens of the supernatural. He gives author talks and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio Bristol’s Thought for the Day. He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England. 

His Books

The Genes of Isis is a tale of love, destruction and ephemeral power set under the skies of An-cient Egypt. A re-telling of the Biblical story of the flood, it reveals the mystery of the genes of Isis – or genesis – of mankind. ISBN 9781789014860.

“The novel is creative, sophisticated, and downright brilliant! I couldn’t ask more of an Egyp-tian-esque book!” – Lauren, Books Beyond the Story.

The Old Dragon’s Head is a historical fantasy and supernatural thriller set during the Ming Dynasty and played out in the shadows the Great Wall of China. It explores the secret history of the influences that shaped the beginnings of modern times.  ISBN 9781789015829.

‘The author is an excellent storyteller.” – British Fantasy Society. 

Set during the Great Enlightenment, The Coronation reveals the secret history of the Industrial Revolution. ISBN 9781838591885.

“The novel explores the themes of belonging, outsiders… religion and war…  filtered through the lens of the other-worldly.” – A. Deane, Page Farer Book Blog.

His latest, The Abdication (July, 2021), is a suspense thriller, a journey of destiny, wisdom and self-discovery. ISBN 9781800463950.  

“In Topeth, Tula confronts the truth, her faith in herself, faith in a higher purpose, and ulti-mately, what it means to abdicate that faith.” 
V. Triola, Coast to Coast.



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Friday, January 28, 2022

Read an excerpt from The Liars Beneath By Heather L. Powell #Thriller #YoungAdult #Giveaway @XpressoTours @HeatherLPowell

The Liars Beneath
By Heather L. Powell

A romantically dark YA thriller set in the backdrop of Iowa’s suspenseful farmlands.

After a tragic accident ends her best friend’s life, 17-year-old Becca Thompson succumbs to grief the only way she knows how: by wallowing in it. She’s a fragment of the person she once was—far too broken to enjoy the summer before her senior year. But when Ben McCain, her best friend’s older brother, returns home, Becca must face her new reality head on.

She isn’t interested in Ben’s games, especially since he abandoned his sister during the months leading up to her death. But when he begs for her help in uncovering the truth about what really happened the night of his sister’s death, Becca finds herself agreeing, hoping to clear up rumors swirling in the wake of her best friend’s accident.

An unhinged ex-boyfriend, secret bucket lists, and garage parties in the place Becca calls home soon lead her to the answers she’s so desperate to unveil. But nobody is being honest, not even Ben. And the closer Becca gets to the truth—and to Ben—the more danger seems to surround her.

Clearing her best friend’s name was all she wanted to do, but Becca is quickly realizing that the truth she craves might be uglier than the lies her best friend kept.


Publication date: January 27th 2022
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult


Add to Goodreads • Amazon UK • Amazon US


EXCERPT

It was almost midnight when I heard the knock against my window. Three soft and consecutive thuds, all of which match the beat of my heart. Why he chose that way to get my attention instead of texting, is a mystery. The kind of mystery I was way too amped up to question.

I wasn’t excited in the sense that I like him and want to spend time with him or anything. At least that’s what I told my racing heart when I first saw his smile from the other side of the glass. He’d been crouched on his belly on the roof of our porch like a stealthy spy, and the sight was something I’d never forget.

I’d thrown a hoodie on over the Tee I’m dressed in, pairing it with some denim cutoffs. Then I tossed my hair up into a messy bun and slid on some cherry Chapstick—but only because my lips were chapped. That’s it. No other reason whatsoever.

Once my Docs were on, I slid out my window and met him head on, the two of us jumping the five feet off the low hanging roof. I’d giggled uncontrollably when he landed on his butt instead of his feet, and he’d nearly pulled me down with him when he tried grabbing my laces. That would be the last time I’d ever not tie my boots.

“Guess what?” he whispered when we started to walk away from the house. “I researched your family tree today and found out that you, Becca, are the biggest sap.” He ended that statement with a tap to my nose. My freaking nose, for God’s sake.

He’d booped me.

My response—one which had been paired with a hard thump to his equally as hard abdomen: “You’re so dumb, you planted a dogwood tree and expected a litter of puppies.”

We both laughed at how stupid we sounded, yet at the same time it felt good to just be goofy. Or dare I say, normal. Though that word—normal—was a bit of a stretch when it came to the two of us anymore.

After that, Ben took my hand like it was the most natural thing in the world and proceeded to lead me to where we are now: the middle of the cornfield.

I trail my fingers over the silky corn stalks, marveling at their height and the way the midnight moon reflects off the green color. Nothing about this spot eases my frazzled nerves, of course. It doesn’t give me peace of mind like it once had when I’d come out here with Rose either. It’s kind of like the alcove in that sense—a spot tainted by a bad memory, despite the many good memories trying to override it.

Ben moves closer, our shoulders brushing.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks.

“Stuff.” That no longer matters. A time and a place and a memory that’s long past.

“Rose said you guys used to hang out here a lot.”

I shrugged one shoulder, unwilling to indulge in what happened the last time she and I had been out here. It’s not a huge thing, smoking weed and all, but for some reason, I don’t want Ben to know that it’d been my bucket list item, not Rose’s. It shows my age—how I’d been so young and inexperienced.

Not that I care what he thinks.

“It’s nice,” he continues. “Quiet too. I can see why you liked it.”

“We did some of our best thinking out here.” Thinking that was more along the lines of Rose smoking joints, while I stood by to keep watch.

“Hmm.” He nods, kicks the toe of his foot into the dirt. “I’m gonna go to that party on Saturday,” he tells me out of the blue.

I frown. “You think that’s smart after beating up Adam like you did?”

“Yup.”

“Why?”

“Because Adam’s gonna be there.” He looks away, but I don’t miss the flex of his jaw—not even in the dark. “I don’t trust the guy.”

I turn him around by the shoulders, forcing him to stand in front of me. “What’s there not to trust, exactly?”

“Lots of things.”

“Like what?”

“I’ve got facts that need exploring.” His lips purse.

“Yeah.” I roll my eyes. “Because you’re suddenly a detective now. I forgot.”

Adam wouldn’t hurt a puppy, let alone be behind Rose’s death. He used to talk big, but his love for my best friend was endless. Without a doubt, I know that’s who her secret boyfriend was. I just don’t get why they never went public.

“I’m more of a private eye, actually.” He covers one eye and curls the corner of his upper lip, making an argh noise.

“That’s a pirate, not a private eye, dork.”

“Either way, they’re both sneaky, right?”

I sigh, wondering if he’s always been this weird. Cocky, a smartass, and a huge instigator—that’s Ben. Not funny.


Heather Van Fleet is a stay-at-home-mom turned book boyfriend connoisseur. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, a mom to three girls, and in her spare time you can find her with her head buried in her Kindle, guzzling down copious amounts of coffee.

Heather graduated from Black Hawk College in 2003 and currently writes Adult contemporary romance. She is published through Sourcebooks Casablanca with her Reckless Hearts series and Bookouture with her Red Dragon series.

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Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Read an excerpt from Spindrifts By A-M Mawhiney #Dystopian #YoungAdult #YA @ammawhiney @XpressoTours

Spindrifts
By A-M Mawhiney

Racism, climate change, and violence are in the past. The new world values respect and collaboration with others. But are there secrets lurking in the shadows of the Land of Hope? What truth about the past is being covered up?

When fifteen-year-old Fania returns from Immersion, she is shattered to learn that the next phase of her education is at home with Alicia, her granny. She had hoped for something far grander that would prepare her for an important role with the Earth Project. Their two strong personalities clash as Fania begins to learn more about the past and her family’s role in it.

As Fania grows in confidence and power, she starts to wonder exactly what secrets Alicia is keeping in her underground lab. After Fania discovers the truth, she finds her calling: one that has the power to change everything.

Publication date: November 24th 2021
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult 

Add to Goodreads!

Grab a copy HERE!


EXCERPT

Fania’s Journal: An excerpt from Spindrifts by A-M Mawhiney © 2021

I’m supposed to write in my journal every day. Sure. Like that’s the best use of my time. They said it’d be a private place to think, but I’ve wondered about that. I can think in my head without writing my thoughts. Just in case, I always use my disconnected tablet for the real journal, encrypted with three protective codes and in a language I developed myself. I know this might be over the top, but I’ve felt better knowing no one can read my actual journal. So, people can read how excited I am about my apprenticeship, but privately I’m totally dissed. I really want to learn about people From Away, and instead I’m apprenticing with Granny, my great-grandmother, who’s spent most of her life close to home in her research laboratory, two miles down an ancient mine shaft. It used to be where they studied mysteries of the universe! How the heck did that work?

I’ve always loved Granny. I’ve felt as though we’ve had a special relationship, and I’ve missed spending time with her. I just never thought they’d give me a responsibility so far removed from what I really want to be doing.

Ezma told me I’ve many skills and a strong aptitude for analytical thinking. I know what that means. It means sitting in an underground lab every day for the rest of my life. I guess I wasn’t very good at hiding my feelings because Ezma felt she had to remind me what Granny does is very important. Then she asked me a curious question.

“Do you know what she does?”

Well, of course I do! I explained, “Granny is the researcher who found the serum. She said it was a fluke.”

That comment made Ezma laugh, hysterically almost. “Well, Fania, you’ll find there’s a lot you can learn from Alicia. I hope you’ll keep an open mind.”

When I boarded the transport to head home after two years at Immersion, my patch reminded me to change my timer back to the village’s schedule. The health patch is a misnomer; it’s actually an up-to-date example of bio-merged nanotechnology. This latest gen’s so far advanced compared to the primitive models my grandparents used when they were young—those things they wore on their wrists. Now the healer implants the technology at birth where it merges with our brainwaves. It has reciprocal transformational capabilities, but I’ve been told there are limitations so it can’t change the basic personality or natural abilities of anyone. The patch transmits and receives communications, monitors personal health data, and provides all my reading materials. Everyone in our territory has them, so far as I know.


A-M Mawhiney was deeply moved by the events of 2020 and the cries from advocates fighting for equity and justice for people living precarious lives because of structural barriers and discrimination. As a former social worker and academic she has spent her career seeking ways to improve lives of marginalized learners through inclusive education for all students. Mawhiney has hope for a better future for us all. Her vision of what this might look like inspired her to write Spindrifts.

Anne-Marie lives in Sudbury, Ontario, in the territory of the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek in the Robinson-Huron Treaty Area, with Dave McGill and their canine companion, Charlie.

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Sunday, January 23, 2022

Read my review of Two Truths and One Liar by Deirdre Riordan Hall #Mystery #Thriller #YoungAdult #Excerpt @DeirdreSpark


Two Truths and One Liar
By Deirdre Riordan Hall


Knives Out meets One of Us is Lying with a hint of the Inheritance Games. Like the original whodunnit, Clue, this suspenseful mystery also has three possible endings explaining what could have happened.

They all have secrets. They all have motives. They all tell lies.

Every year, at a prestigious boarding school, Professor Groff hosts the Midnight Masquerade. But this year, before the festivities, he’s discovered dead in his office. Yet six students still receive invitations. The same six students who’re questioned about his murder.

The show must go on. At the Masquerade, two additional students claim to know the truth. The lights go out and when they come back on, one of them is dead. Anyone could’ve been at fault.

Francisca blind in one eye and deadly on the rugby field. Toshi a number ninja and the campus punching bag. Taz who struggles with anxiety and lingers in the shadows. Fish the golden boy hiding wounds and not only in his heart. Caroline the heiress and the image of perfection. Gorgeous George the resident Greek God with nothing to lose.

The six receive anonymous notes, making them question themselves and the assumptions they’ve made about each other. Brought back together, they must prove their innocence before the all-school meeting the next morning, otherwise, they risk humiliation if their secrets are exposed exposed—and worse, if they’re found guilty.

It’s a long night of theft, danger, and threats by a secret society that shows Professor Groff was right during his final lecture.

Everything that can go wrong will.


Publication date: December 27th 2021
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult 

Add to Goodreads!

Grab a copy HERE!


MY THOUGHTS

Professor Groff isn’t the school’s favourite teacher by any means. The majority of the students, and most of the teachers, greatly dislike him. But, it is still an honour to be invited to his Midnight Masquerade, something of which few students ever experience, and no one is entirely sure what the event truly is. 

When Professor Groff is found dead in his office, the end of the year is thrown into turmoil. First, the school’s symbolic wisteria was burned down, now a teacher is dead – things such as prom seem trivial in the light of recent events. Six students are singled out and questioned about Groff’s death, and none of them can figure out why they specifically were questioned. But, one by one, they all receive an invite to the Midnight Masquerade, despite Professor Groff being dead, and all of them are curious and after answers.

This novel is told from the perspective of the six students – Francisca, Toshi, Taz, Fish, Caroline, and George. They are not all friends, only some of them know each other, and yet, the events of this book pit them against each other, and force them together. They were all questioned, surely one of them is responsible for Professor Groff’s murder? And yet, as you read each of their perspectives, they all seem equally clueless about what happened. 

To talk about all six of them would make this an incredibly long review, so I shall simply focus on my favourites. Taz and Fish were, without a doubt, my favourite characters in this novel. Taz is the school’s misfit, the girl people avoid. But, behind her dark clothing, she is sensitive, and struggles with anxiety and trying to figure out who she really is. Fish might be the ‘golden boy’ of the school, but he has a dark past he wants to keep hidden, for if it came to light, his whole life, and the way everyone views him, would change. These two characters, in my opinion, had the most depth to them. Fish certainly had the most backstory, and Taz came across as very real. Their chapters were most definitely my favourite to read.

This novel is obviously centred around Professor Groff’s death, and the six characters trying to figure out why they in particular were questioned, and trying to learn the truth for themselves. There is a certain nod towards the game Cluedo – a murder in a mansion, six suspects. There is even mention of a candlestick and a pistol, as the six characters find themselves moving around the board, learning things and slowly trying to piece together the truth before taking that final guess and seeing if they were right or not. This was certainly a nice little addition to the story, or almost, this story is a nice addition to the game. If you are a fan of the game in any way, this is a novel you will love.

I had some issues to begin with, trying to keep up with the characters. With six different perspectives, each character taking their chapters in turn, it is a lot of different people to try and keep your mind on. There are times when they are all together, and it is easier to know what is happening, but when they are all in separate places, doing their own things, I sometimes found it difficult to remember who the characters were, with the amount of different names. I had a hard time initially learning who the main characters were, with the differing perspectives, however, once you have figured out who’s who, it’s much easier to keep up with them.

Something I found incredibly unique in this novel, which I’m not sure I’ve ever seen before, is the fact that this book has three endings. There is one ‘true’ ending, and two additional endings of ‘what might’ve happened'. Three completely different outcomes, depending on what is revealed, and how it is revealed. Once again, I did have a little trouble keeping up with things here, as you finish one ending, and have to jump back in time and try to forget everything you just read to understand the next ending, but it is a very creative style.

This is a novel of secrets, lies, and mystery, and one that will certainly keep you reading as you try to figure out whodunnit, and who you can really trust. With so many different kinds of characters, there is a favourite character for everyone. If you like mysteries, this is certainly a great read you should grab a copy of!

*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for review consideration.


Deirdre Riordan Hall is the author of the contemporary young adult bestsellers Sugar and Pearl as well as the High School Murder Mystery series. She’s in an ongoing pursuit of words, waves, and wonder. Her love language involves a basket of chips, salsa, and guacamole, preferably when shared with her family.

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Thursday, January 20, 2022

Read an excerpt from The Heart of a Hussar (The Winged Warrior Series, Book 1) by Griffin Brady #HistoricalFiction #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @griffbrady1588 @maryanneyarde



The Heart of a Hussar 
(The Winged Warrior Series, Book 1)
By Griffin Brady


Poland is at war. He must choose between his lifelong ambition and his heart.

Exploiting Muscovy’s Time of Troubles, Poland has invaded the chaotic country. Twenty-two-year-old Jacek Dąbrowski is an honorable, ferocious warrior in a company of winged hussars—an unrivaled, lethal cavalry. When his lieutenant dies in battle, Jacek is promoted to replace him, against the wishes of his superior, Mateusz, who now has more reason to eliminate him. 

Jacek dedicates his life to gaining the king’s recognition and manor lands of his own. Consequently, he closely guards his heart, avoiding lasting romantic entanglements. Unscathed on the battlefield, undefeated in tournaments, and adored by women eager to share his bed, Jacek has never lost at anything he sets out to conquer. So when he charges toward his goals, he believes nothing stands in his way. 

Upon his return from battle, Jacek deviates from his ordinarily unemotional mindset and rescues enemy siblings, fifteen-year-old Oliwia and her younger brother, Filip, from their devastated Muscovite village. His act of mercy sets into motion unstoppable consequences that ripple through his well-ordered life for years to come—and causes him to irretrievably lose his heart. 

Oliwia has her own single-minded drive: to protect her young brother. Her determination and self-sacrifice lead her to adopt a new country, a new religion, and a new way of life. But it’s not the first time the resilient beauty has had to remake herself, for she is not what she appears to be.
 
As Jacek battles the Muscovites and Tatars threatening Poland’s borders for months at a time, Oliwia is groomed for a purpose concealed from her. All the while, Mateusz’s treachery and a mysterious enemy looming on the horizon threaten to destroy everything Jacek holds dear.


Publication Date: 12th September 2020
Publisher: Trefoil Publishing
Page Length: 434 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction


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EXCERPT 

Jacek exploded from the garrison and stormed across the yard to Mateusz’s home, fists clenched so tightly his forearms vibrated. It took all of Atlas’s strength to keep his fury contained in his body. He pounded on the captain’s door. It swung open, revealing Lady Barbara. She looked Jacek up and down, the hint of a smile curving her lips.

He glared at her through narrowed eyes. “Where is your husband, Pani Zalewska? And do not think to test me.”

“I’m right here, Dąbrowski,” the captain called from behind his wife. “Barbara, leave us.”

She turned, and Mateusz’s eyes tracked her out of the room before he sauntered to the doorway, wiping wet hands on a linen cloth.

“You here to apologize for that urchin of yours? I’m still getting the blood off my hands. Christ, that boy’s a bleeder!”

Jacek’s tautened muscles bunched. “No. I’m here to do what he could not.”

Mateusz’s eyebrows rose to his hairline. “Oh, really? Ready for your own beating? You don’t have the stones to do it, so be off. Go play in the yard with your friends.” With a snicker, he jerked his chin to somewhere behind Jacek.

Jacek glanced to the side and caught sight of a ring of men in his periphery. He’d had no idea the garrison had followed him.

“Or did you bring them with you to do what you can’t?” Mateusz taunted.

“I didn’t bring them. I don’t need their help.”

Mateusz rolled his eyes and placed his fists on his hips, striking a bored pose. “Apologize for the brat, and I’ll let it go this time.”

“No, Zalewski. I’m not leaving until we settle this. Man to man, not man to boy.”

Mateusz threw his head back and laughed, then riveted bloodshot eyes on Jacek—blue-green swimming in spidery red. “It can’t be man to man, Dąbrowski, because you’re not a man. When will you get it through your cracked head?”

Then he raised his hands and looked past Jacek. “You all heard, yes? My subordinate challenges me. And for what? I taught his impertinent shaver a lesson! You are my witnesses.”

A voice called out from the crowd, “Brave man, Zalewski. Beating a child with a nadziak.”

“He had it coming!” The cords in Mateusz’s neck stood out. “He needed to be taught who his masters are. He wouldn’t do it,” he pointed at Jacek, “so I had to.”

A murmur waved through the crowd, and Jacek turned toward the commotion. Someone stepped out of the throng. Too late, he caught the blur by his right eye that was Mateusz’s cocked fist wrapped around something hard. Blindsided, Jacek dropped to his knees. Wet, warm, sticky blood flowed from his brow into his eye, eclipsing his sight. He swiped at it with the heel of his hand, his head exploding with stars against a black backdrop.

Jacek pulled himself up, and his eyes dropped to a stone pestle in Mateusz’s fist. Mateusz snarled, “That brat had it coming. And when I’m through with you, I’ll go see his sister and show her what it’s like with a real man.” He licked his lips. “After she’s had a taste of me, she’ll want nothing to do with you.”

Jacek vaulted at Mateusz, wrapping his arms around his middle, driving him into an outer wall. He grasped Mateusz’s wrist and smashed it against the wall. The pestle dropped to the ground. Mateusz grunted, then shoved his knee into Jacek’s gut. Dragging air and the rank odor of alcohol into his lungs, Jacek held Mateusz to him a few beats, then propelled himself backward. Mateusz pushed off the wall and came at him warily. Jacek wiped more blood out of his eye. They squared off and began circling each other.

From a back corner of his mind, Jacek heard the crowd buzz. Dogs barked. A woman gasped. Chickens squawked. Men cheered and jeered. A silver button glinted. Warm rays bathed moist spring leaves with light.

He pulled in a breath.

Wild eyes flashing, Mateusz threw a punch that sliced air. The momentum brought him forward, and Jacek jabbed his breastbone hard. The strike didn’t stop Mateusz, but it slowed him. Jacek kicked out, landing a heel just above his knee. Mateusz roared, staggered backward, but stayed upright. He dove for Jacek. Jacek sidestepped him, pounding his back with steely forearms. Mateusz’s shoulder rammed his hip, and he pulled Jacek down.

Mateusz sprawled in the dirt facedown, shaking his head. Jacek sprang out of reach, fists at the ready. A bottle flew from the crowd and landed by Mateusz. He seized it and leapt to his feet, breaking off the bottom against a wooden post.

Gripping the neck of the bottle, Mateusz came at Jacek with the jagged glass. He lunged. Jacek grasped the wrist holding the bottle, keeping it away from his body. They came together. Chest to chest, they strained against one another, grunting, growling, grappling, heels digging in, fighting for purchase. Jacek shifted his stance and managed to wedge his knee between Mateusz’s legs. Mateusz broke Jacek’s hold on his wrist, but Jacek pressed his weight against Mateusz’s inner thigh, and Mateusz stumbled backward, Jacek crashing on top of him. Mateusz’s hand flew open, and the bottle rolled harmlessly out of reach.

Jacek scrambled to his feet, crouching, while Mateusz heaved to his side. Before Mateusz could recover, Jacek cinched his arm in the crook of his elbow, pinning his other wrist to the ground. He leaned on him with all his weight, one leg straddling his lower body, digging his heels into the dirt. He tightened his grip on the arm. Mateusz cried out. Jacek clamped down harder.

“Enough!”

Jacek jolted at the sound of Eryk’s voice, pushing himself off Mateusz. He stood apart, heaving in breaths, his hands pressed to his thighs. Eryk stood beside him while Mateusz stirred on the ground and cursed.

“This is done, Mateusz. He defeated you. Gather yourself and report to me in ten minutes.” Eryk pivoted, and Jacek watched as his retreating back parted the susurrating crowd.

A woman screamed.

Jacek was already in motion as a glint in Mateusz’s hand caught his eye. But Mateusz wasn’t coming for him. He raced at Eryk with murder in his eyes, the broken bottle in one hand and a dagger in the other.



Griffin Brady is a historical fiction author with a keen interest in the Polish Winged Hussars of the 16th and 17th centuries. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. The Heart of a Hussar took third place in the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ 2018 Colorado Gold Contest and was a finalist in the Northern Colorado Writers’ 2017 Top of the Mountain Award.

The proud mother three grown sons, she lives in Colorado with her husband. She is also an award-winning, Amazon bestselling romance author who writes under the pen name G.K. Brady.


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Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Read an interview with Rosemary Griggs, author of A Woman of Noble Wit #HistoricalFiction #Interview @RAGriggsauthor @maryanneyarde

 


A Woman of Noble Wit
By Rosemary Griggs


Few women of her time lived to see their name in print. But Katherine was no ordinary woman. She was Sir Walter Raleigh’s mother. This is her story.

Set against the turbulent background of a Devon rocked by the religious and social changes that shaped Tudor England; a Devon of privateers and pirates; a Devon riven by rebellions and plots, A Woman of Noble Wit tells how Katherine became the woman who would inspire her famous sons to follow their dreams. It is Tudor history seen though a woman’s eyes.

As the daughter of a gentry family with close connections to the glittering court of King Henry VIII, Katherine’s duty is clear. She must put aside her dreams and accept the husband chosen for her. Still a girl, she starts a new life at Greenway Court, overlooking the River Dart, re-lieved that her husband is not the ageing monster of her nightmares. She settles into the life of a dutiful wife and mother until a chance shipboard encounter with a handsome privateer, turns her world upside down.…..

Years later a courageous act will set Katherine’s name in print and her youngest son will fly high.

Publication Date: 28th September 2021
Publisher: Troubador
Page Length: 423 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger Warnings: Rape.

 Grab a copy HERE!



INTERVIEW

Why did you choose to write your book in this era?

I spend a lot of time in the sixteenth century and feel completely at home in those turbulent Tudor years. I think part of the attraction is that I see lots of parallels with our own time. We’ve seen a revolution in communications through the internet.  The invention of the printing press in the late fifteenth century started a similar revolution in ideas and communication that ushered in  sweeping social, religious and political change.  Suddenly the written word was available to many people, among them the first generation of well-born women to have a broader education.   Women like Katherine Champernowne, the main protagonist in my novel.  I first met her though my appearances as a history interpreter at a local National Trust property, and I’d have to say she’s taken over my life.  I’ve spent many happy hours research-ing her and her family, poring over old documents in the archives, reading all the biographies of her famous boys and visit-ing the places she knew. I found out quite a lot about the men in her life, especially her famous boy, Sir Walter Raleigh.  But Katherine herself has left a light footprint on the historical record, apart from a rather amazing mention in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, published in her lifetime.  When I read of her courageous vigil in Exeter with the protestant martyr Agnes Prest I knew I had to tell her story and so “A Woman of Noble Wit” was born.  

What is the most surprising thing you discovered while you were researching this era?

I’m not sure I was entirely surprised by this, but it certainly struck me very forcibly just how little we know about the women who stood behind famous men of this time.  We hear such a lot about Devon’s famous seafarers - Drake, Raleigh, Grenville, sometimes called Elizabeth’s Sea-dogs.  But they all had mothers, wives and sisters whose stories are largely forgotten.  These women who did their duty, often marrying against their own wishes, managed households, looked after vast estates when their menfolk were away, forged social contacts, cared for everyone’s health and above all provided children to carry on the family line.   As Katherine’s grandmother Carew says in my novel “Without us women, what can men ever achieve?” I was however, genuinely surprised to find evidence of the marriage of a Devon priest under Edward VI and the consequences he suffered under Mary Tudor. This gave me  a sub-plot for my novel. Fascinating stuff — I’ll publish my re-search soon.

Can you share something about the book that isn’t covered in the blurb?

It’s not just another re-telling of court intrigues and the marriages of King Henry.  It’s about how those events and the changes they brought affected people throughout England. It’s about the reality of life for a bright young woman torn be-tween ambition, love and duty and its full of vivid descriptions of the Devon countryside. 

If you had to describe your protagonist, in three words, what would those three words be?

Strong, courageous, passionate.

What are you currently working on?

I’ve met many fascinating characters in my research and I’m working on the story of an-other little known woman who was connected to Katherine’s family.  Born far away she spent much of her life in Devon and Somerset, and her marriage was, to say the least, an interesting one. 

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I enjoy researching and visiting places my characters knew well, but sewing and creating authentic sixteenth century garments is my pas-sion. Sewing by hand is so relaxing and I love experimenting with embroidery techniques like blackwork. I also love my garden and my allotment is my special place where I can let my mind wander and lis-ten to the birdsong as I tend my plot.  

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I loved history and reading as a girl, but I was put into the science stream and for a time hoped to be a doctor.  How I ended up in the Civil Service is  a long story!

What’s for dinner tonight? What would you rather be eating?  

Fish and chips.  I’d rather be eating a Thai meal, but fish and chips is not so bad. 

What’s your favourite food? 

Chocolate !

What is the best part of your day?

Early morning wander down the garden to see what’s happening before my day begins. 

Tea or coffee: Tea
Hot or cold: Hot
Movie or book: Book
Morning person or Night owl: Morning person
City or country: Country
Social Media or book: Book
Paperback or ebook: Paperback


Rosemary Griggs is a retired Whitehall Senior Civil Servant with a lifelong passion for history. She is now a speaker on Devon’s sixteenth century history and costume. She leads heritage tours at Dartington Hall, has made regular costumed appearances at National Trust houses and helps local museums bring history to life.


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