I am really excited to be hosting the blog tour for The Curse of Conchobar―A Prequel to the Adirondack Spirit Series By David Fitz-Gerald @AuthorDAVIDFG @maryanneyarde

 

 

 The Curse of Conchobar―A Prequel to the Adirondack Spirit Series 

By David Fitz-Gerald 

 

Banished by one tribe. Condemned by another. Will an outcast's supernatural strengths be enough to keep him alive?

 

549 AD. Raised by monks, Conchobar is committed to a life of obedience and peace. But when his fishing vessel is blown off-course, the young man's relief over surviving the sea's storms is swamped by the terrors of harsh new shores. And after capture by violent natives puts him at death's door, he's stunned when he develops strange telepathic abilities.

 

Learning his new family's language through the mind of his mentor, Conchobar soon falls for the war chief's ferocious daughter. But when she trains him to follow in her path as a fighter, he's horrified when his uncanny misfortune twists reality, causing more disastrous deaths and making him a pariah.

 

Can Conchobar defeat the darkness painting his steps with blood?

 

The Curse of Conchobar is the richly detailed prequel to the mystical Adirondack Spirit Series of historical fiction. If you like inspiring heroes, unsettling powers, and lasting legacies, then you'll love David Fitz-Gerald's captivating tale.

 

Buy The Curse of Conchobar to break free from the fates today!

 

 

He was cursed, no matter how hard he wanted to deny it, the truth was still staring him in the face. He had been safe in the monastery, the monks strong enough to survive the abomination caused by his own father. If only he had not taken the fishing boat out when he did not have permission to do so. If only the storm had not blown up suddenly he would still be back in the monastery and the curse would be under control. If he had stayed in the monastery there wouldn't have been much of a story!!

I adored this book. Conchobar has been sheltered at Skellig Michael his entire life, so when he finds himself among a tribe in the middle of a war with the neighbouring tribe, he has to decide whether he is ready to fight alongside the tribe that saved his life, or whether he should refuse and hopefully spare some bloodshed.

The supernatural is woven into this story wonderfully. The author has clearly put a lot of time into creating this world and making it, not only believable but a world that I wanted to spend a lot more time in. The story gripped me from the opening sentence, it was so good that I found it incredibly difficult to put down.

I really enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to read more books from this very talented author.

Click on the Universal Link to buy your copy in your favourite online bookshop! 

 

David Fitz-Gerald

 

David Fitz-Gerald writes fiction that is grounded in history and soars with the spirits. Dave enjoys getting lost in the settings he imagines and spending time with the characters he creates. Writing historical fiction is like making paintings of the past. He loves to weave fact and fiction together, stirring in action, adventure, romance, and a heavy dose of the supernatural with the hope of transporting the reader to another time and place. He is an Adirondack 46-er, which means he has hiked all of the highest peaks in New York State, so it should not be surprising when Dave attempts to glorify hikers as swashbuckling superheroes in his writing.

Social Media Links: Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • Pinterest • BookBub • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads

 

 

 

I am exciting to be hosting the blog tour for The Girl from Venice by Siobhan Daiko #HistoricalFiction #BookReview @siobhandaiko @maryanneyarde

 

 

The Girl from Venice

By Siobhan Daiko

 

Lidia De Angelis has kept a low profile since Mussolini's racial laws wrenched her from her childhood sweetheart. But when the Germans occupy Venice in 1943, she must flee the city to save her life.

 

Lidia joins the partisans in the Venetian mountains, where she meets David, an English soldier fighting for the same cause. As she grows closer to him, harsh Nazi reprisals and Lidia’s own ardent anti-fascist activities threaten to tear them apart.

 

Decades later in London, while sorting through her grandmother’s belongings after her death, Charlotte discovers a Jewish prayer book, unopened letters written in Italian, and a fading photograph of a group of young people in front of the Doge’s Palace.

 

Intrigued by her grandmother’s refusal to talk about her life in Italy before and during the war, Charlotte travels to Venice in search of her roots. There, she learns not only the devastating truth about her grandmother’s past, but also some surprising truths about herself.

 

 

This novel is the kind of book that you know is going to be brilliant before you’ve even read it. Maybe it was the cover, maybe it was the blurb, but something made me know that I would love this book and that ‘something’ was right.

Charlotte has a mystery to solve and that mystery is her Gran’s past. A photo of her Gran in her youth, and some unopened letters, written in Italian, send Charlotte on a trip to Italy. Charlotte hopes that she will find out the secret her Gran had kept for all these years.

Running alongside Charlotte's attempt to find out about her Gran, is the story of the woman herself. There is a reason why she would never talk about it. In this narrative, we are transported back to Italy during the Second World War. Lidia had her future all mapped out, but everything is turned on its head. Her Jewish heritage will put her in direct conflict with the "authorities".  Lidia must fight not only for her life but for justice.

As I was reading this book, I could almost imagine I was Charlotte, discovering the past through Lidia’s chapters. There are some difficult scenes, nearer the end of this book, which I am not going to spoil, but I will suggest you have some tissues close to hand.

I absolutely loved reading this book! It is the kind of novel that you wish you could forget you ever read, just so you can read it all over again and experience the story anew.

The Girl from Venice is avaliable on #KindleUnlimited.

Amazon

 

Siobhan Daiko

 

Siobhan Daiko is an international bestselling historical romantic fiction author. A lover of all things Italian, she lives in the Veneto region of northern Italy with her husband, a Havanese puppy and two rescue cats. After a life of romance and adventure in Hong Kong, Australia and the UK, Siobhan now spends her time, when she isn't writing, enjoying the sweet life near Venice.

 

Social Media Links:

 

Website, Twitter, Publisher Facebook, Author Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, BookBub, Amazon Author Page, Goodreads

Thank you to The Coffee Pot Book Club for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

 

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I am exciting to be hosting the blog tour for 'Tho I Be Mute by Heather Miller #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance #BookReview @HMHFR @maryanneyarde

 

 

Tho I Be Mute

By Heather Miller

 

Home. Heritage. Legacy. Legend.

 

In 1818, Cherokee John Ridge seeks a young man’s education at the Foreign Mission School in Cornwall, Connecticut. While there, he is overcome with sickness yet finds solace and love with Sarah, the steward’s quiet daughter. Despite a two-year separation, family disapproval, defamatory editorials, and angry mobs, the couple marries in 1824.

Sarah reconciles her new family’s spirituality and her foundational Christianity. Although, Sarah’s nature defies her new family’s indifference to slavery. She befriends Honey, half-Cherokee and half-African, who becomes Sarah’s voice during John’s extended absences.

Once arriving on Cherokee land, John argues to hold the land of the Cherokees and that of his Creek neighbors from encroaching Georgian settlers. His success hinges upon his ability to temper his Cherokee pride with his knowledge of American law. Justice is not guaranteed.

Rich with allusions to Cherokee legends, ‘Tho I Be Mute speaks aloud; some voices are heard, some are ignored, some do not speak at all, compelling readers to listen to the story of a couple who heard the pleas of the Cherokee.

 

 

 

John Ridge, or Skahtlelohskee, is a Cherokee pursuing an education to become a lawyer when he falls ill. He is taken to the steward’s house to recover, where he meets Sarah Bird Northrup. Sarah, feeling sorry for the boy brought into her house, shivering and in pain, sits with him to ensure he does not grow worse. As he slowly regains his strength, Sarah continues to visit him, and friendship blossoms between them.

When Sarah and John announce that they wish to marry, they are met with opposition and anger. There are very few who would bless the marriage between a Cherokee and a white woman. Nevertheless, love prevails, and John takes Sarah back to his home.

This novel was utterly entrancing. The style of writing is incredibly detailed and it is almost as if every word has been selected carefully, to fit in the sentence and create a lyrical style of prose. I loved John and Sarah, although I think I preferred the chapters with either them both or just Sarah to the ones with just John. John is fighting to protect both Cherokee and Creek land from Georgians who want to buy it and drive them out, but there are those who oppose him and he has a difficult time succeeding in his task. John’s chapters are incredibly interesting, as they follow the history of what happened in these areas, although I found my attention waning slightly when reading them. I am sure this is purely my own perspective, but I much preferred reading about Sarah and how she adjusted to her new home.

Another character I absolutely adored was Honey. Honey is a slave girl on John’s parent’s land, but John’s mother treats her more like a daughter. She is incredibly smart for such a young girl and she grows close with Sarah. Honey doesn’t get the love that she needs and deserves from her father, and her relationships with John’s mother and Sarah provide her with some much-needed love and support.

I loved reading this book and it taught me a lot about Cherokee customs and ways of living that I had never even thought to consider before. I have never read a book written in such a beautifully poetic style before, and with this being my first one book set in this era about these people, I don’t think any others would live up to my now incredibly high expectations.

 

Tho I Be Mute is avaliable to purchase on Amazon.

 

Heather Miller

 

 

As an English educator, Heather Miller has spent twenty-three years teaching her students the author’s craft. Now, she is writing it herself, hearing voices from the past.

 

Miller’s foundation began in the theatre, through performance storytelling. She can tap dance, stage-slap someone, and sing every note from Les Misérables. Her favorite role is that of a fireman’s wife and mom to three: a trumpet player, a future civil engineer, and a future RN. There is only one English major in her house.

 

While researching, writing, and teaching, she is also working towards her M FA in Creative Writing. Heather’s corndog-shaped dachshund, Sadie, deserves an honorary degree.

 

Website, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, BookBub

 

 

 Thank you to The Coffee Pot Book Club for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

 

Follow the tour - HERE. 

 

 

 

 

I am exciting to be hosting the blog tour for Steampunk Cleopatra by Thaddeus Thomas #HistoricalFantasy #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @thaddeusbooks @maryanneyarde

 

 

Steampunk Cleopatra

By Thaddeus Thomas

 

Amani, a companion of Cleopatra, seeks to rediscover Egypt's suppressed science and history. She is the beloved of her princess become queen, but that may not be enough to overcome the system they've inherited. If she fails, her country and Cleopatra, both, could fall. History meets fantasy, and together, they create something new. Experience an intelligent thriller about star-crossed lovers and an ancient science that might have been. 

 

Excerpt

 

In the glow of moon and torchlight, I stood before the statue of Serapis as it coddled three-headed Cerberus. The temple doors opened. Theodotus entered, and I caught a glimpse of Andros, shadows tracing the perfect contours of his face. His cheek and scalp blushed with the kiss of torchlight, and I found myself transfixed, staring, once more aware of what had slipped away while I scourged myself with grief. The doors closed.

 

Theodotus moved past me and triggered the idol's mechanism with a coin. Serapis released a tiny scroll, and it slid down the ramp into the bowl. He read the paper aloud.

 

A bountiful family is the reward of a well-tended marriage.

 

I tensed. If Theodotus knew Pharaoh was dead, he had chosen the message well.

 

He slipped Serapis's tiny scroll into my hand. “How many barren couples returned to tear down the god who failed them?”

 

“None.”

 

“None,” he said. “Not in Alexandria. They wait forever in the promise of future blessings, but the oracle is fake. Serapis is a lie. So, what would be the right thing to do? Does the righteous soul have faith in these scribbles, or does she tear down this abomination?”

 

“What are you saying?”

 

“I'm saying Amani is a good person, too good for Alexandria.”

 

“That's not reasonable.”

 

“When we recognize someone as good, we mean that person is beneficial to the smooth running of the system,” he said. “We don't mean someone's objectively good, but that they're a good disciple of Serapis, like yourself. You’ve served Ptolemy since his return, faithfully and dutifully. Yet, this is the man who murdered Dio, the love of your life. Was what he did righteous? No, it was evil. So, what of us? Is it righteous to serve him?”

 

He waited for me to answer, and, though I was a master in the art of debate, I found myself silenced.

 

“For us, the survival of the Ptolemaic dynasty, the continuation of the system, is the ultimate goal,” he said. “Maybe we even convince ourselves it's the ultimate good. Do you suppose Amani will see it that way?”

 

“Supporting Pharaoh is the righteous thing to do,” I said.

 

“We deserve to rule?” he asked.

 

“We do.”

 

“Why?” he asked.

 

“When Alexander came, Egypt welcomed him. They gave us the kingdom, and they've prospered under us.”

 

Theodotus put another coin in the cup. Serapis repeated his routine. “We repeat the mythology that defends the system, but if we're honest, we know better. Our allegiance isn't to Egypt. Egypt is something we possess, something we control, and we build our systems to keep it under our control.”

 

“We all make our compromises,” I said. “It's the only way.”

 

“It's the only way to thrive in the system we've built,” he said, “and that is why we are not good people, you and I. We did not build the system for good people, only good disciples. Amani is not a good disciple.”

 

“You're wrong about her.”

 

“Be careful about how far you trust her,” he said. “Our city may not tear down gods, but it takes pride in pulling down its royalty.”

 

 

Steampunk Cleopatra is avalable on #KindleUnlimited

 

Amazon UK • Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU 

 

Thaddeus Thomas

Thaddeus Thomas lives on the Mississippi River with his wife and three cats. Steampunk Cleopatra is his first novel, but he has a short story collection available at his website, ThaddeusThomas.com. There he also runs a book club where readers can receive indie book reviews and recommendation. His second book—Detective, 26 AD—releases July 9^th and follows Doubting Thomas as he is conscripted to be an investigator for Pontius Pilate.

 

Social Media Links:

Website  • Twitter • Facebook • Book Club

 

Thank you to The Coffee Pot Book Club for giving me the opportunity to host this book.

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