The Mystics of Mile End Review and Blog Tour

The Mystics of Mile End by Sigal Samuel
Paperback: 320 pages 
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (October 13, 2015)
Source: Publisher via TLC Book Tours for an honest review

 Sigal Samuel’s debut novel, in the vein of Nicole Krauss’s bestselling The History of Love, is an imaginative story that delves into the heart of Jewish mysticism, faith, and family.

 “This is not an ordinary tree I am making.

 “This,” he said, “this is the Tree of Knowledge.” 

In the half-Hasidic, half-hipster Montreal neighborhood of Mile End, eleven-year-old Lev Meyer is discovering that there may be a place for Judaism in his life. As he learns about science in his day school, Lev begins his own extracurricular study of the Bible’s Tree of Knowledge with neighbor Mr. Katz, who is building his own Tree out of trash. Meanwhile his sister Samara is secretly studying for her Bat Mitzvah with next-door neighbor and Holocaust survivor, Mr. Glassman. All the while his father, David, a professor of Jewish mysticism, is a non-believer.

When, years later, David has a heart attack, he begins to believe God is speaking to him. While having an affair with one of his students, he delves into the complexities of Kabbalah. Months later Samara, too, grows obsessed with the Kabbalah’s Tree of Life—hiding her interest from those who love her most–and is overcome with reaching the Tree’s highest heights. The neighbors of Mile End have been there all along, but only one of them can catch her when she falls.

Purchase Links

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

My Take:

The Mystics of Mile End is a rather intriguing book - it is about many things while telling the story of a small, broken family and how they work to put the pieces back together. Lev and his sister Samara are in a difficult spot - each is struggling with their own issues with faith and their place in the world. Their mother, who was tragically killed, was a woman of strong faith and their father is an unbeliever. 

The novel is told from each of the family members' perspective in separate sections and then a final section telling more about the neighbor's perspective. Within these sections each tells their version of events. By telling the story in this way, the reader is able to get a much fuller and more compelling vision of the family and the neighborhood. The differences and commonalities between the sections is intriguing and compelling. The novel does a great job of demonstrating just how differently we all see things and how little we really know about others. 

The novel is very much about Jewish mysticism - which I know very little about - but it is also a story about people and their complicated relationships. I found all of the characters to be complex and interesting. I was especially drawn to the neighbor, Mr. Glassman. His story is heartbreaking, but also healing. 

I found The Mystics of Mile End to be very much worth the read. It is not a fast read book. It is more of a contemplative read. I won't pretend that I got all that I should out of it, but I feel like I got what I needed. It will be one of those books that sticks in my mind and scenes  will pop up at odd times and I will find myself thinking about it unexpectedly. I would highly recommend The Mystics of Mile End to those readers who like to read challenging books, who aren't afraid to delve into weighty topics and like stories about quirky families and faith.

About Sigal Samuel

Sigal Samuel is a writer and editor for The Jewish Daily Forward. She has published fiction and journalism in The Daily Beast, The Rumpus, BuzzFeed, Tablet, The Walrus, Event, Descant, Grain, Prairie Fire, Room, and This Magazine, among others. She has been a featured writer at the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival and a winner of Room’s writing contest. Her plays have been produced in Montreal, Vancouver and New York City, winning Solo Collective Theater’s Emerging Playwrights’ Competition and The Cultch’s Young Playwrights’ Competition. While pursuing her MFA in creative writing at the University of British Columbia, Sigal won the Laura Fowler Award for outstanding women in the fine arts. She received the Lionel Shapiro Award and the Chester Macnaghten Prize for creative writing from McGill University. Originally from Montreal, she now lives and writes in Brooklyn.

 Visit Sigal at her website and connect with her on Twitter.

Sigal’s Tour Stops

Tuesday, October 13th: Back Porchervations

Friday, October 16th: 100 Pages a Day … Stephanie’s Book Reviews

Monday, October 19th: Raven Haired Girl

Tuesday, October 20th: Worth Getting in Bed For

Wednesday, October 21st: Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

Thursday, October 22nd: Man of La Book

Monday, October 26th: A Book Geek

Tuesday, October 27th: Book by Book

Wednesday, October 28th: Novel Escapes

Thursday, October 29th: Good Girl Gone Redneck

Friday, October 30th: Not in Jersey

Margaret Kerr Mystery Series Blog tour and Review of A Trust Betrayed

Please join Margaret Kerr as she tours the blogosphere for her Margaret Kerr Mystery Series, from October 12-23, with HF Virtual Book Tours, and enter to win one of three (3) Sets of A TRUST BETRAYED and THE FIRE IN THE FLINT in eBook!

A Trust Betrayed (Book One)

"Thirteenth-century Edinburgh comes off the page cold and convincing, from the smoke and noise of the tavern kitchen to Holyrood Abbey under a treacherous abbot. Most enjoyable.î" - THE LIST

 In the spring of 1297 the English army controls lowland Scotland and Margaret Kerr's husband Roger Sinclair is missing. He'd headed to Dundee in autumn, writing to Margaret with a promise to be home for Christmas, but it's past Easter. Is he caught up in the swelling rebellion against the English? Is he even alive? When his cousin, Jack, is murdered on the streets of Edinburgh, Roger's last known location, Margaret coerces her brother Andrew, a priest, to escort her to the city.

She finds Edinburgh scarred by war -houses burnt, walls stained with blood, shops shuttered - and the townsfolk simmering with resentment, harboring secrets. Even her uncle, innkeeper Murdoch Kerr, meets her questions with silence. Are his secrets the keys to Roger's disappearance? What terrible sin torments her brother? Is it her husband she glimpses in the rain, scarred, haunted? Desperate, Margaret makes alliances that risk both her own life and that of her brother in her search for answers. She learns that war twists love and loyalties, and that, until tested, we cannot know our own hearts, much less those of our loved ones.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | GOOGLE PLAY | ITUNES | KOBO

 

The Fire in the Flint (Book Two)

"Intrigue abounds... Robb's captivating blend of history and mystery vividly evokes medieval Scotland." - BOOKLIST

Scots are gathering in Murdoch Kerr's Edinburgh tavern, plotting to drive out the English forces. Margaret takes her place there as innkeeper, collecting information to pass on to William Wallace-until murder gives the English an excuse to shutter the tavern. The dead man was a witness to the intruders who raided chests belonging to Margaret's husband and her father, the latest in a string of violent raids on Margaret's family, but no one knows the identity of the raiders or what they're searching for.

Margaret's uncle urges her to escape Edinburgh, but as she flees north with her husband Roger, Margaret grows suspicious about his sudden wish to speak with her mother, Christiana, who is a soothsayer. Margaret once innocently shared with Roger one of Christiana's visions, of "the true king of Scotland" riding into Edinburgh. Now she begins to wonder if their trip is part of a mission engineered by the English crown...

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | GOOGLE PLAY | ITUNES | KOBO

 

A Cruel Courtship (Book Three)

"This is history as it should be told!"  - GOOD BOOK GUIDE

In late summer 1297, Margaret Kerr heads to the town of Stirling at the request of William Wallace's man James Comyn. Her mission is to discover the fate of a young spy who had infiltrated the English garrison at Stirling Castle, but on the journey Margaret is haunted by dreams - or are they visions? - of danger.

He who holds Stirling Castle holds Scotlandóand a bloody battle for the castle is imminent. But as the Scots prepare to cast off the English yoke, Margaretís flashes of the future allow her to glimpse what is to comeóand show her that she can trust no one, not even her closest friends.

A CRUEL COURTSHIP is a harrowing account of the days before the bloody battle of Stirling Bridge, and the story of a young womanís awakening.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | GOOGLE PLAY | ITUNES | KOBO

My Take:

Unlike many who are reading the Margaret Kerr series, I haven't read the Owen Archer series, so I had no preconceived ideas going into the first novel, A Trust Betrayed. At the beginning Margaret seems like a very new and very young wife whose husband is away too much and doesn't know what to do with herself. She is insecure about her situation. However, she quickly grows up and comes into her own as she takes matters into her own hands and stops listening to the men in her life -- but she is inexperienced and makes some hasty decisions and must learn discretion.

She goes in search of her husband and to see if she can find out the truth about Jack's murder. Once in the city, Margaret finds that things are even more desperate than she had anticipated. Margaret finds her uncle less that welcoming to her and must make herself useful in order to keep a roof over her head. This is where Margaret really starts to grow up and take action on her own.

I found the novel to be very interesting both from a historical perspective with all the attention to the details of life including the dress, the social structure and the living arrangements and from a story development perspective. I liked that Margaret was allowed to grow and take on more difficult tasks and to eventually become a player in the larger events. I hope to read more of the series and find out how much Margaret discovers and grows throughout the series.

I found A Trust Betrayed to be easy to read and interesting due to the historical period and the story line. I think that this series should appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction, fiction about Scotland, and historical mysteries. I will be reading the next book in the series very soon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Growing up, Candace Robb wanted to be a ballerina, tap dancer, folk singer, journalistóbut on the day that she walked into Liz Armstrongís undergraduate class on Chaucerís Troilus and Criseyde, that all changed. A gifted teacher, lively, witty, always laughing even when cringing at a lazy response, Dr. Armstrong launched into the opening stanzas, and within a few lines Candaceís ears adjusted to the middle Englishóand she was hooked. Chaucerís psychological study of the two lovers was a revelation to her. The next quarter was The Canterbury Tales. That clinched it. Candace went on to graduate work in medieval history and literature, and ever since sheís been engaged in bringing to life the rich culture of the period, from the arts to the politics. She is the internationally acclaimed author of thirteen crime novels featuring the sexy, brooding, clever Owen Archer, who solves crimes for John Thoresby, Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor of England, and the young Margaret Kerr, searching for her missing husband and her role in a Scotland overrun by English soldiers. Candace is currently under contract with Pegasus Books for a new crime series set in 15th century York, the Kate Clifford mysteries, which will debut in 2016.

Writing as Emma Campion, Candace has published two historical novels about the women of the English court in the 14th century, A Triple Knot and The Kingís Mistress.

Born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Candace grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has lived most of her adult life in Seattle, Washington, which she loves for its combination of culture, natural beauty, and brooding weather so like Yorkshire, Wales, and Scotland, which she visits as often as possible. She has taught the art of writing the crime novel in the University of Washingtonís certificate program, and offers workshops in writing the historical novel and in creating and plotting the crime series. Candace (and Emma) blog about writing and medieval topics at A Writerís Retreat, ecampion.wordpress.com.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, October 12
Interview at The Writing Desk

Tuesday, October 13
Review at Worth Getting In Bed For (A Trust Betrayed)
Spotlight at Just One More Chapter

Wednesday, October 14
Review at Book Nerd (A Cruel Courtship)
Spotlight at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Thursday, October 15
Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf (A Trust Betrayed)
Spotlight at Buried Under Books

Friday, October 16
Review at Worth Getting in Bed For (The Fire in the Flint)

Monday, October 19
Review at A Book Geek (A Trust Betrayed)
Character Interview at Boom Baby Reviews
Review & Interview at Singing Librarian Books (A Trust Betrayed)

Tuesday, October 20
Review at Singing Librarian Books (The Fire in the Flint)
Spotlight at The Lit Bitch

Wednesday, October 21
Review at Singing Librarian Books (A Cruel Courtship)
Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews
Thursday, October 22
Review at Worth Getting in Bed For (The Fire in the Flint)
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection

Friday, October 23
Review at A Chick Who Reads (A Trust Betrayed)
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective (A Trust Betrayed)
Spotlight at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

GIVEAWAY

To win one of three (3) Sets of A TRUST BETRAYED and THE FIRE IN THE FLINT in eBook, enter using the Rafflecopter Widget below.

Rules
-Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on October 23rd. You must be 18 or older to enter.
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- Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here Comes the Dreamer Blog Tour and Review

Here Comes the Dreamer by Carole Giangrande

Publisher: Inanna Publications

Paperback
Source: Author/Publisher via TLC Book Tours for an honest review
Description:


Alastair Luce is a dreamer, one of three who tell this tale.

 A Canadian expat in the 1950s, he lives in a New York City suburb with his wife, Nora, a passionate American who misses the excitement of wartime life and finds an outlet — and a lover — during the Red scare. Alastair's an artist, a quiet man who paints houses for a living, fears atomic holocaust, drinks too much and worries about his suffering child Grace. Just before the accident that kills his daughter's best friend Todd, he offers a ride to their teenage neighbour, Claire Bernard. She continues the story as a witness to tragedy, a wry observer of suburban mores and a compassionate friend of Alastair, whose talent and politics she'd long admired. Yet in the era of Vietnam, she's not prepared for his love or his anguish as she marries and leaves for Canada. In Toronto, it's Alastair's exiled daughter Grace who speaks, giving voice to her fury, an artist who works to “burn” the city down with brilliant colour, who resents Claire for hurting her dad, and still grieves the loss of young Todd. Yet Grace, Claire and Alastair are bound together by their history, and a crisis draws their painful stories to a climax. It's then that Grace ventures homeward for the first time, into a startling vision of the unknown.

Praise

Here Comes the Dreamer is a moving account of how a tragic accident changes, and haunts, the intertwined lives of a painter, his gifted and troubled daughter, and the young woman who befriends them. It astutely probes the moods and mores of suburban America in the ’50s and ’60s, and later, of Toronto. Combining rich lyrical language, inspired narration, and sensitive psychological insight, this is fiction of the most darkly illuminating, deeply touching kind. —Allan Briesmaster, author of Against the Flight of Spring and Confluences

Giangrande’s writing is warm and intelligent, honest and kind. Here Comes the Dreamer is filled with the richness of character and intersecting lives. —Irene Guilford, author of The Embrace

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

My Take:

Here Comes the Dreamer by Carole Giangrande is a short, but powerful novel. At time it reads more like poetry than prose - especially during Alistair's story. The three sections of the novel are from three different perspectives and between the three stories, the reader is able to see the more complete story.

Alastair is a painter who makes his living by painting houses. He is also an artist in a bad marriage with a woman who doesn't understand him or their daughter. It is clear this marriage is doomed from the start. There will also be another, greater tragedy which will shape the rest of all their lives.

Claire is a girl from the neighborhood who is kind to Alistair's daughter Grace. She also has a crush on Alistair - Mr. Luce. Claire's section of the novel is a shift in perspective and through her memories we learn much more about the tragic events that unfolded. 

The final section is from Grace's point of view. She is grown and has become a well known street artist. She is also quite troubled. 

I don't want to explain too much about the plot -- this novel should be experienced, not described. I found the story to be heartbreaking for a number of reasons, but also honest and sensitive. It looks at mental illness, marriage and relationships, family, the aftermath of war and friendship. All are handled with the same quiet, kind manner. I would recommend Here Come the Dreamer to anyone who appreciates literary fiction.

A couple of favorite lines:

"Colour smouldered inside his fingers and he could feel the force of it, electric under the stillness of everything he touched." p. 1

"He worked alone and as he painted houses, he could feel colour humming under the bright surfaces of everything he touched as if colour were a sound, an eerie music." p. 15

About Carole Giangrande

Born and raised in the New York City area, Carole Giangrande is a Toronto-based novelist and author of eight books, including the award-winning novella, A Gardener On The Moon, the novels An Ordinary Star and A Forest Burning, a short story collection, Missing Persons and the novella, Midsummer. Her new novella, Here Comes The Dreamer, will be published in September. A former broadcast-journalist, she worked for CBC Radio (Canada's public broadcaster) as co-host of the popular Radio Noon program. She's read her fiction at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre, at the Banff Centre for the Arts (as an Artist-in-Residence), the University of Toronto, on radio and at numerous public venues. Her fiction, articles and reviews have appeared in Canada’s major journals and newspapers and her 50-part literary podcast Words to Go has been downloaded over 20,000 times in 30 countries. She is currently at work on a novel.

Visit Carole's website at www.carolegiangrande.com, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Carole’s Tour Stops

Tuesday, September 29th: Lit and Life

Wednesday, September 30th: Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

Thursday, October 1st: 5 Minutes for Books

Monday, October 5th: The many thoughts of a reader

Tuesday, October 6th: Sara’s Organized Chaos

Monday, October 12th: she treads softly

Tuesday, October 13th: A Book Geek

Wednesday, October 14th: Worth Getting in Bed For

Thursday, October 15th: Dwell in Possibility

Tuesday, October 20th: Raven Haired Girl

TBD: Bibliotica

TBD: Books and Bindings

TBD: nomadreader

The Other Side of Life Blog Tour and Review

The Other Side of Life by Andy Kutler

Publication Date: August 11, 2015 
Neverland Publishing Company LLC 
Formats: Trade Paperback and Kindle
Pages: 360 
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Publisher via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for an honest review

  READ AN EXCERPT.

 December 1941, Pearl Harbor. A peaceful Sunday morning turns into a devastating attack on American soil. Naval officer Malcolm "Mac" Kelsey is severely wounded while defending his ship. A flawed man abandoned long ago by his alcoholic wife, Kelsey has been mired in despair and hopelessness following the accidental death of Lucy, the young daughter he considers the only redemptive aspect of his life. Near the point of death, Kelsey is brought to what he believes to be an afterlife where he is offered an opportunity to shed his past memories and embark upon an alternate path in another place and time. Eager to escape his torment and begin a more tranquil existence, Kelsey accepts, only to feel quickly betrayed as he soon finds himself back in the midst of battle, this time as a Union soldier at the dawn of the Civil War.

Through Antietam, Gettysburg and four years of relentless fighting, Kelsey attempts to cast aside his painful past while trying to survive the horrors of combat. He crosses paths with compelling figures on both sides of the conflict determined to persevere and return to those they left behind. Idealistic Ethan Royston, promoted from the enlisted ranks, believes in preserving the Union but is plagued by insecurity and self-doubt. His closest friend, West Point-trained Cal Garrity, remains loyal to his home state of Virginia despite his misgivings about the virtue of the Southern cause. The war will divide these friends, just as it will divide Garrity from his adoring wife, Emily, the charismatic and headstrong daughter of a prominent Norfolk shipbuilder, forced to face the onset of war alone.

Each will endure unimaginable hardship and brutality that will forever reshape their core beliefs and values. Each will find their strength and resolve tested as they search for self-purpose, humanity, and reconciliation. Most of all, Mac Kelsey will discover the very essence of life and death, and whether the new beginning he has long coveted will bring him the inner peace he has so desperately sought.

PRAISE

“Employing some new twists on the novelist's technique of time travel, Andy Kutler sends a naval officer bombed at Pearl Harbor back to the Civil War. Among his comrades in a Union cavalry regiment he absorbs the enduring values of trust, loyalty, love, and selflessness during the chaos and tragedy of a war that took place a half century before he was born. Readers will find themselves immersed in this story and captivated by its principal characters.” -- James M. McPherson, Pulitzer Prize-winner author of Battle Cry of Freedom and The War That Forged a Nation

 “Profound, smart, and entertaining – the path through The Other Side of Life is an amazing journey through history.” -- Joe Weisberg, Creator and Executive Producer of FX’s The Americans and author of An Ordinary Spy

 "Andy Kutler's war scenes are gripping, his characters vulnerable and honest, and his story ultimately triumphant --- an exciting journey back into two levels of the past." -- David Hardin, author of Emblems of Woe: How the South Reacted to Lincoln's Murder

 “The Other Side of Life imaginatively mingles brutal scenes of Civil War battlefields with thought-provoking moral issues. It describes the conflicted loyalties and sufferings of that tragic era and the spiritual growth of the book’s hero—a naval officer wounded in the Pearl Harbor attack—and those he becomes close to when he is transported to the past. The swift moving, compelling narrative grips the reader from first page to last.” -- Bernard Weisberger, historian and author of America Afire: Adams, Jefferson, and the Revolutionary Election of 1800

 “Andy Kutler has written a thoughtfully imaginative adventure across time, approaching the Civil War from a fresh perspective while creating memorable, compelling characters. The story flows beautifully and is consistently challenging.” -- Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, Now and Then Reader (nowandthenreader.com)

My Take:

I agreed to review The Other Side of Life because I thought the premise was different than other time travel type novels and it caught my interest. I didn't know what to expect, and wasn't sure it would work, but I was happy to give it a chance. I am quite happy to be able to say that I really enjoyed the novel. I am still not exactly sure about the workings of the "other side", but I was completely drawn into Mac's story.

Mac Kelsey is a grieving man who may not be living up to his potential. He has some serious baggage. However, his path is abruptly stopped and he is given a choice. The choice is to forget his current life and all that has happened and be set on another path. This is a little vague and Kelsey isn't happy with the lack of information either. But it is sufficient for this review. His new path, however, puts him in the path of someone who has ties to his former life, which despite promises to the contrary, he still remembers. This at  least gives him a goal for the short term.

From this point, the reader is introduced to some very sympathetic and interesting characters like Cal and Emily Garrity and Ethan Royston. Their lives will become intertwined with Kelsey's and will be driving forces for the story line. The characters in the novel are well developed as are their relationships and story lines. 

The descriptions of the Civil War bring out the conflicts of conscience, divided loyalties, the brutality of war and the growth of the main characters. The scenes are very vivid and the story line is quite compelling. I this that The Other Side of Life will appeal to any reader of historical fiction who is interested in the Civil War or World War II to a lesser degree and those who just enjoy an exciting story. 

AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andy Kutler is a writer living in Arlington, Virginia. A native of Madison, Wisconsin and a graduate of Michigan State University (B.A.) and Georgetown University (M.A.), he has previously worked on the senior legislative staff of two United States Senators before serving as a senior policy officer with the U.S. Secret Service. He is working today as a consultant to the national security community. While Andy’s writings have appeared in The Huffington Post and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Other Side of Life is his first novel. Andy's interests include travel, military history, his Wisconsin sports teams, and most importantly, spending time with his wife and two children. For more information and news please visit Andy Kutler's Facebook page.

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, September 8
Spotlight & Giveaway at Unshelfish

Sunday, September 14
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection

Monday, September 15
Review at Dianne Ascroft's Blog

Friday, September 19
Spotlight at What Is That Book About

Friday, September 26
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Monday, October 6
Review at A Book Geek

Monday, October 13
Review at Book Nerd

Monday, October 20
Review at Just One More Chapter

Saturday, November 1
Review at Genre Queen

Monday, November 10
Review at Beth's Book Nook Blog

Wednesday, November 12
Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews

Thursday, November 13
Blog Tour Wrap-Up at Passages to the Past

Coercion by Tim Tigner

Paperback: 320 pages

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (July 7, 2015)

Genre: Thriller

Source: Author via TLC Book Tours for an honest review

The phone rings and the offer is made, leaving you only seconds to decide. Betray your country, or watch your family drop dead before your eyes.

After the Iron Curtain’s collapse, Russia appears to be finished as a superpower. But KGB general Vasily Karpov is secretly working to restore Russia’s status by forcing Americans into traitorous acts of espionage and sabotage, with the aid of a new secret weapon. Meanwhile, his biggest target is within Russia, where Karpov is plotting to capture the Kremlin for himself.

Former US soldier and spy Alex Ferris becomes the first to fathom Karpov’s grand plans. Racing from San Francisco to Siberia, Alex must elude ambushes, assassins, and death from exposure as he wages a one-man war against a growing global threat and the resurgence of the Soviets.

“Tim Tigner is a masterful storyteller with a nose for intrigue and a careful eye for historical detail. Set in the aftermath of the collapse of the Iron Curtain, his latest book, “Coercion,” is a compelling tale of espionage and betrayal, one that will leave its readers wanting more.”  — James A. Baker, III, 61st U.S. Secretary of State

Purchase Link

Amazon

My Take:

Coercion by Tim Tigner is a fast-paced spy thriller that grabs the reader's attention quickly and holds it to the end. There are many characters to follow, but the protagonist is Alex Ferris, who had formerly been in Special Forces and  intelligence and now is an International Private Investigator who is investigating his twin's suspicious death.  The death of his twin winds up being far more than he had imagined and leads him on an international quest for answers.

I was pulled into the story from the start and only hit a few snags at first in trying to keep all the characters straight. There is a handy cast of characters in the front of the book for those who need it, but for readers like me who forget it is there, just keep reading - the author is very good at giving all the necessary clues to figure out who is who. Once I got a few chapters into the book, I no longer had that problem though.

Coercion has pretty much everything needed for a very fun and exciting spy thriller. The hero is smart and dashing and is always ready for whatever is thrown his way. The villains are really, really  bad, but there is plenty there to make them interesting and not too cliche. The methods, technology, and the  vehicle for their ability to coerce strategic people to do their bidding is ingenious and evil --- the stuff of nightmares, really -- so the reader is really hoping for Alex to succeed in stopping these people.

It seems pretty evident from the novel itself and the author bio that the author has an intensive knowledge of science and international politics and the topography of Russia. This really helps to set the story up and maintains its authentic feel.

I did like that there is back story that helps to explain how certain people got to where they are, but I especially liked the twists and turns the story takes. There are a couple of big ones. 

I really enjoyed Coercion and thought it was a great thriller. I think that Coercion will appeal to a pretty wide range of readers, especially those who like international intrigue and spy thrillers. 

About Tim Tigner

Tim began his career in Soviet Counterintelligence with the US Army Special forces, the Green Berets. With the fall of the Berlin Wall, Tim switched from espionage to arbitrage. Armed with a Wharton MA rather than a Colt M16, he moved to Moscow in the midst of Perestroika. There he lead prominent multinational medical companies, worked with cosmonauts on the MIR Space Station (from Earth, alas), chaired the Association of International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, and helped write Russia’s first law on healthcare.

Moving to Brussels during the formation of the EU, Tim ran Europe, Middle East, and Africa for a Johnson & Johnson company and traveled like a character in a Robert Ludlum book. He eventually landed in Silicon Valley, where like minds with wild ideas come to congregate around the creation of (nightmares and) dreams. Now he launches new medical technologies as a startup CEO, and devises devious devices for fictional characters who aim to change the world.

Tim grew up in the Midwest and Europe, earning a BA from Hanover College and then a MBA in Finance and a MA in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. He now lives with his wife Elena and their two daughters in Northern California.

Please visit timtigner.com for a free eBook. You’re also welcome to reach Tim directly at tim@timtigner.com.

Tim Tigner’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Friday, August 28th: 5 Minutes for Books

Monday, August 31st: BookBub Blog – author guest post – “Eleven Thrillers We’d Kill to See on the Silver Screen”

Wednesday, September 2nd: It’s a Mad Mad World

Thursday, September 3rd: Mallory Heart Reviews

Wednesday, September 9th: BooksChatter – author Q&A

Wednesday, September 9th: BooksChatter – excerpt

Thursday, September 10th: Patricia’s Wisdom

Friday, September 11th: Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Monday, September 14th: Tales of a Book Addict

Tuesday, September 15th: Fictionophile

Tuesday, September 15th: Building Bookshelves

Thursday, September 17th: Life is Story

Friday, September 18th: The World As I See It

Thursday, September 24th: SJ2B House of Books Blog

Thursday, September 24th: Lazy Day Books

Monday, September 28th: A Book Geek

TBD: BooksChatter

Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy Blog Tour and Review

Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy by Karen Abbott
Paperback: 544 pages 
Publisher: Harper Perennial (September 8, 2015)
Genre: Nonfiction, historical
Source: Publisher via TLC Book Tours for an honest review
Description:

New York Times bestselling author Karen Abbott tells the spellbinding true story of four women who risked everything during the Civil War.

Seventeen-year-old Belle Boyd, an avowed rebel with a dangerous temper, shot a Union soldier in her home and became a courier and spy for the Confederate army, using her considerable charms to seduce men on both sides. Emma Edmonds disguised herself as a man to enlist as a Union private named Frank Thompson, witnessing the bloodiest battles of the war and infiltrating enemy lines. The beautiful widow Rose O'Neal Greenhow engaged in affairs with powerful Northern politicians and used her young daughter to send information to Southern generals. Elizabeth Van Lew, a wealthy Richmond abolitionist, hid behind her proper Southern manners as she orchestrated a far-reaching espionage ring—even placing a former slave inside the Confederate White House—right under the noses of increasingly suspicious rebel detectives.

With a cast of real-life characters, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, General Stonewall Jackson, Detective Allan Pinkerton, Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, and Emperor Napoléon III, Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy shines a dramatic new light on these daring—and, until now, unsung—heroines.

 Book clubs will be happy to know there's a reader's guide. Also, learn more about the characters in the book at Experience the Past.

Praise

"Gripping... Meticulously researched and fluidly written, this book draws the reader in and doesn't let go until the four heroines draw their final breaths... a remarkable story of passion, strength, and resilience." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"Riveting... a highly entertaining narrative with the pace and tone of a novel... this fresh perspective on what is perhaps a familiar story will cause readers to ponder the fine line between traitors and patriots." (Library Journal, best book of 2014)

"Abbott makes it look easy, weaving together four women's stories—from a society woman who used her position to steal and share secrets, to a cross-dressing soldier in the war—in order to write a history of the Civil War through the eyes of women who did extraordinary things... wildly entertaining, with a page-turner narrative." (Flavorwire, best book of 2014)

"George Smiley's got nothing on the abolitionist spinster, widowed seductress, cross-dressing soldier and murderous teenager featured in this true tale of espionage." (O, the Oprah magazine, top ten book for fall 2014)

 “Karen Abbott’s Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy is the kind of page-turning book you can get so absorbed in that you keep forgetting it’s nonfiction.” (Bustle.com)


My Take:

I have always been interested in the Civil War and have read several historical novels and some nonfiction on the topic. Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy is a rather unique and extremely interesting historical nonfiction book about four independent, driven and dedicated women who played important roles on both sides of the conflict.

I really like that the book progresses through time and interweaves the different women's stories as they progress. The reader is able to follow the war and the roles the women played and how they interacted with important historical figures.

While I sympathized and related more to Emma Edmonds and Elizabeth Van Lew more than Belle Boyd and Rose O'Neal Greenhow, I was still very much interested in all the women's stories. I have read brief pieces about women who dressed as men and fought in the war, but hadn't read such an in depth history of such a woman until I read about Emma. Belle's story was probably the most concerning because she seemed to be the most unstable of the women. Each followed her belief that the path she chose was right for her. I have to admire that - whether I agree with their beliefs and  actions or not.

I enjoyed the way the author included quotes from diaries and correspondence as well as news accounts within the narrative. This really helped to set the mood and tone for the time.

I think that Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy would make a great selection for a book club and I am seriously thinking of adding it to our homeschool curriculum for American History. While Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy is nonfiction, it reads almost as fiction - fast paced, riveting, exciting and very enjoyable to read.  This is one of those books that I will definitely be recommending to friends and history fans. I would also consider it a great selection for women's studies.

 

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

About Karen Abbott

Karen Abbott is the New York Times bestselling author of Sin in the Second City, American Rose, and, most recently, Liar Temptress Soldier Spy, which was named one of the best books of 2014 by Library Journal, the Christian Science Monitor, Amazon, and Flavorwire, and which was optioned by Sony for a miniseries. A native of Philadelphia, she now lives in New York City, where she's at work on her next book. Find out more about Karen at her website.

Pop Goes the Weasel - Review

Pop Goes the Weasel by M.J. Arlidge
Publication date: October 6, 2015 
Publisher: NAL
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Source: Publisher via NetGalley for an honest review




Description:


From the international bestselling author of Eeny Meeny comes the second thriller in the “truly excellent series”* featuring Detective Helen Grace.

A man's body is found in an empty house. 
A gruesome memento of his murder is sent to his wife and children.
He is the first victim, and Detective Helen Grace knows he will not be the last. But why would a happily married man be this far from home in the dead of night?

The media call it Jack the Ripper in reverse: a serial killer preying on family men who lead hidden double lives.

Helen can sense the fury behind the murders. But what she cannot possibly predict is how volatile this killer is—or what is waiting for her at the end of the chase....


My Take:

Pop Goes the Weasel is the second book with Detective Helen Grace and while I haven't read the first book, all necessary information was provided within the second book so that I didn't feel lost while reading. I am however, sufficiently impressed with the character and the story telling to want to go back and read the first book.

Helen Grace is a brilliant, dedicated detective and a very troubled woman. There are things in her past that still haunt her and she has a hard time dealing with her emotional issues. She is also the most perceptive and intelligent detective and some people just don't like that kind of competition. While she is trying to solve a gruesome series of murders, she faces conflicts within the police force and resistance to her methods.Helen Grace is a compelling character and I was pulled in to her personal struggle and the hunt for the killer.

The murder mystery itself is gruesome and very interesting --- in a reverse of a classic murder theme, the men frequenting prostitutes are the ones being killed in very horrible ways. I enjoyed the way the story unfolded with  gradual glimpses given of the murderer, the victims, and the others involved in the investigation.  It was very well done and kept teasing answers but didn't give too much away.

Since I read a digital galley, I wasn't too critical of the formatting issues in the galley. However, if it were a final digital edition, I would be disappointed with the formatting which tended to lack breaks in the text for location/character changes.

Having addressed the formatting, I have to stress that I was thoroughly caught up in the mystery and read the book in a day. I would definitely recommend Pop Goes the Weasel to anyone who enjoys mysteries and/or thrillers. I will be obtaining a copy of the first Helen Grace book as well.

The Hidden Hills Saga: Ice Whispers Blog Tour and Review

The Hidden Hills Saga: Ice Whispers (Book I) by K. Willow

Print Pub Date: November 21, 2014 | CreateSpace eBook Pub Date: December 19, 2014 | Book Baby
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Publisher/Author via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for an honest review

 

Slavery of a different kind, beyond physical chains, leads to a different type of escape . . .

 Marissa Kristofferson can taste freedom. Her long years of suffering at the hands of her sadistic husband, Lance, are coming to an end as he lies dying. But she is stunned when he reveals the contents of his will and what she must do to keep Kristofferson Plantation, and how he plans to keep her bound to him even beyond the grave.

 The beautiful slave Lolley has always envied Marissa’s life, and after learning that the master has also ordered her freed after his death, she is determined to reach for the life she wants by becoming the mistress of Marissa’s son, Shane, though she does not realize the lengths Marissa will go to to prevent the match, or the far-reaching consequences that will follow.

And Shelby, the plain and dutiful slave of free blacks, is unwittingly caught in the shocking drama that unfolds as a family is torn apart. Used as a pawn in a game of rivalry, deception, and betrayal, hers is a fight for survival while attempting to remain true to herself.

 Three women—so very different but each carrying dark secrets that are closely intertwined, caught in a world between slave and free, a world which is becoming more fragile and precarious as war threatens and alliances shift, and each harboring seemingly impossible dreams of a better future.

 In this first book of a dark historical saga, K. Willow paints a lush, emotional portrait of scandal, murder, injustice, and the ties that bind in the antebellum South.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO

PRAISE

“K. Willow’s historical novel, Ice Whispers, book one of The Hidden Hills Saga, is breathtaking beautiful and stunningly sad all at the same time. It’s really the story of two women, Agatha and Shelby, who are slaves in the Kristofferson and Franklin households respectively. They’re both amazingly strong, selfless and wise women who come from two succeeding generations of slaves. While all the drama and action in the tale revolves around the Kristoffersons and the Franklins, it was the story of those two larger-than-life women that kept me enthralled. Willow adroitly uses them as a lens for the reader to view the affairs in Hidden Hills, and it works magnificently. I just finished reading Ice Whispers, and I’m totally floored by this work. It’s marvelous and is very highly recommended.” -Jack Magnus for Readers’ Favorite

“Part historical romance, part mystery, K. Willow’s book Ice Whispers is an entertaining and immersive read. Readers get to take the role of the voyeur as they explore the inner workings of the Hidden Hills society. Every member of the town has a role that they play, but each has their own secrets that they are trying to keep hidden. Willow’s novel is a quick and fun read that is full of vibrant characters. It is the perfect book for those who like to be in the know of the juiciest gossip or those who enjoy the drama of the workings of high society in mid-1800s America. I thoroughly enjoyed Ice Whispers, and I hope I get the opportunity to read more of Willow’s Hidden Hills novels.” -Tania Staley for Readers’ Favorite

My Take: 

I wasn't sure what to expect from Ice Whispers, but from the beginning this novel had a different tone from most historical fiction that I have read taking place in the antebellum South.  The main characters are female - Marissa, the wife to a large plantation owner, Lolley, a beautiful and somewhat sheltered house slave and Shelby, the plain, obedient and pragmatic slave of a free black family. While two of the women are actual slaves, Marissa endures her own kind of prison as her dying husband continues to dictate her life even from beyond the grave.

I have to give K. Willow credit for intriguing me from the start. It was quite evident that there were secrets, plans, and deceptions that hadn't been revealed yet, but the anticipation was there. Marissa is an interesting character and since this is the only the first book in the series, I am guessing there is much more to find out about her past and her plans for the future.

Lolley is a difficult woman to figure out. She is a beautiful slave who feels that she has a chance at something better and won't stop until she attains it. She is also quite capable in dealing with people even if she isn't all that adept at her work. Lolley is definitely a schemer and I anticipate that she has some pretty interesting plans.

Poor Shelby just tries to be a good slave. She appreciates that her situation with the Franklins is pretty good considering what some of the alternatives are. She is even proud to be a slave of free blacks who are making a fine living for themselves in the South. Unfortunately for her she hasn't thought about striving for something different or for more and is taken by surprise when events seem to spiral out of control and she is stuck right in the middle.

I confess that I was a bit put out when I got to the end of the book -- because I didn't have the next book! I am interested and a little anxious to see what happens next. Ice Whispers is a fast, easy and very interesting read and I look forward to reading more in the series.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

K. Willow is a novelist and award-winning writer with a background in television, film, theatre, and soap operas. She writes dark historical and urban fantasy and lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband.

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BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, August 31
Spotlight at The Lit Bitch

Tuesday, September 1
Review at History From a Woman's Perspective

Wednesday, September 2
Review at A Book Geek

Friday, September 4
Review at Book Nerd

Tuesday, September 8
Guest Post at Shelf Full of Books

Wednesday, September 9
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Thursday, September 10
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Friday, September 11
Review at Queen of All She Reads

Saturday, September 12
Review at A Fold in the Spine

Sunday, September 13
Interview at A Fold in the Spine

Monday, September 14
Review & Guest Post at Jorie Loves a Story

Wednesday, September 16
Review, Interview & Giveaway at Singing Librarian Books

Thursday, September 17
Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews

Friday, September 18
Tour Wrap-Up & Giveaway at Passages to the Past