Book Blitz ~ The Last Blast of the Trumpet by Marie Macpherson

 

Delighted to be part of this Book Blitz today

Penmore Press
2020

My thanks to the author for my copy of the book
and Love Books Group for my invitation to this Book Blitz

Conflict, Chaos and Corruption in Reformation Scotland

He wants to reform Scotland, but his enemies will stop at nothing to prevent him.

Scotland 1559: Fiery reformer John Knox returns to a Scotland on the brink of civil war. Victorious, he feels confident of his place leading the reform until the charismatic young widow, Mary Queen of Scots returns to claim her throne. She challenges his position and initiates a ferocious battle of wills as they strive to win the hearts and minds of the Scots. But the treachery and jealousy that surrounds them both as they make critical choices in their public and private lives has dangerous consequences that neither of them can imagine,

In this final instalment of the trilogy of the fiery reformer John Knox, Macpherson tells the story of a man and a queen at one of the most critical phases of Scottish history.

What did I think about it..

I have followed this fascinating trilogy from the very first blast of the trumpet which I reviewed back in 2013 when I was just starting out as a book reviewer. The thrill of being trusted with an author's work remains just as exciting today as it did back then and to have followed a series from its beginning, to its completion, has been a real treat.

In The Last Blast of the Trumpet we return to the complicated world of Scottish history and religious politics. We meet again with the fiery preacher, John Knox, as he enters Perth ready to lay the foundations of what will become a violent, and bloody, civil war. With the ailing, Regent of Scotland, Marie de Guise, doing all she can to protect the kingdom for her daughter, it is soon obvious that Knox's quest to scourge Popish idolatry out of Scotland will not be gainstayed. That this war of Reformation is fought between the Scottish people makes the unrest all the more disturbing, especially as there are no winners, only losers in this battle against God.

It's been interesting to get this vivid interpretation of Scottish history particularly in the years following Marie de Guise's death and the arrival of the young Mary Stewart, taking her rightful place as Queen of Scots. Knox's vitriol against the fair, young Queen is well documented and the author succeeds admirably in bringing their encounters alive with all the venom that this Scottish Presbyterian minister possesses.

Beautifully written, extensively researched and with a wonderful historical authenticity, The Last Blast of the Trumpet, is complete in itself and it is perfectly possible to read it as standalone historical fiction, especially if your interest in Scottish history takes in the tumultuous reign of Mary Queen of Scots. However, as the conclusion to the trilogy there is no doubt that the author has done herself proud with this final blast. The history comes alive in the imagination, as does the rather dour, Knox,  but what's also interesting is to see the people from history take their place in the spotlight, standing comfortably alongside those fictional characters who have been such stalwarts since the first book.

The author has concluded the Knox trilogy with all the passionate zeal and intensity as the man himself. She has infused such life and personality into the man that, although I am still nowhere near liking him, I do have more of an understanding into his life and times, and all credit to the author for bringing the life of this belligerent, political and religious reformist to life in a remarkable and fascinating way.

My review of The First Blast of the Trumpet is here  (2013)

My review of The Second Blast of the Trumpet is here (2017)

About the Author

Scottish writer Marie Macpherson grew up in Musselburgh on the site of the Battle of Pinkie and within sight of Fa’side Castle where tales and legends haunted her imagination. She left the Honest Toun to study Russian at Strathclyde University and spent a year in the former Soviet Union to research her PhD thesis on the 19th century Russian writer Mikhail Lermontov, said to be descended from the Scottish poet and seer, Thomas the Rhymer. Though travelled widely, teaching languages and literature from Madrid to Moscow, she has never lost her enthusiasm for the rich history and culture of her native Scotland.

Writing historical fiction combines her academic’s love of research with a passion for storytelling. Exploring the personal relationships and often hidden motivations of historical characters drives her curiosity.

The Knox Trilogy is a fictional biography of the fiery reformer, John Knox, set during the 16th century Scottish Reformation. Prizes and awards include the Martha Hamilton Prize for Creative Writing from Edinburgh University and Writer of the Year 2011 awarded by Tyne & Esk Writers. She is a member of the Historical Writers’ Association (HWA), the Historical Novel Society (HNS) and the Society of Authors (SoA).

Twitter @scotscriever

@PenmorePress1

@LoveBooksGroup

Amazon UK

Blog Tour ~ Finn and the Wild Goose by Sammy Horner

Sarah Grace Publishing
2 September

My thanks to the author, publisher and Love Book Groups for my copy of this book
and the invitation to be part of the blog tour

An urgent quest turns into a wild adventure where Finn discovers that all is not what it seems about his Granda. A fast-paced scramble through a land of banshees and leprechauns, faeries and fiends, leads Finn to the place where the mysteries of the wild goose are revealed.

What did I think about it..

The magic and mystery of folk lore transcends time, and in this lovely story, Finn and his Granda set off on an adventure to rescue Finn's younger sister from the little people. It's a journey which will see them encounter all sorts of creatures from Irish folk lore, fairy tale and fantasy. Some with good intent, others a little bit less welcoming, but throughout the whole of this enchanting story, the author weaves together the magic and mystery of  a grand adventure.

Finn and the Wild Goose is about the close relationship between grandfather and grandson, the way they both learn learn about life, it's fascinating mysteries and complicated shortcomings, the value of listening between one generation and the next, and in finding the strength to do what your heart tells you is the right thing to do.

Beautifully written with short, sharp chapters and delightfully simple, but effective, drawings, I have been quite engrossed by Finn and the Wild Goose, which is, on one level, a delightful children's story about finding something precious which is lost, but if you look really closely it's also about the precious gift of storytelling, a skill this author has in abundance, and of the importance of keeping alive the magic of our myths, legends, fairy folk and fantasy creatures, who make up so much of our story telling heritage.

About the Author

Sammy Horner is an Irish Musician, Recording Artist, Pastor, Author who spends all his time traveling around the world trying to make it all a little better. When he isn't in remote parts of the world teaching life skills (practical trade skills, he is also an electrician and a qualified teacher) he tours with his wife Kylie as half of the Americana / Folk Duo, 'The Sweet Sorrows'. He has two children and two grandchildren. Sammy lives in Wexford Ireland and occasionally gets to live in his own home for part of the year.

Amazon UK

Twitter @malcolmdown #SammyHorner #FinnWildGoose

@Publishingsarah

@LoveBooksGroup

Blog Tour ~ Sight Unseen by Sandra Ireland ☼

☼ Delighted to host a stop on today's Blog Tour
on Publication Day ☼

Birlinn Limited
13 August 2020

My thanks to the publisher for my ecopy of this book
and to Love Books Group for the invitation to the blog tour

1648. Alie Gowdie marries Richard Webster during a turbulent time in Scotland's history. Charles I is about to lose his head, and little does Alie know that she too will meet a grisly end within the year.

2019. Sarah Sutherland is struggling to cope with the demands of her day job, caring for her elderly father and keeping tabs on her backpacking daughter. She wanted to be an archaeologist, but now in her forties, she is divorced, alone, and there seems to be no respite, no glimmer of excitement on the horizon. However, she does have a special affinity with the Kilgour Witch, Alie Gowdie, who lived in Sarah's cottage until her execution in 1648, and Sarah likes nothing better than to retreat into a world of sorcery, spells and religious fanaticism. Her stories delight tourists as she leads them along the cobbled streets of her home town, but what really lies behind the tale of Alie Gowdie, the Kilgour Witch? Can Sarah uncover the truth in order to right a centuries-old wrong? And what else might modern-day Kilgour be hiding, just out of sight?

What did I think about it..

In Sight Unseen we get a glimpse into the history of the past whilst following the intrepid Sarah Sutherland in the present. From keeping everyone in order at the local supermarket where she is manager, the natural worry over her daughter who is currently backpacking abroad, and the very real concern about about her elderly father who lives alone, Sarah definitely has her work cut out trying to juggle all her responsibilities. Add into the mix Sarah’s passion for history, her guided witch walks through the fictional Scottish town of Kilgour, her determination to understand more about the seventeenth mystery of Alie Gowdie, and you have all the right ingredients for a lively and entertaining read.

I really enjoyed the mix of history and mystery as both sit comfortably together in a story which kept me entertained from start to finish. Parts of it are funny, and me smile, but there are also some rather serious issues which fitted well into the overall theme of the novel. The author writes well, and brings a natural warmth to her characters so that they feel authentic and are extremely likeable, especially Sarah’s father, John, who I loved from the start. I also enjoyed Sarah’s relationship with her supermarket employees, as well as appreciating her passion for history, and her need to find out more about Alie Gowdie, a young woman who was executed for witchcraft back in the seventeenth century.

I raced through the book on a rather stormy afternoon, which gave an undeniable sense of atmosphere and I very quickly became so engrossed in the story that time passed quickly. I’m really pleased that this is the first book in the Sarah Sutherland series because as soon as I came to the cliffhanger of an ending I knew that I wanted to meet up again with Sarah and visit this fictional Scottish town again. Hopefully soon!

About the Author

Sandra Ireland was awarded a Carnegie-Cameron scholarship to study for an MLitt in Writing Practice and Study at the University of Dundee, graduating with a distinction in 2014. Her work has appeared in various publications and women's magazines. She is the author of Beneath the Skin (2016), Bone Deep (2018) and The Unmaking of Ellie Rook (2019). She lives in Carnoustie, Scotland.

Twitter @22_ireland #SightUnseen #SarahSutherlandSeries

@BirlinnBooks

@LoveBooksGroup

Website

Amazon UK

Blog Tour ~ First in the Fight by Helen Antrobus and Andrew Simcock

Delighted to be part of this Blog Tour

iNostalgia
November 2019

My thanks to the publishers and Love Books Group of my copy of this book
and the invitation to be part of this blog tour.

Emmeline Pankhurst stands proudly in St Peter’s Square, but she stands for so many more…

First in the Fight tells the compelling stories of the twenty women featured on the Our Emmeline statue long-list. Author Helen Antrobus brings to life the achievements of these radical Manchester women alongside beautiful illustrations by the Women in Print collective.

Be part of the legacy of the 20 Manchester women who changed the world.

The women of Greater Manchester have long stood shoulder to shoulder in the fight for equality and social change. The unveiling of the statue of Emmeline Pankhurst in St Peter’s Square, strove to represent the contributions that Manchester women had made not only to the city, but also to the rest of the world.

Sitting alongside stunning illustrations from the ‘Women in Print’ collective, First in the Fight brings to life the stories of a range of inspiring women, from suffragettes, to botanists and mathematicians. The efforts of these pioneering women have shaped the world we live in and have helped pave the way for the voices of the next generation of women to be heard.

Ester Roper

What did I think about it...

This book stemmed from the quest to have a statue to commemorate a woman of significance to Manchester as there hadn't been a statue of a woman erected in the city since Queen Victoria in 1901.  First in the Fight looks at twenty inspirational women who have all left their mark on Manchester, some are instantly recognisable, whilst others have faded into the background, but collectively their stories must never be forgotten, and this remarkable book goes a long way in making sure that their exceptional contributions live on in public memory. 

Here are the twenty women who were in the running for a statue. They are not all native to the city and not all were advocates for women’s suffrage, but individually they each left a distinct mark on their native, or adoptive, city of Manchester. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the stories of these inspirational women.

Margaret Downes 

Margaret Ashton 

Mary Quayle

Ester Roper

Ellen Wilkinson

Lydia Becker

Christabel Pankhurst

Sylvia Pankhurst

Emmeline Pankhurst

Elizabeth Gaskell

Enriqueta Rylands

Anne Horniman

Olive Shapley

Marie Stopes

Shena Simon

Kathleen Ollerenshaw

Louise DaCocodia

Elizabeth Raffald

Emily Williamson

Sunny Lowry

After huge consideration and much fund raising the Emmeline Pankhurst statue was unveiled in St Peters Square in Manchester on the 14 December 2018 ...

“If we win it, this hardest fight of all fights, then, to be sure, in the future it is going to be easier for women all over the world to win their fight when their time comes.”

Emmeline Pankhurst.

This coffee table sized book is beautifully presented with glossy pages and wonderful illustrations which bring the individual stories of these amazing women to life in a very special way. However, the beauty is also in the fine attention to detail, and the enthusiasm which the authors have demonstrated in making a permanent reminder of the contribution each of these women have made to a city which is renown, the world over, for its strong and determined women.

Twitter@inostalgiauk 

@HelenAntrobus @Andrew4Didsbury #FirstInTheFight

@LoveBooksGroup

iNostalgia Book Blitz ...

The team at iNostalgia have a deal on their non-fiction titles now when you purchase them through the iNostalgia store. Three titles for only £25 in their online store. Here is a little snippet of each book available.

The team at iNostalgia have a deal on their non-fiction titles now when you purchase them through the iNostalgia store. Three titles for only £25 in their online store. Here is a little snippet of each book available.

£14.99 

Fifteen years on from its original publication, The Changing Face of Manchester, Second Edition brings you up-to-date photographs of today’s modern Manchester. Shot as close to the original images as possible by photographer Justin Garner, you are able to see how much Manchester has changed over the decades through these side-by-side images. 

Featuring fascinating stories by author Clive Hardy to accompany the stunning images, you can take home this little slice of Manchester history, and in years to come you will be able to look back and remember those days of old with fond memories. 

Around Manchester in the 1950s is a new 160 page paperback book featuring a unique collection of more than 200 unmissable photographs and memories from the Manchester Evening News Archives. Relive the great times of the 50s and share your memories with friends and loved ones. 

Around Manchester in the 1960s is a new 160 page paperback book featuring a unique collection of more than 250 unmissable photographs and memories from the Manchester Evening News Archives. Relive the great times of the swinging 60s and share your memories with friends and loved ones. 

There are many unmissable images from the Swinging Sixties in Clive Hardy’s brilliant book Around Liverpool and Merseyside in the 1960s. 

Around Manchester in the 1970s is a new 160 page paperback book featuring a unique collection of more than 300 unmissable photographs and memories from the Manchester Evening News Archives. Relive the great times of the 1970s and share your memories with friends and loved ones. 

The 180+ images, many never published before, come from the fantastic archive of the Newcastle Chronicle and Journal, and the Daily Mirror. The majority capture the life and times of Newcastle during the decade, and there are others showing wider Tyneside. Along with the text, they give a taste of what it was like to live in the region during that unique period. 

Fifteen years on from its original publication, The Changing Face of Manchester, Second Edition brings you up-to-date photographs of today’s modern Manchester. Shot as close to the original images as possible by photographer Justin Garner, you are able to see how much Manchester has changed over the decades through these side-by-side images. 

Featuring fascinating stories by author Clive Hardy to accompany the stunning images, you can take home this little slice of Manchester history, and in years to come you will be able to look back and remember those days of old with fond memories. 

You can purchase all these wonderful books in the iNostalgia store. 

Twitter @Inostalgiauk

@LoveBookGroup

Blog Tour ~ A Phoenix Rising by Vivienne Brereton

 ✨✨ Delighted to host today's final stop on this Blog Tour ✨✨

Yuletide Press
July 2019

My thanks to the author and Love Book Group for my ecopy of this book
and the invitation to be part of this blog tour

If I have anything to do with it, we Howards will live forever.” 

Thomas Howard is the charismatic head of one of the most powerful Houses in Tudor England. An indomitable old man approaching eighty: soldier, courtier, politician, a ‘phoenix’ rising from the ashes. After a calamitous period of disgrace, the Howards, renowned for their good looks and charm, are once more riding high at the court of Henry VIII. 

Set against the backdrop of the extraordinary 1520 ‘Field of Cloth of Gold’, it is a tale of ambition, love, and intrigue, with Thomas at the centre of this intricate tapestry.

Will Thomas’s bold vow be fulfilled? Danger stalks the corridors of the royal courts of Europe. Uneasy lies the head beneath a crown. Every other ruler - a fickle bedfellow…or sworn enemy. The action takes place in England, Scotland, and France. On either side of the Narrow Sea, four young lives are interwoven, partly unaware of each other, and certainly oblivious to what Dame Fortune has in store for them.

 “Nicolas de La Barre laid his lute to one side, hardly bothering to stifle a yawn of boredom. Nevertheless, he couldn’t escape the fact he’d agreed to take on a new wife….” Explosive family secrets are concealed behind the ancient walls of castles in three lands. But… “There are no secrets that time does not reveal.” 

What did I think about it..

Thomas Howard is the formidable head of a family which has always been in the shadow of the English crown. However, whilst this was sometimes seen, by some, to be an enviable position, the Howard’s closeness to the crown, and their indomitable links with Tudor politics was so often filled with danger and intrigue.

In this intricately detailed historical novel we learn of the significance of the now infamous meeting in France, in June 1520, between Francis I and Henry VIII in the event known as The Field of the Cloth of Gold, and of the importance, not just of this meeting, but also of the important role that the Howard's played in British history. 

The story isn't static and moves around with an ease which allows the fluidity of the story to reveal all of its many twists and turns. From the sumptuous meeting places of Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey, to the convoluted politics of Europe, A Phoenix Rising allows a glimpse into a period in history which was certainly alive with intrigue and brimming with dangerous malice. Interspersing real life historical figures alongside fictional characters works well and adds an interesting dynamic to the story. I enjoyed watching and getting to know more about Thomas Howard, he was such an intriguing elder statesman, filled with a deviousness which belies his strength as a politician, especially as he tries to keep one step ahead of those who, inevitably, seek to thwart his endeavours.

As this is book one in a proposed series the story ends with the indication that the story is far from finished, and it will be interesting so see where this talented author takes next in book #2 which is due in 2020 to mark the 500th anniversary of the Field of the Cloth of Gold. At the end of the novel there's a remarkably detailed glossary of sixteenth century words and terms which I found fascinating and which help to bring the period alive in a special way.

A Phoenix Rising is a commendable and beautifully researched historical novel which shines the spotlight on the Howard family in an original and intriguing way.

About the Author

Born near historic Winchester in the UK, Vivienne Brereton has been passionate about the Tudors for as long as she can remember. This led to a degree in medieval history at university where she met her future husband. Three sons later and six countries she called home, she finally felt ready to write a novel.

Words have always played an important part in Vivienne’s life whether it’s been writing, editing, teaching English to foreigners, or just picking up a good book. In preparation for her novel, she read intensively on the skills needed to write well and did an enormous amount of research which she greatly enjoyed. Having three sons was helpful when she came to write about the characters, Tristan and Nicolas. All those squabbles she had to deal with came in very handy. She also used her husband and sons as guinea pigs for her Tudor cookery attempts with varying degrees of success (abuse).

Seeing ‘A Phoenix Rising’ in print for the first time was a moment of great joy for her and she hopes you enjoy reading it as much as she enjoyed writing it.

Twitter@VivienneBreret1

@LoveBooksGroup

Amazon UK

It is also available to order through bookshops everywhere.

Blog Tour ~ In the Wake by Helen Trevorrow

Jaffareadstoo is thrilled to host today's stop on In The Wake Blog Tour

Urbane Publications
28 June 2018

My thanks to the publishers and to Love Books Group for my copy of this book and the invitation to be part of the blog tour.

What's the book about ...

When a body is found floating in London's Royal Albert Dock, successful public relations expert Kay Christie is sent to quiet the media, but things get complicated when it emerges that she knew the victim.

As events spiral out of control, Kay discovers that those close to her may be harbouring another secret - the story of a missing girl. Can Kay discover the truth before her life unravels and she risks losing everything?

In the Wake questions whether we can ever truly leave our pasts behind and explores the lengths that we will go to protect the people that we love.

Here's what I thought about it...

In The Wake begins with an intriguing prologue which starts in a busy London hospital on Christmas Day 2017 and having worked in many hospitals on Christmas Day this opener felt really authentic. The story then moves to the discovery of a body in London's Albert Dock which for public relations expert, Kay Christie, is an absolute nightmare, especially as one of her important clients has an big event about to take place at the Dock and her clients aren't happy about the police intrusion.

What then follows is a gripping psychological thriller which looks at the world of public relations from an insiders perspective and which shows the fickle nature of keeping one step ahead of the promotional game. However, as the police investigative side of the story starts to gain momentum so Kay Christie's life starts to become more and more complicated. That Kay is a bit of a maverick is obvious from the start, she's feisty, opinionated, drinks too much and generally misbehaves and yet, I found that I really liked her and such is the strength of her personality that she really helps to carry the story along. The other characters, particularly, Kay's friend, Belinda, who typical of a newspaper reporter, has contacts everywhere, gives a fascinating insight into the tricks that newspapers get up in search of a good story. And whilst, Julia Rothman, Kay's love interest is only, to some extent, a peripheral character, I really enjoyed reading of the intricacies of their complicated relationship.

The author writes well and keeps the action in the story both tense and relevant. In Her Wake feels like a very modern story and I could easily see it translate well to a television drama. The mystery at the heart of the story is quite gripping, especially in the latter third of the book when there are several twists I didn't see coming. 

In Her Wake is a cleverly controlled psychological thriller and a commendable debut novel. I look forward to reading more from this talented author.

About the Author

Helen Trevorrow is a graduate of the 2016 Faber Academy creative writing programme. She studied at Leeds University and has worked in marketing and public relations in London. She is a specialist food and drink PR. Helen's debut novel IN THE WAKE is a feminist crime thriller about family, unrealised trauma and alcoholism. Helen has ghost-written many articles for newspapers, magazines and websites. She lives in Brighton, Sussex.

Website

Twitter @helentrevorrow #InTheWake

@UrbaneBooks 

#LoveBooksGroupTours

Amazon UK

Blog Tour ~ Ghost by Helen Grant

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be part of the blog tour for Ghost

Fledgling Press
19 February 2018

My thanks to the publishers and Love Books Group for the invitation to be part of his tour and for my e-copy of the book

What's it all about ...

Langlands House is haunted, but not by the ghost you think.

Augusta McAndrew lives on a remote Scottish estate with her grandmother, Rose. For her own safety, she hides from outsiders, as she has done her entire life. Visitors are few and far between - everyone knows that Langlands House is haunted.

One day Rose goes out and never returns, leaving Augusta utterly alone. Then Tom McAllister arrives - good-looking and fascinating, but dangerous. What he has to tell her could tear her whole world apart.

As Tom and Augusta become ever closer, they must face the question: is love enough to overcome the ghosts of the past?

My thoughts about it..

There is a distinctly creepy feel to Ghost, as right from the beginning there is something odd about the young woman, Augusta who lives, in isolation, at the gothic Langlands House with her grandmother. When Rose, her elderly grandmother mysteriously disappears, Augusta, too used to being hidden away from people, is distrustful and wary of strangers. And then Tom enters into Augusta's life which adds a whole new dimension to what is a deeply unsettling story.

The chilling atmosphere at Langlands House only gets stronger as the story progresses, and I especially enjoyed the creepiness and the gradual rise in tension which is pitted against the barriers and obstacles which Augusta uses to protect herself from harm. That she learns of life from reading books in the Langlands library allows us a delicate glimpse into Augusta's mindset, which is both sad and troubled.

The author writes well and knows how to keep the momentum of the plot ticking along so that you are carried forward, both by the atmosphere, and also by the setting, which is deliciously creepy. There are one or two surprises, and some genuine twists and turns towards the end which I didn’t see coming.

Ghost is a genuinely spooky story which kept me entertained from beginning to end.

About the Author

Helen Grant writes thrillers with a Gothic flavour and ghost stories. Her first novel, The Vanishing of Katharina Linden, was shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal and won an ALA Alex Award in the US. Her other books include the exciting Forbidden Spaces trilogy. 

Helen's latest novel Ghost (Fledgling Press 2018) is set in Perthshire, where she has lived since 2011. When she is not writing, Helen loves to research the lost country houses of Scotland and to visit the sites where possible. Her experiences of exploring these fascinating places inspired her to write Ghost.

Twitter @Helengrantsays #Ghost

@FledglingPress

@LoveBooksGroup

Amazon UK