Friday, December 21, 2018

From Across the Room by Gina L. Mulligan - HFVBT Book Review and GIVEAWAY



FROM ACROSS THE ROOM BY GINA L. MULLIGAN


Publication Date: September 15, 2016
Five Star Publications
Hardcover & eBook; 271 Pages
Genre: Historical/Epistolary

Publisher's Summary  
Self-indulgent young writer Thomas Gadwell has traveled from Boston to the new Hotel Del Coronado in California to at last finish his novel when he meets the clever and headstrong Miss Mary Harting. At once Thomas tosses aside his literary pursuits for a charmed summer of romance that ends with the happy couple making future plans. However, Mary Harting is the only unmarried daughter of notorious railroad tycoon Charles Harting, and he has no intention of letting a useless wordsmith derail his own critical plans for Mary. The couple must continue a clandestine courtship, but Thomas’ ingenuity has unexpected repercussions and he unwittingly uncovers a sinister plot of deception, greed, and blackmail. Guided by mentor Henry James, to win Mary, Thomas must step from the pages of the world he creates to explore his own insecurities, battle against worldly corruption, and expose family demons.
Told through a series of clever, heartfelt, and engaging letters, From Across the Room is a voyeuristic escapade that delights at every twist. Reflecting back to a time when letters were saved in the imagination of the reader, the lost art of letter writing brings to life the opulent Gilded Age and unfolds the universal passions of love, ambition, and the resilient bonds of family.
Purchase Links

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE | BOOKS-A-MILLION | CHAPTERS | INDIEBOUND


Praise for From Across the Room

“A passionate love story set in a brilliantly recreated Gilded Age, this intimate epistolary novel takes the reader from a wide-open California to the salons of literary and industrial New York. Colorful and indelible characters stride across the pages of this exceptionally vivid historical novel that brings the past stirringly to life.” -Diana Birchall, Bestselling Author of Mr. Darcy’s Dilemma
“Gina Mulligan’s impeccable prose, engaging characters, and original style reminds us all why we love to read.” -Reza Kahlili, 2010 National Best Books winner for A Time to Betray
“The characters have richly defined voices and fascinating lives that sparkle against a transcontinental history of America at the beginning of the twentieth century.” -Jessica Klein, Award-winning Writer/Producer of Northern Exposure, Beverly Hills 90210, Gabriel’s Fire and other popular TV series.
My Take
Ahhh...the epistolary style...I've read enough books in my lifetime to really appreciate one that uses something a little different to tell a story.  Nothing turns me off more than reading the same ole same ole all the time.  Seriously. Who has time for that?
From Across the Room is told entirely via letters from the main character Thomas Gadwell to a variety of other characters, including his love interest, Mary Harting.   When I first began reading From Across the Room, I thought the story was going to be more romancey, and I wondered if I had made a mistake in agreeing to read it...I'm not usually a romance fan.  
I quickly realized that there was so much more involved in this story.  
Mulligan weaves in family and societal issues from the Gilded Age as well as description that is so vivid, I could see the action.  Here's where the letters are perfectly situated.  In a world very different from the world we live in today, the words on the page were IT.  There were no visuals to click on, no immediate opportunity to ask a question if the reader didn't understand something, and no smart phones to send SnapChats and Selfies.  To communicate, the writer HAD to choose words carefully.  The writer got one shot...and then might have to wait two weeks to find out how the recipient interpreted the letter or felt about it because that's how long it took for the letter to arrive, be read, responded to, and the response sent.  In today's time, I know a lot of people who would go crazy waiting that long for anything :)

I loved that Thomas Gadwell's mentor was Henry James :) I'm an English teacher so the author and writing aspect of From Across the Room interested me a great deal...the publishing industry, Thomas's agent, etc. were also interesting tidbits.

Abigail Winchester is the character that jumped out to me...I think Mulligan could write an entirely new novel about this very eccentric lady :):) 

I wasn't entirely sure about the ending.  At first, it made me a little mad...but the more I sit with it, the more I think I do actually like it...from the author, publishing viewpoint.  If you like a sneaky little read, you'll like this turn of events as well.





About the Author

Gina L. Mulligan is a veteran freelance journalist for numerous national magazines and the author of the award-winning novel, REMEMBER THE LADIES and FROM ACROSS THE ROOM. After her own diagnosis, Gina founded Girls Love Mail, a charity that collects handwritten letters of encouragement for women with breast cancer. She was honored for her charitable work on the nationally syndicated television talk show The Steve Harvey Show, People.com, and TODAY.com.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS







Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, November 26
Review at Creating Herstory


Tuesday, November 27
Review at Pursuing Stacie


Wednesday, November 28
Review at Jathan & Heather


Thursday, November 29
Review at Tar Heel Reader


Friday, November 30
Review at A Holland Reads


Saturday, December 1
Review & Guest Post at Clarissa Reads it All


Monday, December 3
Review at A Chick Who Reads


Tuesday, December 4


Wednesday, December 5
Interview at Passages to the Past


Thursday, December 6
Review at Peppermint Ph.D.


Friday, December 7
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story


Monday, December 10
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books


Tuesday, December 11


Wednesday, December 12
Review at Laura’s Interests


Friday, December 14
Review at 100 Pages a Day


Monday, December 17
Review & Excerpt at Locks, Hooks and Books


Tuesday, December 18
Feature at Broken Teepee


Wednesday, December 19
Review & Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads


Thursday, December 20
Review at Bri’s Book Nook


Friday, December 21
Review at The Book Mind
Guest Post and Excerpt at Confessions of an Avid Reader


Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away 3 copies of From Across the Room & Stationary! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on December 21st. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.





From Across the Room

Thursday, December 20, 2018

A Murder by Any Name by Suzanne M. Wolfe - GIVEAWAY and Book Review





A MURDER BY ANY NAME 

By Suzanne M. Wolfe
Publication Date: October 9, 2018
Crooked Lane Books
Hardcover & eBook; 326 Pages
Genre: Historical Mystery


Publisher's Summary
(I've highlighted in red the portions that enticed me to read A Murder by Any Name)
When a brutal murder threatens the sanctity of the Elizabethan court, it’s up to a hot-tempered spy to save the day.
The court of Elizabeth I is no stranger to plotting and intrigue, but the royal retinue is thrown into chaos when the Queen’s youngest and sweetest lady-in-waiting is murdered, her body left on the high altar of the Chapel Royal in Whitehall Palace. Solving the murder will require the cunning and savvy possessed by only one man. Enter Nicholas Holt, younger brother of the Earl of Blackwell—spy, rake, and owner of the infamous Black Sheep tavern in the seedy district of Bankside. Nick quickly learns that working for the Queen is a mixed blessing. Elizabeth—salty-tongued, vain, and fiercely intelligent—can, with a glance, either reward Nick with a purse of gold or have his head forcibly removed.
When a second lady-in-waiting is slain at Whitehall, the court once again reels with shock and dismay. On the trail of a diabolical killer, Nick and his faithful sidekick—an enormous Irish Wolfhound named Hector—are treading on treacherous ground, and only the killer’s head on a platter can keep them in the Queen’s good graces.
Purchase Links:

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE | BOOKS-A-MILLION | CHAPTERS | INDIEBOUND | KOBO


Praise for A Murder By Any Name

“Captivating… Fans of Fiona Buckley’s Ursula Blanchard and Kathy Lynn Emerson’s Rosamond Jaffrey will be delighted to add Wolfe to their reading lists.” ―Booklist
“[A] promising series launch… Fans of Elizabethan historicals will be satisfied.” ―Publishers Weekly
“An excellent series kickoff by Wolfe that cleverly highlights both the mystery and the many ills of Elizabethan times.” ―Kirkus Reviews
“In vivid passages, Suzanne Wolfe’s novel brings to the reader the light and dark of Elizabethan England, its squalor and splendor, filth and riches, intrigues and delights.” ―NY Journal of Books
“A deeply atmospheric and richly textured Elizabethan mystery… I was captivated by Nicholas and Hector as they navigated court treachery and the dark recesses of the lower classes in this compelling Elizabethan mystery.” ―Shelley Freydont, New York Times bestselling author
“Wolfe’s descriptions are unparalleled, immersing the reader in the time period as they join her wily protagonist on his quest to catch a cold-hearted killer.” ―Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author of the Lady Darby Mysteries
“I stayed up reading much too late to finish this book! Wonderful Elizabethan atmosphere, well-drawn and unusual characters, action and intrigue and excitement―I felt like I was in the 1570s” ―Amanda Carmack, award-winning author of the Elizabethan mysteries
“Bewitching! Suzanne Wolfe opens the door to Elizabethan life through her masterful creation of the sympathetic spy, Nicholas Holt. An exciting start to a promising new historical mystery series.” ―Naomi Hirahara, Edgar Award-winning author of the Mas Arai series
“A classically plotted whodunit set against the background of Elizabethan London and the court of Queen Elizabeth the First, both of them well researched and vividly realized, with a wealth of detail. One can almost smell the reek of the 16th century streets and waterways.” ―Fiona Buckley, author of the Ursula Blanchard Elizabethan mysteries
My Take: 

From the introductory paragraph, I was taken by the vivid language and descriptions that involve all four senses...whether I wanted them to or not.  I'm a huge fan of description...I like to read those paragraphs slowly and let the words pull me in :) 

Ahhhh, Elizabethan England...I never tire of it...Elizabeth I is an icon, and her rule is one I doubt historians will ever stop researching, no matter how much factual knowledge we digest...I loved how Wolfe pulled in historical characters, namely William Shakespeare and the Walsinghams, along with the fictional characters to make the story hold even tighter.

One of the things I appreciate so much about historical fiction is the attention to more than just the glowing parts of the story.  In some "romantic" versions of Elizabeth's story, all the reader sees is court at its "best"...opulent parties, decorations, love stories, debauchery, money, between the rich, richer, and richest  inhabitants.  It's as if the others don't even exist except to keep the wine pitchers refilled.  That's not so in A Murder by Any Name.  While the story does take place in the court of Elizabeth I, the story is the focus, not her majesty.  Elizabethan court seems to be the setting rather than the plot...I thoroughly enjoyed this strategy! 

Ah, Hector...put a canine sidekick in a story, and I'm pretty much all yours :) 


The Author



Suzanne M. Wolfe grew up in Manchester, England and read English Literature at Oxford University, where she co-founded the Oxford C.S. Lewis Society. She served as Writer in Residence at Seattle Pacific University and taught literature and creative writing there for nearly two decades. Wolfe is the author of three novels: A Murder by Any Name, The Confessions of X, and Unveiling.
Thirty years ago, she and her husband, Gregory Wolfe, co-founded Image, a journal of the arts and faith. They have also co-authored many books on literature and prayer including Books That Build Character: How to Teach Your Child Moral Values Through Stories, and Bless This House: Prayers For Children and Families. Her essays and blog posts have appeared in Image and other publications. She and her husband are the parents of four grown children. They live in Richmond Beach, Washington.
For more information, please visit Suzanne M. Wolfe’s website. You can also find her on FacebookTwitter, and Goodreads.




Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, December 17

Tuesday, December 18
Excerpt at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, December 19
Review at Pursuing Stacie
Guest Post at Jathan & Heather

Thursday, December 20
Feature at The Lit Bitch
Review at Peppermint Ph.D.

Friday, December 21

Sunday, December 23

Thursday, December 27
Review & Interview at Jorie Loves a Story

Friday, December 28
Review at Tar Heel Reader

Monday, December 31
Review at Tudor Enthusiast

Wednesday, January 2

Thursday, January 3
Excerpt at T’s Stuff

Friday, January 4
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Monday, January 7

Tuesday, January 8
Guest Post at On the Tudor Trail

Wednesday, January 9
Review at Reading the Past

Thursday, January 10
Review at Broken Teepee

Friday, January 11

Monday, January 14

Tuesday, January 15
Interview at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, January 16
Review at A Book Geek

Thursday, January 17
Review at Coffee and Ink


Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away 3 hardcover copies of A Murder By Any Name! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on January 17th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.




A Murder By Any Name