Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: The Firebird (Slains #2) by Susanna Kearsley

by The Lit Bitch3 Comments on Review: The Firebird (Slains #2) by Susanna Kearsley

Nicola Marter is a seemingly normal women, with an extraordinary gift. She can touch an object and see it’s past history.

But she doesn’t like using her gift. She is afraid of being called a ‘freak’ and that people won’t accept her.

So she hides her gift. While working in an art gallery specializing in Russian art, an old woman arrives with a wood carving of a firebird, claiming it belonged to Catherine the Great.

Nicola’s boss doesn’t have any way of authenticating it and thus, it has no value to an art dealer. But when she touches it she sees that it was in fact given to a girl named Anna by Catherine the Great…..but how can she prove it?

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Books, Reading

Spotlight Feature: Fire & Sword by Louise Turner

by The Lit Bitch2 Comments on Spotlight Feature: Fire & Sword by Louise Turner

02_Fire & Sword

Publication Date: September 19, 2013

Hadley Rille Books

Formats: eBook, Paperback

Genre: Historical Fiction

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On the 11th June in 1488, two armies meet in battle at Sauchieburn, near Stirling. One fights for King James the Third of Scotland, the other is loyal to his eldest son, Prince James, Duke of Rothesay.

Soon, James the Third is dead, murdered as he flees the field. His army is routed. Among the dead is Sir Thomas Sempill of Ellestoun, Sheriff of Renfrew, whose son and heir, John, escapes with his life.

Once John�s career as knight and courtier seemed assured. But with the death of his king, his situation is fragile. He�s the only surviving son of the Sempill line and he�s unmarried. If he hopes to survive, John must try and win favour with the new king.
And deal with the ruthless and powerful Lord Montgomerie…

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Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: The Tudor Vendetta (The Spymaster Chronicles #3) by C.W. Gortner

by The Lit Bitch2 Comments on Review: The Tudor Vendetta (The Spymaster Chronicles #3) by C.W. Gortner

Tudor lit is always a favorite sub genre for those who write historic fiction. And why not, it’s a ruthless age full of romance, intrigue, and political unrest. There is a lot for authors to draw inspiration.

One of the things I love best about C.W. Gortner as a writer is he tends to pick strong women in history to write about which is unusual for a male author.

I think having a male write about these women provides readers with a unique perspective. In this novel he utilized a male as the POV character which was different but no less entertaining.

Queen Mary is dead and the young Elizabeth takes the throne. One of her secret agents, Brendan Prescott, has returned from exile and plan on continuing to keep her safe as well as keeping a few secrets of his own safe. He is also hoping to reconcile with his beloved Kate.

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Books, Giveaway, Reading

Announcement: Winner THE LAWS OF MURDER (Charles Lenox #8) by Charles Finch

by The Lit Bitch4 Comments on Announcement: Winner THE LAWS OF MURDER (Charles Lenox #8) by Charles Finch

And the winner of the giveaway for THE LAWS OF MURDER (Charles Lenox #8) by Charles Finch is…..

Florryalyna (shared on Facebook)

The winner will be notified via email.

Thank you to everyone who entered and a huge thank you to the publisher for making this giveaway possible!

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Book Blast and Giveaway: John Chase Regency Mystery Series by S.K. Rizzolo

by The Lit Bitch1 Comment on Book Blast and Giveaway: John Chase Regency Mystery Series by S.K. Rizzolo

Please join S.K. Rizzolo as she tours the blogosphere for the John Chase Regency Mystery Series Book Blast, from November 3-16, and be entered to win all three books in the trilogy!

The Rose in the Wheel (Book One)

Publication Date: January 1, 2002
Poisoned Pen Press
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Series: John Chase Mystery Series (Book One)
Genre: Historical Mystery/Regency

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This well imagined, carefully detailed, and cleverly plotted debut draws on actual historical events of 1811 London.

Regency London knows Constance Tyrone as the conspicuously celibate founder of the St. Catherine Society, dedicated to helping poor women. One wet November evening a carriage mows down Constance outside her office. Curiously, while her corpse’s one foot is bare, the other is shod in a clean satin slipper despite the muddy road. Why was a gentlewoman abroad in the night? And if she died under the wheel, whose hands bruised her neck and stole her monogrammed crucifix?

Dismissing the idea of an accident, Bow Street Runner John Chase forms an unlikely alliance with Penelope Wolfe, wife of the chief suspect. A young mother paying the price for an imprudent marriage, Penelope is eager to clear her husband Jeremy, a feckless portrait painter whose salacious drawings of the victim suggest an erotic interest. Chase’s first task is to learn the identity of the mysterious benefactor who goes bail for Wolfe while Penelope traces the victim’s last movements. Barrister Edward Buckler, intrigued, shakes off his habitual lethargy and joins their investigation.

As horrifying murders on the Ratcliffe Highway claim all London’s attention, the trio discovers that it won’t be easy to unravel the enigma of Constance Tyrone, a woman who revives the legend of martyred St. Catherine.

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