Author: whatcathyreadnext

My Week in Books – 1st Oct 2017

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MyWeekinBooks

New arrivals

I’m not sure what it was about this week but the books just seemed to keep coming… (Oh, so nothing to do with requesting titles on NetGalley or saying ‘Yes’ to review requests, then?)

TheSecretofVesaliusThe Secret of Vesalius by Jordi Llobregat (eARC, NetGalley)

Daniel Amat has left Spain and all that happened there behind him. Having just achieved a brilliant role in Ancient Languages at Oxford University and an even more advantageous engagement, the arrival of a letter – a demand – stamped Barcelona comes like a cold hand from behind. He arrives back in that old, labyrinthine and near-mythic city a few days before the great 1888 World Fair, amid dread whispers of murders – the injuries reminiscent of an ancient curse, and bearing signs of the genius 16th century anatomist, Vesalius. Daniel is soon pulled into the depths of the crime, and eventually into the tunnels below Barcelona, where his own dark past and the future of science are joined in a terrible venture – to bring the secret of Vesalius to life.

MrDickensAndHisCarolMr Dickens and His Carol: A Novel of Christmas Past by Samantha Silva (advanced reading copy courtesy of Allison & Busby)

For Charles Dickens, each Christmas has been better than the last. His novels are literary blockbusters, and he is famous on the streets of London, where avid fans sneak up on him to snip off pieces of his hair. He and his wife have five happy children, a sixth on the way, and a home filled with every comfort they could imagine. But when Dickens’ newest book is a flop, the glorious life he has built for himself threatens to collapse around him. His publishers offer an ultimatum: either he writes a Christmas book in a month, or they will call in his debts, and he could lose everything. Grudgingly, he accepts, but with relatives hounding him for loans, his wife and children planning an excessively lavish holiday party, and jealous critics going in for the kill, he is hardly feeling the Christmas spirit.  Increasingly frazzled and filled with self-doubt, Dickens seeks solace and inspiration in London itself, his great palace of thinking. And on one of his long walks, in a once-beloved square, he meets a young woman in a purple cloak, who might be just the muse he needs. Eleanor Lovejoy and her young son, Timothy, propel Dickens on a Scrooge-like journey through his Christmases past and present—but with time running out, will he find the perfect new story to save him?

TheGirlFromSimon'sBayThe Girl From Simon’s Bay by Barbara Mutch (advanced reading copy courtesy of Allison & Busby)

A seashell and a sealed letter form a tenuous connection to a forbidden wartime romance… Simon’s Town is a vibrant seafaring community in a picturesque part of the Union of South Africa. Louise Ahrendts, daughter of a local shipbuilder, nurtures the dream of becoming a nurse amid the unwritten, unspoken rules about colour that might hold her back. As the port becomes a hub of activity following the outbreak of the Second World War, Louise crosses paths with man she is determined to be with – despite all the obstacles that life and war can throw in their way. But when a new troubled moment of history dawns, can they find their way back to each other?

TheCoffinPathThe Coffin Path by Katherine Clements (eARC, NetGalley)

Maybe you’ve heard tales about Scarcross Hall, the house on the old coffin path that winds from village to moor top. They say there’s something up here, something evil.Mercy Booth isn’t afraid. The moors and Scarcross are her home and lifeblood. But, beneath her certainty, small things are beginning to trouble her. Three ancient coins missing from her father’s study, the shadowy figure out by the gatepost, an unshakeable sense that someone is watching. When a stranger appears seeking work, Mercy reluctantly takes him in. As their stories entwine, this man will change everything. She just can’t see it yet.

CuzCuz by Danielle Allen (eARC, NetGalley)

Aged 15 and living in LA, Michael Allen was arrested for a botched carjacking. He was tried as an adult and sentenced to thirteen years behind bars. After growing up in prison Michael was then released aged 26, only to be murdered three years later. In this deeply personal yet clear-eyed memoir, Danielle Allen reconstructs her cousin’s life to try and understand how this tragedy was the end result. We become intimate with Michael’s experience, from his first steps to his first love, and with the events of his arrest, his coming of age in prison, and his attempts to make up for lost time after his release. We learn what it’s like to grow up in a city carved up by invisible gang borders; and we learn how a generation has been lost. With breathtaking bravery and intelligence, Cuz circles around its subject, viewing it from all angles to expose a shocking reality. The result is both a personal and analytical view of a life that wields devastating power. This is the new American tragedy.

ChoosingHopeChoosing Hope by Holly Kammier (ebook, review copy courtesy of Xpresso Tours)

A broken marriage. A love affair. A lie that changes it all…Hope Rains Sullivan is living the dream—a successful husband, two beautiful young boys, and a charming home in Northern California. She should be happy. She almost convinced herself she was, until Adrian came along. Adrian, appears to be everything her husband isn’t. He works with his hands, and is even willing to use them in a fight. He’s sexy, strong and fit, with warm brown skin that alludes to his Spanish background. Best of all, he lives for spending time with his kids. Feeling alone in her marriage, Adrian offers her a way out. Hope’s affair is just the beginning. Her journey inward will require untangling her complicated past and surviving an astonishing revelation. Her lover is not who he pretends to be.  She’s searching for her happily-ever-after, and no matter how painful the journey, she’ll find what she’s been looking for all along—the chance to choose Hope.

TheCrowsofBearaThe Crows of Beara by Julie Christine Johnson (ebook, review copy courtesy of Sage’s Blog Tours)

When Annie Crowe travels from Seattle to a small Irish village to promote a new copper mine, her public relations career is hanging in the balance. Struggling to overcome her troubled past and a failing marriage, Annie is eager for a chance to rebuild her life. Yet when she arrives on the remote Beara Peninsula, Annie learns that the mine would encroach on the nesting ground of an endangered bird, the Red-billed Chough, and many in the community are fiercely protective of this wild place. Among them is Daniel Savage, a local artist battling demons of his own, who has been recruited to help block the mine. Despite their differences, Annie and Daniel find themselves drawn toward each other, and, inexplicably, they begin to hear the same voice–a strange, distant whisper of Gaelic, like sorrow blowing in the wind.  Guided by ancient mythology and challenged by modern problems, Annie must confront the half-truths she has been sent to spread and the lies she has been telling herself. Most of all, she must open her heart to the healing power of this rugged land and its people.

TheSummerSpringsteen'sSongsSavedMeThe Summer Springsteen’s Songs Saved Me by Barbara Quinn (eARC, giveaway prize courtesy of Lakewater Press)

Coming home to catch her husband with his face between the long, silky legs of another woman is the last thing Sofia expects—and on today of all days. But, after scratching an expletive into his Porsche and setting the cheating bastard’s clothes on fire, she cranks up her beloved Bruce and flees, vowing to never look back. Finding solace in the peaceful beachside town of Bradley Beach, NJ, Sof is determined to start over. And, with the help of best friends, new acquaintances, a sexy neighbour, and the powerful songs of Springsteen, this may be the place where her wounds can heal. But, as if she hasn’t faced her share of life’s challenges, a final flurry of obstacles awaits. In order to head courageously toward the future, Sofia must first let go of her past, find freedom, and mend her broken soul.

ShadowsontheGrassShadows on the Grass by Misha Herwin (eARC courtesy of the author)

In 1960s Bristol, seventeen year old Kate is torn between the new sexual freedom and her rigid Catholic upbringing. Her parents have high expectations of her. She, however, is determined to lead her own life. Meanwhile, Mimi, her grandmother, is dying. In her final hours, her cousin the Princess keeps watch at her bedside. Born in the same month in the same year, the two women are bound by their past and a terrible betrayal. Caught between the generations, Hannah, Mimi’s daughter, struggles to come to come to terms with her relationship with her mother and to keep the peace between her daughter and her husband. She too must find her own way in this foreign land in a new post war

Bells of AvalonBells of Avalon by Libbet Bradstreet (ebook, review copy courtesy of the author)

Thrust into a limelight she never chose, Katie’s been paired with Danny for as long as she can remember. Films, roadshow tours, and drugstore appearances…post-war Hollywood can’t seem to get enough of the sweetheart team. They’ll even fall in love one day.

But young love seldom survives the fog wake of Los Angeles – a place of dreams and nightmares.

TheMurderer'sMaidThe Murderer’s Maid by Erika Mailman (ebook, review copy courtesy of HF Virtual Book Tours)

The Murderer’s Maid interweaves the stories of two women: one, the servant of infamous Lizzie Borden, and the other a modern-day barista fleeing from an attempt on her life. Trapped by servitude and afraid for her own safety, Irish maid Bridget finds herself an unwilling witness to the tensions in the volatile Borden household. As Lizzie seethes with resentment, Bridget tries to perform her duties and keep her mouth shut. Unknowingly connected to the legendary crime of a century ago, Brooke, the illegitimate daughter of an immigrant maid, struggles to conceal her identity and stay a jump ahead of the men who want to kill her. When she unexpectedly falls in love with Anthony, a local attorney, she has to decide whether to stop running and begin her life anew.  With historical detail and taut, modern storytelling, Erika Mailman writes a captivating novel about identity, choices, freedom, and murder. She offers readers a fresh perspective on the notorious crime and explores the trials of immigrants seeking a better life while facing down fear and oppression, today and throughout history. Intelligent and detailed, The Murderer’s Maid is a gripping read from beginning to bloody conclusion.

On What Cathy Read Next last week

Blog posts

Monday – I published my review of Take Courage: Anne Brontë and the Art of Life by Samantha Ellis, a fascinating and very personal exploration of the life of the least well-known of the Brontë sisters.

Tuesday – I shared my review of The Winner: A Ballroom Dance Novel by Erin Bomboy as part of the blog tour. Definitely one for fans of Strictly Come Dancing or Dancing With The Stars.

Wednesday – Another review, this time as part of the blog tour for Twilight Empress by Faith L Justice. I found it an enthralling and well-researched historical fiction about Placidia, sister of the Roman Emperor, Honorius.

Thursday – I shared my review of Maria in the Moon by Louise Beech, a spellbinding novel about memory and secrets, set in the aftermath of the floods in Hull in 2007.

Friday – I took part in the book blitz for Carry Me Home by Jessica Therrien. I also published my review of Bluebird, Bluebird the latest novel by Attica Locke. It’s a cracking mystery but also a searing indictment of contemporary race relations in America.

Saturday – I compiled my 5 Favourite September Reads. This month it was a hard choice with some great titles to choose from.

Sunday – I welcomed Apple Gidley, author of Fireburn, to What Cathy Read Next. To mark publication day of her historical fiction novel set in the Caribbean island of St Croix, Apple provided insight into the research behind the book.

Challenge updates

  • Goodreads 2017 Reading Challenge – 115 out of 156 books read, 3 more than last time
  • Classics Club Challenge– 5 out of 50 books reviewed, same as last time
  • NetGalley/Edelweiss Reading Challenge 2017 (Gold) – 48 ARCs reviewed out of 50, 1 more than last time
  • From Page to Screen 2017/8 – 7 book/film comparisons out of 12 completed, same as last time

On What Cathy Read Next this week

Currently reading

Planned posts

  • From Page to Screen: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
  • Blog Tour/Review: Woman Enters Left by Jessica Brockmole
  • Book Review: Tremarnock Summer by Emma Burstall

How was your week in books?  Booker Prize shortlist or charity shop donation?

Guest Post: ‘History Won The Day’ by Apple Gidley, author of Fireburn

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What an exciting day your book’s birthday must be – especially when it’s your first novel! So I’m thrilled to help celebrate the publication today of Fireburn and to welcome its author, Apple Gidley, to What Cathy Read Next.  

When Apple contacted me about adding her book to my review stack, she only had to mention ‘historical fiction’ and ‘set in the Caribbean’ before I was sold.  Regrettably, I haven’t yet been able to read Fireburn. In the meantime, I’m delighted that Apple has agreed to talk about the book – its inspiration, and the process of research and character development. You can find her guest post, ‘History Won The Day’, below.

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FireburnAbout the Book

The Danish-owned island of 1870s Saint Croix vibrates with passion and tension as Anna Clausen, a young Anglo-Danish woman, returns to her childhood home after her mother’s death. Her heart sinks at what she finds on arrival. Her father is ailing and desolate and her beloved plantation, Anna’s Fancy, which has been in the Clausen family for three generations, is in shambles. The unwelcome lust of one man and forbidden love for another makes Anna’s return to Saint Croix even more turbulent. Despite the decline in the sugar industry, she is determined to retain Anna’s Fancy but must first win the trust of her field workers, of Sampson the foreman, and the grudging respect of Emiline the cook and local weed woman.

Fireburn tells of the horrors of a little-known, bloody period of Caribbean history. Anna weathers personal heartache as she challenges the conventions of the day, the hostility of the predominantly male landowners and survives the worker rebellion of 1878, 30 years after Emancipation.

Praise for Fireburn

“Rich in description, Fireburn is a well-researched novel that shines a light on a historic period in St. Croix that has received little attention in literature until now.” (Gillian Royes, author of The Goat Woman of Largo Bay)

“Gidley is a skilful and assured story-teller, unafraid to take on complexities of race, class and gender, while at the same time creating unforgettable characters and a story that kept me reading deep into the night.” (Matthew Parker, author of The Sugar Barons)

Format: ebook (309 pp.), Paperback (354 pp.)     Publisher: Author
Published: 1st October 2017                                     Genre: Historical Fiction

Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk ǀ Amazon.com ǀ Kobo
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find Fireburn on Goodreads

 Guest Post: ‘History Won The Day’ by Apple Gidley, author of Fireburn

Job descriptions over the years have been a nebulous affair. A few have been self explanatory – secretary, interior designer, honorary consul – but most have involved a myriad of roles which defied one definition. Then about ten years ago I started filling in those inquisitive government forms asking for job title with the word ‘writer’. I felt a fraud until my first book was published in 2012. Expat Life Slice by Slice was just that – a memoir of a global life.  Fiction though has always tempted me – whether reading or writing. To be taken out of our day-to-day life and invited into someone else’s is escapism of the most reverent kind.

Fireburn is an historical novel set in the Danish West Indies, now the US Virgin Islands. The seed of the story was sown as I listened to local dignitaries talk about the then upcoming celebrations for the centennial of American rule in 2017. What, I wondered, was life like on St Croix in the lead up to the sale?  I would write about the 20 or so years prior to the transfer in 1917. It would be a story about life on a plantation dealing with the by then less-than-lucrative sugar industry. It would be told in a couple of voices and would catalogue the changing times on an island whose lingua franca has been predominantly English despite having flown under seven flags. The main character would be a white landowner, with the secondary voice being a black foreman.

Then I started the research.

I studied the architecture, the food, the clothing, speech and living habits. Glimpsing life through the eyes of Danes stationed on the island – school teachers, soldiers and sailors, planters and businessmen – as they wrote to their families and superiors back in Denmark, sent me further back in time. I read old accounts and modern takes on history, pored over records of slave ownership.  I learnt Governor Von Scholten might have emancipated the slaves in 1848 but life did not improve for the newly free, and in some ways worsened.

Then I came across ‘fireburn’ – a violent though short-lived worker rebellion in 1878, also known as the Great Trashing.  And there it was – the event around which my timeline would revolve, with the actual transfer from Danish to US ownership being the full stop on the story.

Women are traditionally the glue in the family, on an estate, in a village, and the more I researched the more I wanted strong female characters. Anna was born: an Anglo-Danish woman returning to the island to rejoin her ailing father on the family sugar plantation after an absence of ten years. No woman in those days would travel without a companion/chaperone, so Ivy, her English lady’s maid, insinuated herself into the picture and became instrumental in discussing issues of race and class. I needed a black voice as counterbalance and Emiline, the cantankerous estate cook and local weed woman, was introduced and quickly became a favourite. Who doesn’t like a bolshy woman?

But a story needs tension, so death, an unpleasant man and, of course, ‘fireburn’ were woven in. Writing proceeded apace, with good days and bad days and worse days, though the characters saw me through. Anna, Ivy and Emiline lived with me. They talked and I listened. How, Anna asked, could I properly describe the terror invoked by inflamed workers as they stormed the fort in Frederiksted if she was not there to witness it? Regurgitated stories are not nearly so dramatic as first-hand accounts. I needed a man.

Sampson, the black foreman, was given his voice back. And, as so often happens when someone is given a role, he became ever-more important until he was writing his own script. ‘Fireburn’, the event, was integral to a change in Danish policy, but it had just as much impact on the day-to-day lives of those living at Anna’s Fancy.  In the interests of brevity and cohesion, the timeline was abruptly cut to the early 1890s when a natural ending occurred to the characters. ‘Fireburn’ became the focus and the transfer could wait for the sequel.

History had won.

Thank you, Apple.  I love learning about the evolution of a book from initial idea to finished work and this has made me even more impatient for Fireburn to reach the top of my review pile.  Plus, now I’m excited that there might be a sequel as well.   

AppleGidleyAbout the Author

Apple Gidley is an Anglo-Australian author whose life has been spent absorbing countries and cultures so considers herself a global nomad. She currently divides her time between Houston, Texas and St Croix, in the US Virgin Islands. She has moved 26 times and has called twelve countries home (Nigeria, England, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Papua New Guinea, The Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago, Thailand, Scotland, USA, Equatorial Guinea). Her experiences are described in her first book, Expat Life Slice by Slice.

Her roles have been varied – from magazine editor to intercultural trainer, from interior designer to Her Britannic Majesty’s Honorary Consul. Now writing full time, Apple evocatively portrays peoples and places with empathy and humour, whether writing travel articles, blogs, short stories or full-length fiction. Her first novel, Fireburn, set in the Danish West Indies of the 1870s, will be launched on October 1st, 2017 (OC Publishing).

Connect with Apple

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