Tag: Blog Tour

Blog Tour/Review: Court of Lions by Jane Johnson

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Court of Lions PB blog tour

I’m delighted to be co-hosting the first stop on the blog tour to celebrate the publication in paperback of Court of Lions by Jane Johnson.  I really enjoyed this book when I read it last year and I love its gorgeous new cover (although the previous cover was pretty special too).  Below you can read my review of this fascinating story which moves between the city of Granada in the 15th century and the present day.

Oh, and do pop over and visit my co-host I’ll Be Fine Alone Reads to read an extract from Court of Lions.

COURT OF LIONS_PBAbout the Book

Kate Fordham, escaping terrible trauma, has fled to the beautiful sunlit city of Granada, the ancient capital of the Moors in Spain, where she is scraping by with an unfulfilling job in a busy bar. One day in the glorious gardens of the Alhambra, once home to Sultan Abu Abdullah Mohammed, also known as Boabdil, Kate finds a scrap of paper hidden in one of the ancient walls. Upon it, in strange symbols, has been inscribed a message from another age. It has lain undiscovered since before the Fall of Granada in 1492, when the city was surrendered to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. Born of love, in a time of danger and desperation, the fragment will be the catalyst that changes Kate’s life forever.

Court of Lions brings one of the great turning-points in history to life, telling the stories of a modern woman and the last Moorish sultan of Granada, as they both move towards their cataclysmic destinies.

Format: Paperback (448 pp.)                                    Publisher: Head of Zeus
Published in paperback: 11th January 2018        Genre: Historical Fiction

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

Find Court of Lions on Goodreads

My Review

The story of Sultan Abu Abdullah Mohammed, known as Momo, is related through the eyes of Blessings, a slave brought as a young orphan from a desert tribe to be companion to the then Prince.   Despite their different status, Blessings and Momo quickly form a deep and lasting friendship although for Blessings, the relationship becomes more than friendship. Their relationship will be tested over the years of political turmoil and war as Granada fights for its survival against the forces of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain and to protect the Muslim faith of its people.

I found the story of Sultan Abu Abdullah Mohammed utterly compelling and admired the way the author brought it to life in such vivid and colourful detail.  For me, there was a perfect balance between the intimate, personal story of Momo and Blessings and the wider story of the historical events of the time – the plots, alliances, treaties, battles and, ultimately defeats.     In the end, both Momo and Blessings are forced to make heart-breaking compromises.

In the contemporary story, Kate’s troubles are domestic in nature and gradually revealed throughout the novel.  For her Granada is a refuge and a chance to leave behind unhappy memories and traumatic events.   The scrap of paper she finds in a crevice in the walls of the Alhambra and a chance encounter eventually provide the opportunity for her to move on in her life but not before she is forced to confront her traumatic past.  I was slightly less drawn to Kate’s story than to the parts of the book set in the past but that’s a personal thing because the modern day story is expertly told.  There are subtle connections between the two story lines: secrets, religious fundamentalism and discrimination.

I received a review copy courtesy of Head of Zeus in return for an honest and unbiased review.

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In three words: Compelling, well-researched, intimate

Try something similar: Secrets of the Sea House by Elisabeth Gifford

JaneJohnsonAbout the Author

Jane Johnson is from Cornwall and has worked in the book industry for over 20 years, as a bookseller, publisher and writer. She is responsible for the publishing of many major authors, including George RR Martin.  In 2005 she was in Morocco researching the story of a distant family member who was abducted from a Cornish church in 1625 by Barbary pirates and sold into slavery in North Africa, when a near-fatal climbing incident caused her to rethink her future. She returned home, gave up her office job in London, and moved to Morocco.  She married her own ‘Berber pirate’ and now they split their time between Cornwall and a village in the Anti-Atlas Mountains. She still works, remotely, as Fiction Publishing Director for HarperCollins.

Connect with Jane

Website  ǀ  Twitter  ǀ  Goodreads

 

Blog Tour/Review: Traitor (Mercia Blakewood #3) by David Hingley

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Traitor blog tour banner

I’m delighted to be hosting the final stop on the blog tour for Traitor by David Hingley. Traitor is the third book in David’s Mercia Blakewood series of historical mysteries.  You can read my review below.  I’d like to thank Ailsa at Allison & Busby for inviting me to take part in the tour and for introducing me to David’s books.  The previous books in the series have already been added to my wishlist.

I have really enjoyed reading the great reviews from other participants on the tour (who happen to include some of my favourite bloggers).  Do check them out – the links are below.

‘A well paced romp, with plenty of twists and turns’ @_the_book_bug_ on Instagram

‘I loved catching up with Mercia again. She’s such a brilliant character…’ The Overflowing Library

‘The portrayal of Charles II’s court is full of colour. It also reeks with sin.’ For Winter Nights

‘An intriguing journey into the political arena of the mid-seventeenth century’ Jaffa Reads Too 

‘The stench of the Southampton docks, the London streets and the smell of fear were evident from the first page’ The Book Trail

‘A very readable historical yarn’ @thehalcyondaysofsummer on Instagram

‘Along the way there’s plenty of suspense’ She Reads Novels 

‘Hingley’s blend of real and imagined people and events brings the Restoration vividly to life’ Ramblingmads

traitor coverAbout the Book

May 1665. With winter passed, Mercia Blakewood is at last headed back to England from America, hoping to leave behind the shadow cast by death and heartache. She expects a welcome from the King considering her earlier mission at his behalf, but the reception she receives after her long voyage home could hardly be called warm.

With the country now at war with the Dutch, the Crown has decided that Mercia is an asset to be used once again. More manipulation lies ahead as Mercia must accept a clandestine role at the heart of the glittering and debauched royal court to unmask a spy and traitor.

Format: Hardback, eBook  (384 pp.)         Publisher: Allison & Busby
Published in UK: 18th January 2018         Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery

Purchase Links* Book 1, Birthright, is currently just £5.99 on the Allison & Busby website
Amazon.co.uk  ǀ  Amazon.com  ǀ Publisher
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find Traitor on Goodreads

My Review

Traitor is my first experience of a book by David Hingley but put me down as hooked!  Although I haven’t read the previous two books in the Mercia Blakewood series –  Birthright and Puritan – it certainly didn’t affect my enjoyment of this book.  In fact, I thought the author did a great job of providing the right amount of background information for readers new to the series without boring those who have read the previous books.  It’s a fine balance to strike but I thought the author nailed it and actually there were some enticing nuggets of information about events in the earlier books that have definitely made me want to go back and read them.

The setting for Traitor is the court of Charles II.  It’s a place of intrigue, scandal, gossip, clandestine affairs and power play around the succession since Charles is without a legitimate heir.  It’s also a place of artifice, where people are adept at playing parts.  The war with the Dutch not only endangers the security of the realm but has implications for important commercial interests, including those who trade in goods, including in human form.  There is also a need to maintain the delicate balance of other powers and potential allies in Europe.  “One day, perhaps, we shall cease our arguments with Europe, but that day is not yet come.” (Yes, I laughed at that bit too!).

When it is discovered that vital information is being leaked to the enemy, it becomes essential to track down the spy, code name Virgo.  Enter Mercia Blakewood, recently returned from America where she performed a valuable service for the King.  With the prospect of regaining ownership of the family estate (falsely claimed by her uncle) dangled in front of her, Mercia is persuaded to take on the task of uncovering the spy’s identity.  Mercia makes a terrifically likeable leading character – as well as a caring mother, she’s determined, plucky, independent-minded, resourceful albeit a little rash about her own safety at times.   As her servant and ally, Nicholas, observes, “Because you can’t resist a puzzle.”  Widowed, she’s also a little lonely.  “You are strong, Mercia.  The bravest woman I’ve known.  But there’s no shame in admitting it’s hard to live alone.”  Mercia’s beauty means she’s not short of suitors but is their interest in getting close to her merely personal?

The plot is full of twists and turns as various individuals come under suspicion and Mercia tries to unravel the complex web of alliances and loyalties. I really welcomed the Dramatis Personae at the beginning of the book to help keep track of the different characters and inter-relationships.  Along the way, Mercia finds she has powerful enemies but also potential allies – if she could only work out which was which!  In addition, a figure from her past emerges to claim repayment of a debt that will involve difficult decisions for Mercia.

Traitor is a cracking historical mystery, full of colourful characters, with an intriguing story line and an evocative sense of the period in which it is set. A woman involved in espionage in the 17th century?  Well, why not? There is the real life example of Aphra Behn, after all.  I really enjoyed Traitor and would enthusiastically recommend it for fans of historical mysteries.

I received an advance reader copy courtesy of publishers Allison & Busby in return for an honest and unbiased review.

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In three words: Lively, engaging, mystery

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David HingleyAbout the Author

Originally from the Midlands, David Hingley worked in the Civil Service for eleven years before leaving to fulfil his long-term ambition to write. He spent three years living in New York, close to the action in Birthright and Puritan, before returning to the UK in 2016.

Connect with David

Website ǀ  Twitter  ǀ  Goodreads

Traitor by David Hingley