John Eyre Blog Tour ~ Spotlight

 Hello, my friends! Today, I'm spotlighting Mimi Mathews' new book, John Eyre: A Tale of Darkness and Shadow. This book looks incredible! I love a dark gothic tale and this retelling/mash-up sounds like a must-read!

“One of the most moving, suspenseful, innovative and remarkable retellings of a classic in the history of, well, ever... Every page is sheer rapture as [Matthews] moulds popular source material into a spell-binding creation so wholly her own.”— Rachel McMillan, bestselling author of The London Restoration

John Eyre

A Tale of Darkness and Shadow

by Mimi Matthews

BOOK DESCRIPTION 

Yorkshire, 1843. When disgraced former schoolmaster John Eyre arrives at Thornfield Hall to take up a position as tutor to two peculiar young boys, he enters a world unlike any he's ever known. Darkness abounds, punctuated by odd bumps in the night, strange creatures on the moor, and a sinister silver mist that never seems to dissipate. And at the center of it all, John's new employer—a widow as alluring as she is mysterious. 

Sixteen months earlier, heiress Bertha Mason embarked on the journey of a lifetime. Marriage wasn't on her itinerary, but on meeting the enigmatic Edward Rochester, she's powerless to resist his preternatural charm. In letters and journal entries, she records the story of their rapidly disintegrating life together, and of her gradual realization that Mr. Rochester isn't quite the man he appears to be. In fact, he may not be a man at all. 

From a cliff-top fortress on the Black Sea coast to an isolated estate in rural England, John and Bertha contend with secrets, danger, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness. Can they help each other vanquish the demons of the past? Or are some evils simply too powerful to conquer?

 

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FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both
historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Regency and Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Library Journal and Publishers Weekly, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.

Connect to Mimi Matthews

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Pinterest • BookBub • Goodreads

Follow the Tour!

Join the virtual book tour of JOHN EYRE: A TALE OF DARKNESS AND SHADOW, Mimi Matthews’ highly acclaimed Bronte-inspired Gothic romance, July 12-25, 2021. Thirty-five popular online influencers specializing in historical fiction, Gothic romance, and paranormal fiction will join in the celebration of its release with an interview, spotlights, exclusive excerpt, and reviews of this new Victorian-era novel set in Yorkshire, England. 

July 12 The Caffeinated Bibliophile (review)

July 12 Syrie James (review)

July 12 Austenprose—A Jane Austen Blog (review)

July 13 Bronte Blog (interview)

July 13 Laura's Reviews (review)

July 13 All-of-a-Kind Mom (spotlight)

July 14 Gwendalyn's Books (review)

July 14 Austenesque Reviews (review)

July 15 Bookworm Lisa (review)

July 15 Nurse Bookie (review)

July 16 Savvy Verse and Wit (excerpt) 

July 16 The Lit Bitch (review)

July 17 My Bookish Bliss (review)

July 17 From the TBR Pile (review)

July 18 Rosanne E. Lortz (review)

July 18 Books, Teacups, & Reviews (review)

July 19 The Secret Victorianist (review)

July 19 Christian Chick's Thoughts (review)

July 19 The Gothic Library (review)

July 20 Getting Your Read On (review)

July 20 The Silver Petticoat Review (review)

July 20 Lu Reviews Books (review)

July 21 Scuffed Slippers and Wormy Books (spotlight)

July 21 The Green Mockingbird (review)

July 22 Unabridged Chick (review)

July 22 A Darn Good Read (review)

July 23 Kathleen Flynn (review)

July 23 So Little Time… (spotlight)

July 23 The Calico Critic (review)

July 24 The Bronte Babe (review)

July 24 Probably at the Library (review)

July 24 Impressions in Ink (review)

July 25 From Pemberley to Milton (review)

July 25 Vesper's Place (review)

July 25 Cup of Tea with that Book Please (review)

Many thanks to Laurel Ann Nattress of Austenprose for including me in this book tour!

Congratulations to Mimi Matthews on the release of John Eyre! 

So, friends, do you want to read this story as much as I do? Let me know in the comments! Thanks!

Murder at Northanger Abbey Blog Tour ~ Interview with Shannon Winslow

Hello there, my friends! I hope this finds you well! Today, the lovely Shannon Winslow is visiting with us! I've asked her a couple of questions about her new book, Murder at Northanger Abbey. I hope you enjoy this interview! 

1. What inspired you to write a sequel to Northanger Abbey?

Almost from the beginning, I’ve had a goal of writing at least one novel related to each of Austen’s six, since I love them all. I have four Pride and Prejudice novels so far, a Persuasion novel (The Persuasion of Miss Jane Austen), and I consider Leap of Hope my Mansfield Park book. I’m not sure yet what I’m going to do for Emma or Sense and Sensibility, but it seemed like a slightly spooky murder mystery would be the perfect sequel for Northanger Abbey.

Personally, I adore Northanger Abbey. It reminds me of some of Austen’s hilarious juvenile works, which makes perfect sense when you remember that she wrote it mostly in her early 20s, before any of her other novels. It’s playful, fun, and packed with early examples of Austen’s patented ironic wit. I laugh out loud every time I read it! Plus, I’m a Henry Tilney fan. What woman doesn’t like a sexy man who can also make you laugh? And so I was eager to carry on Catherine and Henry’s story with something in the same tongue-in-cheek style.

2. Is this your first mystery, and how did you enjoy writing it?

Yes, my first, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience! It seems like I seek out a new challenge with each book, but I really had no idea in the beginning if I was capable of writing a mystery. Halfway through, when, believe it or not, I hadn’t yet decided ‘who done it,’ I still wasn’t sure I could! (You see, in some respects, Murder at Northanger Abbey is like Gosford Park: lots of people in the house and everybody has a motive.) Then, after a few more twists and turns, the pieces fell into place, and I knew what must have happened. Well… sort of. Just for fun, I did write an alternative ending, which is included in the book. Readers can take their pick!

Oh, fun!

3. Who was your favorite character to write in this story?

Oh, I can’t pick just one person, unless a married couple counts as one. Despite the fact that this is a mystery, MNA is first and foremost a story about Henry and Catherine – their romance carried into married life (in PG fashion). Catherine is Catherine still. Although she likes to believe she has outgrown some of the girlish fancies that got her into so much trouble, she’s still very young, naïve, and impulsive, yet pure at heart. Henry is honorable, always teasing and joking, and surprisingly passionate. I enjoyed the challenge of remaining true to the essence of their established characters while envisioning how they and their relationship would grow and evolve under the stresses and strains of unusual circumstances.

In the runner-up position, again it’s a tie. The baddies are always fun to write, and here I had both father and son – General and Captain Tilney – who continue to say shocking things and behave badly!

4. Tell me about a new secondary character you added to the story that you just adore.

I would have to go with Mr. Thomas Cogsgrove. He’s the barrister brought in to defend the family member wrongfully accused of the murder. Writing the courtroom scene – something else I’d never done before – I really admire the way Cogsgrove walks the difficult line between contradictory imperatives (to abide by his client’s wishes and yet bring out the necessary truth), and the way he skillfully outmaneuvered the prosecutor and his witnesses. If I ever found myself accused of a crime, I would hope to find a lawyer as smart as Mr. Cogsgrove!

5. Are you working on anything new at the moment or have an idea for a new story?

One reviewer liked MNA so well that she urged me to write more mysteries! So now I have that to consider, possibly for my Emma or my S&S book? But first I’m headed back to the world of Pride and Prejudice. I have just a start (a couple of chapters) of something from Darcy’s point of view this time. All my P&P novels agree with canon and with each other, so it won’t be a “variation” so much as an augmentation, expanding on the existing story. It’s starting out in the period before Darcy meets Elizabeth and will carry into the P&P timeline at least a ways. How far, I’m not sure at this point. It may even end up growing into a new series! In any case, I always have more ideas than I have time to write!

Awesome! I'm looking forward to more! 

Murder at Northanger Abbey

by Shannon Winslow

Sequel to Jane Austen’s Spoof on the Gothic Novel 

Newly married to her beloved Henry, Catherine’s eyes are now open to the grownup pleasures of wedded life. Yet she still hasn’t quite given up her girlhood fascination with all things Gothic. When she first visited Northanger Abbey, she only imagined dreadful events had occurred there. This time the horror is all too real. There’s been a murder, and Henry has fallen under suspicion. Catherine is determined to clear her husband’s name, but at the same time, she’s afraid for her own safety, since there’s a very good chance the real murderer is still in the house. 

This delightful sequel reprises the mischievous spirit of Austen’s original spoof on the Gothic novel, while giving Catherine a genuine murder mystery to unravel.

 

Buy: Amazon US • Amazon UK • Barnes and Noble

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FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon US. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!

Connect with Shannon Winslow

Twitter • Facebook • Website 

Thank you so much, Shannon, for visiting here today and answering my questions! Congratulations on the release of Murder at Northanger Abbey!

So, friends, what do you think? Please leave Shannon any questions or comments below! We would love to hear from you! 

What Are You Reading? ~ Oct. 30th, 2019

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What are you Reading?  Let me know what your current read is, what you recently finished reading, and what you plan on reading next! 

Current Read

I'm currently reading Looking for Alaska* by John Green. I'm not very far into this, but I'm enjoying it. It's an easy read. I'm trying to read this before watching the series on Hulu! :)

I'm also listening to The Girl With No Name* by Diney Costeloe, a WWII story. It's so good! I'm about a third of the way through. 








Recently Finished

I finished reading Pride and Prometheus* by John Kessel. This was really good. Kessel kept true to the original Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (which I have read) while adding the Bennet's to the story. Mary and Kitty Bennet are the main characters pulled from Pride and Prejudice, although you will see appearances from most of them. I do have one quibble with the story, but mentioning it would be a spoiler. Otherwise, it was a great read! ~ 4 stars

I also finished Rules of Conflict (Survival Rules #2)* by Jack Hunt. I had put this one down for a while but picked it back up. It was okay. ~ 3 stars








What's next? 

I think I'm going to read One Second After* by William R. Forstchen, which is a post-apocalyptic/ EMP story.








*Disclaimer: Links are to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks! 


Have a great week, friends! Be sure to share what you've been reading! 

What Are You Reading? ~ Oct. 31, 2018

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What are you Reading?  Let me know what your current read is, what you recently finish reading, and what you plan on reading next! 

Happy Halloween, my friends! I have a few ghoulish books listed below if you are in need for a Halloween read!! :) 

Here's my list:

I'm currently reading Only the Dead Don't Die by A.D. Popovich. A Post-apocalyptic plus zombies story adds up to a great read for Halloween! Needless to say, I'm enjoying it! 

I'm also reading Twisted Up by Erin Nicholas. I started reading this for a lighter read while my company was here. Plus, I have this on Audible so I can listen to it while I walk the dog and fold the clothes. I'm enjoying this one too!

I recently finished Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. I was surprised by how much I liked this story! It was nothing like what I thought it was going to be. I had all the movie versions in my head, but the creature is very intelligent! ~ 4 stars

What's next? I think I might read Pride and Prometheus by John Kessel, a Pride & Prejudice/Frankenstein mash-up! Or I may save it for next year! 








FTC Disclaimer: Links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!

I'm linking up with This Week In Books hosted by Lipsyy Lost & Found.

And with Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. 

So, tell me, what are you reading? 

What Are You Reading? ~ Oct. 17, 2018

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What are you Reading?  Let me know what your current read is, what you recently finish reading, and what you plan on reading next! 

Well, I've not been reading very much lately, and that is why I've only been posting this post every other week. There is a good reason for this though, I have been spending more time with my teenage kids! We've gotten into the habit of watching shows together every night before we go to bed (my usual reading time), but I'm not going to complain! I value this time. :) 

Here's my list:

I'm currently reading Summer of Scandal by Syrie James. I am loving it! I'm enjoying the characters! Madelina and Charles definitely belong together!

I recently finished Dark Desires by Eve Silver. This gothic tale was a perfect read for October! A romantic Victorian mystery! 

What's next? I've always wanted to read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, and what a better time that it's 200 year birthday!  I've linked to the Uncensored 1818 Edition. 







FTC Disclaimer: Links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!

I'm linking up with This Week In Books hosted by Lipsyy Lost & Found.

And with Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. 

So, tell me, what are you reading? 

What Are You Reading? ~ Oct. 3, 2018

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What are you Reading?  Let me know what your current read is, what you recently finish reading, and what you plan on reading next! 

Hey there! It's late, but it's still Wednesday! Lol! I just got back from the JASNA AGM and haven't had time to put together my Wednesday post, but it's not too late, right?! ;)

Here's my list: 

I'm currently reading Dark Desires by Eve Silver. I started listening to it while on the train so I could stare out the window and watch the beautiful scenery go by. I realized this book is a perfect October read! It's a dark and creepy Gothic romance! So far I'm enjoying it, I'm only about 30% into it. 

I recently finished Persuasion by Jane Austen. The theme of the AGM was on Persuasion. I am so glad I took the time to re-read it! Everything was fresh in my mind for all the lectures. The AGM was amazing, and I had a blast!

What's next? I'm looking forward to reading Summer of Scandal by Syrie James. 









Disclaimer: Links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks! 

I'm linking up with This Week In Books hosted by Lipsyy Lost & Found.

And with Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. 

So, tell me, what are you reading? 

A Man of Genius by Janet Todd ~ My Review

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A Man of Genius by Janet Todd 

Expected Publication Date: April 12th, 2016 
Publisher: Bitter Lemon Press 
Pages: 352 
Received: I received an ARC from the publisher. 
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars 

Book Blurb: 

A Man of Genius portrays a psychological journey from safety into obsession and secrecy. It mirrors a physical passage from flamboyant Regency England through a Europe conquered by Napoleon. 

Ann, a successful writer of cheap Gothic novels, becomes obsessed with Robert James, regarded by many, including himself, as a genius, with his ideas, his talk, and his band of male followers. However, their relationship becomes tortuous, as Robert descends into violence and madness. 

The pair leaves London for occupied Venice, where Ann tries to cope with the monstrous ego of her lover. Forced to flee with a stranger, she delves into her past, to be jolted by a series of revelations--about her lover, her parentage, the stranger, and herself. (blurb from Goodreads)

My Review:

A Man of Genius is a dark and mysterious work of literary fiction. Set in the early 1800s London and Venice, the story has the tone of a book written in the same period, with a feel of a classic.

Ann St. Clair, a writer of Gothic novels, lives alone in London. She has no family except for a cousin she has recently become acquainted with and an estranged mother. Her childhood was not a happy one. Her mother did not approve of her and often called her stupid. She never knew her father except through bits and pieces her mother told her. After leaving her mother’s house,  Ann supported herself well enough writing her novels. 

When Ann meets Robert James, she becomes infatuated with him. Robert James is a great thinker, a philosopher, a genius. Soon they become lovers. As their relationship goes on, Robert becomes moodier and physically abusive. Ann knows this is wrong but won’t leave him. The thought of losing him is unbearable. They travel together to Venice where things only become worse. 

There are a few mysteries to be solved here. Who is Ann’s father? What happened to Robert James before she met him? Then there is the stranger who helps Ann in a most desperate moment. Who is he? And why did he help Ann? Was he somehow connected to Robert James or herself? Throughout the story, Ann wrestles with these questions. 

I was fascinated by the fact that a woman could support and live by herself at that time in history. I always thought a woman had to be under the control of a man whether it be father, husband, relative or employer.  Also, the mention of passports and the documentation needed to travel during the early 1800s was very interesting to me - I didn't realize such things were necessary at that time.  Of course, they could not go together unmarried, so they needed false documents.  

I did have a hard time at the beginning of the story, with Robert James. His views on politics and religion were a bit above me or just plain nonsense. Ann often described his ramblings as “rich nonsense” or “marble words” as they would just roll around not making sense. 

A Man of Genius is a story of madness, obsession, and abuse, but also of reflection and personal growth.  If you like dark historical fiction, I think you will enjoy this one! 

FTC Disclaimer: I received an ARC of the story from the publisher for my honest review.

Buy: Amazon
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FTC Disclaimer: Links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!

About the Author

Janet Margaret Todd is a Welsh-born academic and a well-respected author of many books on women in literature. Todd was educated at Cambridge University and the University of Florida, where she undertook a doctorate on the poet John Clare.

She is currently the Herbert JC Grierson Professor of English Literature at the University of Aberdeen. On 1 September 2008, Professor Todd took up the post of President of Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge. She is the seventh President of the college.

Janet Todd's research concerns literature and culture of the Restoration and eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Over a long career, primarily in the US and the UK at Cambridge University, University of East Anglia, Glasgow University and University of Aberdeen, she has published and contributed to more than 38 books, mainly on women's writing, cultural history and the development of fiction. She also edited full scale editions of Mary Wollstonecraft (with Marilyn Butler) and Aphra Behn, as well as individual works of women such as Helen Maria Williams, Mary Shelley, Mary Carleton and Eliza Fenwick.

She is the General Editor of the nine-volume The Cambridge Edition of the Works of Jane Austen, editing the volume Jane Austen in Context and co-editing Persuasion and Later Manuscripts.

Any thoughts?  I'd love to hear from you! 

What are you Reading? ~ March 2, 2016

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What are you Reading?  Let me know what your current read is, what you recently finish reading, and what you plan on reading next! 

Here's my list: 


I'm currently reading Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix by J.K. Rowling. Yes! I'm happy to be back in Potter World! :) 






I finished reading Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. I enjoyed reading this! It took me about two-thirds of the book to connect with Tally, which seems like a long time, but I'm hooked now! I've got to read Pretties, to find out what happens next!

I also finished reading Denial of Conscience: A Modern Darcy and Elizabeth Adventure by Cat Gardiner. I LOVED it!! It was definitely an adventure! It's been a while since I've been into a book so much that I couldn't put it down. 



What's next? I'm not sure. I was sent an ARC of A Man of Genius by Janet Todd that looks really good! A gothic novel set in Venice during the nineteenth century. So, I may read that! 






FTC Disclaimer: Links to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!

For an update on my running: I ran a total of 42 miles in February! :) 

So tell me, what are you reading?