Book Blast - Hilary Rhodes' The Lion and the Rose & The Outlander King

The Lion and the Rose (Book One: William Rising)

Publication Date: June 18, 2014
eBook; 338 Pages | ASIN: B00L4K5GKE
 Genre: Historical Fiction

   

The Lion and the Rose, Part One: William Rising is the first book in an epic historical saga from debut author Hilary Rhodes. Extensively researched and compellingly told, it introduces us to the passionate drama and violent upheaval of eleventh-century Europe. The world as we know it, and the English language, would have been vastly different were it not for the driving ambition of one man: William the Conqueror. But conquerors are made, not born, and William was made in fire and blood. How does a boy become a man, surviving a tumultuous and terrifying childhood? And how does that man become a legend? William Rising plunges us into this world of danger and betrayal, of choosing sides and dying for absolutes. It follows the creation of a conqueror, as he grows up abandoned, learns to fight at an early age for anything he hopes to keep, and is sculpted into a remorseless, far-sighted, ruthlessly efficient soldier and statesman. From his origins as an orphaned, penniless bastard boy, to his personal and political trials by fire, to the climactic battle with his rebellious barons where he finally comes of age, the young duke increasingly establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with. But as the shadowy intrigues of English politics, and the all-consuming question of an heir for a childless king, begin to draw him into their web, it may just be that William of Normandy has a destiny far greater than even he has ever dreamed.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | ITUNES | KOBO

The Lion and the Rose (Book Two: The Gathering Storm)

Publication Date: September 29, 2014
eBook; 294 Pages | ASIN: B00O2E30GG
Genre: Historical Fiction

   

The Lion and the Rose: William Rising introduced us to the young William, Duke of Normandy, and his treacherous and terrible childhood, beset by battles, betrayals, and heartbreak, as he fought his own barons to survive and claim his birthright. The Gathering Storm plunges us even deeper into the violent upheaval and passionate drama of his unfolding story. Now twenty-two, William has won his most pivotal battle and taken control of his inheritance, but impossible struggles loom as he fights to put Normandy back together -- and very few of his enemies are actually defeated. Furthermore, across the Channel, the question of an heir for a childless king begins to loom large, and the ruthless and scheming Godwin, Earl of Wessex, will stop at nothing to claim it for his family. Written with the same meticulous historical research and flair by debut author Hilary Rhodes, The Gathering Storm raises the stakes to the utmost level, and a crown and a kingdom hang in the balance. In these pages, lords rise and fall, England and Normandy are drawn into a perilous collision course, bishops, barons, dukes, queens, and earls play a dangerous game of power and glory, and those who are not strong enough are trampled underfoot. The crows circle and the banners are raised, and the last Saxon king and the greatest Norman duke are destined to face each other in a battle that will change the course of history.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | ITUNES | KOBO

The Outlander King (The Aetheling's Bride, Book One)

Publication Date: June 1, 2015
eBook; 476 Pages | ASIN: B00XM9QJ1K
 Genre: Historical Fiction

   

The story of The Lion and the Rose and the Norman Conquest continues in this spellbinding new historical fiction series from author Hilary Rhodes, pulling back the curtain on the lives of two remarkable women connected across centuries: Aislinn, a seventeen-year-old English girl caught up in the advancing army of the “outlander king,” the man who will become known to history as William the Conqueror. Thrust into the center of the new Norman court and a dizzying web of political intrigue and plotting princes, she must choose her alliances carefully in a game of thrones where the stakes are unimaginably high. Embroiled in rebellions and betrayals, Aislinn learns the price of loyalty, struggles to find her home, and save those she loves – and, perhaps, her own soul as well. Almost nine hundred years later in 1987, Selma Murray, an American graduate student at Oxford University, is researching the mysterious “Aethelinga” manuscript, as Aislinn’s chronicle has come to be known. Trying to work out the riddles of someone else’s past is a way for Selma to dodge her own troubling ghosts – yet the two are becoming inextricably intertwined. She must face her own demons, answer Aislinn’s questions, and find forgiveness – for herself and others – in this epically scaled but intimately examined, extensively researched look at the creation of history, the universality of humanity, and the many faces it has worn no matter the century: loss, grief, guilt, redemption, and love.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | ITUNES | KOBO

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hilary Rhodes is a scholar, author, blogger, and all-around geek who fell in love with medieval England while spending a year abroad at Oxford University. She holds a B.A. and M.A. in history, and is currently preparing for doctoral studies at the University of Leeds, fulfilling a years-long dream to return to the UK. In what little spare time she has, she enjoys reading, blogging about her favorite TV shows, movies, and books, music, and traveling. For more information please visit Hilary Rhodes' blog.

BOOK BLAST SCHEDULE

Monday, July 27
Kinx's Book Nook
Tuesday, July 28
Book Nerd
What Is That Book About
Wednesday, July 29
The Never-Ending Book
To Read, Or Not to Read
Thursday, July 30
Books and Benches
Historical Fiction Connection
Friday, July 31
The Lit Bitch
Queen of All She Reads
Sunday, August 2
Genre Queen
Monday, August 3
The Maiden's Court
Tuesday, August 4
Room With Books
Passages to the Past
Wednesday, August 5
100 Pages a Day
The True Book Addict
Thursday, August 6
A Book Geek
Boom Baby Reviews
Friday, August 7
CelticLady's Reviews
Let Them Read Books

Sara Turnquist's The Lady Bornekova - Guest Post and {Giveaway}

THE LADY BORNEKOVA: The truth behind the fiction

My debut novel “The Lady Bornekova” is set right on the cusp on the Czech lands' religious civil war, the Hussite Wars. This was a war that many of us here in the United States have never even heard of. I hadn't. Until I visited the Czech Republic. It's hard to visit Prague and get away without at least hearing the name “Jan Hus”. There's a statue of him in a prominent part of the city! And the Czech people consider him to be an important figure in their history.

Jan Hus...the way I like to describe him for people is to say that he was like Martin Luther before Martin Luther. He had some...we'll say “issues” with the Catholic Church as it was in that day (early 15th Century). One of the major differences between Martin Luther and Jan Hus, however, was that Jan Hus was eventually martyred for his oppositions to the Church. His death (he was burned at the stake) is what precipitated the beginning of the War between his followers (the “Hussites”) and those who supported the Church.

And so, Jan Hus is mentioned in my novel, but I don't actually “bring him to life” in the sense that he is not in any scenes, with any dialogue, or anything of that nature. I was just unsure about bringing such a great man into my story and doing him justice. I can't be the only Historical Fiction writer that has had this struggle. So I took a different tact. The novel's strong characters are contemporaries of Hus's and know him and are in touch with what's happening to him. This breathes life into his plight.

The story truly centers on Karin, a young woman who is coming to her own. Where does she stand in the midst of this conflict in her homeland? In this great divide between her people? What about her family? In the midst of her struggle to find herself, she finds love. But can that young love survive the trials she must face - including a mysterious individual with murderous intentions?

So, while the story is driven by a romance, it is really about Karin and her struggle. It is, however, a clean romance in the sense that I will not blush when I give a copy to my mother-in-law. This is one the things I strive for in my novels: Historical Fiction with meaningful romances that are not your run-of-the-mill, expected, tawdry stories. My main goal is to do justice to this piece of history through the lens of my characters as they interact and progress through the events of the story. So, I hope you find it every bit as intriguing to read as I did to write! Happy reading!!

About the book
Publication Date: July 14, 2015 (tentative)
Publisher: Clean Reads (formerly Astraea Press)
Format: eBook
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

The red-headed Karin is strong-willed and determined, something she inherited from her father. She tries to keep her true nature a secret to avoid being deemed a traitor by those loyal to the king. Karin and her father butt heads over her duty to her family and the Czech Crown. She is then sequestered to the Royal Viscount’s hunting lodge.

Not aware of everything that is happening, she becomes the target of an individual with murderous intent. Her heart soon becomes entangled though her father intends to wed her to another. The turmoil inside Karin deepens and reflects the turmoil of her homeland, on the brink of the Hussite Wars.

The Lady Bornekova Available at

Amazon

About the Author
Sara resides with her family in Middle TN. Though she has enjoyed her career as a Zoo Educator, Sara's great love of the written word has always drawn her to write. An avid reader, she has been, for many years, what she terms a “closet writer”. Her travels and love of history have served to inspire her to write Historical Fiction. Sara has made several trips overseas to the Czech Republic for short stints in the summer over several years. Her time among the Czech people and the landscapes of the country inspired her and greatly influenced her work on her debut novel, The Lady Bornekova, set in the Czech town of Hradec Kralove.

For more information please visit Sara Turnquist’s website. You can also follow her on Facebook,Twitter, and Pinterest.

Visit other blogs on the tour via the Tour Schedule

Hashtags: #TheLadyBornekovaBlogTour #Historical #Romance

Twitter Tags: @hfvbt @sarat1701

Giveaway

To enter to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card, please enter via the GLEAM form below.
Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on July 31st. You must be 18 or older to enter.
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– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

The Lady Bornekova

Release Day! Kari Edgren's Immortal Descent

Publication Date: July 6, 2015
Publisher: Carina Press
eBook; ASIN: B00XCYM8XS
Series: Goddess Born, Book Three
Genre: Historical/Fantasy/Romance

   

 As a goddess-born healer, Selah Kilbrid wants nothing to do with the goddess of death and disease, nor any of her human progeny. But when the two people she loves most disappear—her dearest friend Nora Goodwin and her betrothed Lord Henry Fitzalan—Selah has no choice but to leave London in pursuit of Death’s most powerful daughter. Accompanied by a ragtag group of travelers, Selah follows a treacherous path across the Irish Sea to the long-forgotten prison of a witch who once nearly destroyed Ireland. Selah would face any danger to protect those she loves, but what if it means unleashing a greater evil on the human world? Could she risk the lives of many to save a few, or are some sacrifices too great?

An Immortal Descent Available at

Amazon 
Barnes & Noble 
iTunes

About the Author

Kari Edgren is the author of the Goddess Born series. In 2010 and 2011 she was a semifinalist for the Amazon Break Through Novel Award. In 2013, she was a RWA Golden Heart finalist. Ms. Edgren enjoys writing both historical and contemporary fiction, so long as there’s a paranormal twist. She resides on a mountain top in the Pacific Northwest where she spends a great deal of time dreaming about the sun and torturing her husband and children with strange food and random historical facts. For more information please visit Kari Edgren’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. Sign up for Kari Edgren’s Newsletter.