Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT topic is a Halloween Freebie. Last week bloggers posted about cozy/atmospheric novels. I chose cozy with a follow-up of atmospheric books today. To fit with the Halloween theme I am defining atmospheric as a book setting that conjures up a feeling of mystery and intrigue, with a little bit (or a lot) of spooky thrown in. It’s always good to have at least one spooky read during October. 😉 I hope you find one that intrigues you.
Happy Tuesday! It’a finally fall, y’all! Although the temps in my part of the world would not be considered sweataweatha, there is hope in sight! To commemorate the change of seasons, this week’s TTT topic is book covers that give all the fall vibes — whether they feature autumn sights or have the rich colors of the season. I have a mix of genres, as well as new releases and older books. What do you think?
Happy Romance Month! For my last post we will travel back in time when romance was just a bit different than it is today. Historical settings are great to set the stage for romance tropes — marriage of convenience, forbidden love, love triangles, etc. — all those that are little harder to put into contemporary timeframes. My list includes some recent reads that span the ages. I know you’ll love them.
The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz
Virigina plantation life is all she has ever known. But could the life she was meant to live be waiting on a distant shore?
In 1774, Juliet Catesby lives with her father and sister at Royal Vale, the James River plantation founded by her Virginia family over a century before. Indigo cultivation is her foremost concern, though its export tethers her family to the powerful Buchanan clan of Glasgow, Scotland.
When the heir of the Buchanan firm arrives on their shores, Juliet discovers that her father has arranged for one of his daughters to marry the Scot as a means of canceling the family’s crippling debt. Confident it will be her younger, lovelier sister, Juliet is appalled when Leith Buchanan selects her instead.
Despite her initial refusal, Juliet realizes that fleeing Virginia is her only choice after finding herself in the midst of a scandal. The ship just leaving the harbor for Glasgow is her only hope. But she will soon realize that being part of the complex and calculating Buchanan clan is not the sanctuary she imagined–and the man who saved her from ruin is the very one she must now save in return.
Midnight on The Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin
In a time of war, danger lurks beneath the water–and in the depths of the human heart
As the German war machine devours the Netherlands, the only way Cilla van der Zee can survive the occupation is to do the unthinkable–train to become a spy for the Nazis. Once dispatched to Britain, she plans to abandon her mission and instead aid the Allies. But her scheme is thwarted when naval officer Lt. Lachlan Mackenzie finds her along the Scottish shore and turns her in to be executed.
Yet perhaps she is more useful alive than dead. British intelligence employs her to radio misleading messages to Germany from the lighthouse at Dunnet Head in Scotland–messages filled with naval intelligence Lachlan must provide. If the war is to be won, Lachlan and Cilla must work together. But how can he trust a woman who arrived on his shores as a tool of the enemy–a woman certain to betray both him and the Allied cause?
Of Gold And Shadows by Michelle Griep
The shadows hold secrets darker than they ever imagined. . . .
In 1888 Victorian England, Ami Dalton navigates a clandestine dual life. By day, she strives to establish herself as a respected Egyptologist, overcoming the gender biases that permeate academia. But with a heart for saving black-market artifacts from falling into the wrong hands, she is most often disguised as her alter ego, the Shadow Broker.
After eight years in India, Oxford’s most eligible bachelor, Edmund Price, has come out of the shadows to run for Parliament and is in search of an Egyptologist to value a newly acquired collection. Expecting a renowned Oxford professor, Edmund instead finds himself entangled with Ami, the professor’s determined daughter. As they delve into the treasures, their connection deepens, but trouble emerges when a golden griffin–rumored to bear the curse of Amentuk–surfaces, and they’re left to wonder if the curse really is at play, or if something more nefarious is hiding among the shadows . . . .
Of Love And Treason by Jamie Ogle
Valentine defies the emperor and becomes a hero . . . and the most wanted man in the empire. Compelled by his faith, he has nothing to lose, until a chance encounter with the daughter of a Roman jailor changes everything.
Rome, AD 270. In the wake of the emperor’s marriage ban, rumors swirl that there is one man brave enough to perform wedding ceremonies in secret. A public notarius and leader of an underground church, Valentine believes the emperor’s edict unjust and risks his own life for the sake of his convictions. But as his fame grows, so do fears for his safety.
Iris, the daughter of a Roman jailor, believes regaining her sight will ease the mounting troubles at home. Her last hope rests in searching out Valentine and his church, but the danger of associating with people labeled a threat to the empire is great. Still, as Iris’s new friends lead her to faith in God, Iris is drawn to Valentine and they both begin to hope for a future together beyond the treacherous empire.
But when a past debt and a staggering betrayal collide, Valentine, Iris, and everyone they love must fight for their lives . . . and wrestle with trusting a God who can restore sight yet does not always keep His followers from peril.
Something Borrowed by Susie Finkbeiner, Allison Pittman, and Rachel Scott McDaniel
In this brand-new novella collection, three renowned Christian historical fiction authors trace generations of wartime romances through a special wedding dress with love sewn into its seams.
A Heart in Disguise by Rachel Scott McDaniel
Clara Westlake loves her job as a seamstress in the US “Camouflage Corps,” sewing suits for snipers and contributing to the war effort. But when she overhears a threat against her beloved New York City, the Great War comes too close to home–except no one believes her forewarning. She must recruit Marcus Reeves, a childhood friend searching for his purpose after suffering a devastating war injury. As they search for answers together, they may also uncover a love that lasts.
Kate Becker and Ike Finch have worked together at his family’s bookstore since Kate’s husband died in the early days of the Vietnam War. She has her daughter, Eloise, to take care of and bills to pay, and this job was a godsend. A second love is not in the cards, especially not with the world still teetering on the edge of insanity. But when Ike brings little Eloise special flowers one spring day, Kate begins to look at him as more than an employer. Is falling in love again worth the risk?
Happy Romance Month! It is no secret that I love romantic suspense. It is one of my go-to genres to read. If attraction and adrenaline are two must-haves in your reading choices, then check out these books!
5 Romantic Suspense Novels for The End of Summer
Body of Evidence by Irene Hannon
The final book in Hannon’s Triple Threat series was my favorite. But all are good — so read them all!
Cold Pursuit by Nancy Mehl
This is the first book in Mehl’s Ryland and St. Clair 3-book series. There is lots of pulse-pounding action and a slow burn romance. I liked that the relationship between the two main characters developed slowly. It felt very natural.
The Hunted Heir by Jayna Breigh
This book is billed as a romantic legal drama and is chock full of mysterious goings on. And the two main characters are delightful. They definitely have the frenemy vibe down.
Man of Shadow And Mist by Michelle Griep
If you like history along with your mystery, then check out this book. “Vampires” in Victorian England. Yes, please!
One Wrong Move by Dani Pettrey.
The southwest setting is spectacular. You will also love the teamwork of the two main characters in the first book of the Jeopardy Falls series.
While mystery/suspense is my go-to genre when I want an escape, I am drawn to historical fiction for a rich reading experience in another time and place. I want historically accurate details and the characters to have the same values/characteristics that you would have found had you been able to time travel in real life. My TTT list today consists of the last 10 novels I have read that fit those standards. I hope you find a time and place you want to go too.
Michelle Griep is fabulous at melding mystery and history together. Her novel Man of Shadow And Mist was a wonderful gothic-delight! Inspired by the Dracula legend, this historical mystery set in Victorian-era England was an intriguing and well-researched exploration of finding one’s place in the world, in spite of prejudice. Main character Rosa Edwards works for her father in his subscription library (an interesting bit of history) but dreams of more than the place she seems destined for — a married woman with children. When the mysterious Sir James Morgan returns to his home, rumors of vampires swirl around him. Mystery, intrigue, and double-dealing abound in the small town. Gossip and innuendo, rumors and violence are whipped up by misinformation, ignorance, prejudice, and good-old fashioned evil intentions. Rosa and James join forces to counteract the misplaced fears that threaten their relationship and James’s life. I really, really loved this book. I fell in love with Rosa and James and rooted on their growing romance. I found the medical information behind vampirism to be intriguing and eye-opening. The addition of Bram Stoker to the cast of characters added a unique historical detail to the story. And the journeys of the two main characters to find their place in the world and in God’s kingdom was inspiring.
If you love history, mystery, and intrigue I highly recommend reading Man of Shadow And Mist.
Highly Recommended.
Audience: Adults.
(I purchased the ebook from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
England, 1890
Vampires are alive and well in North Yorkshire, leastwise in the minds of the uneducated. Librarian Rosa Edwards intends to drive a stake through the heart of such superstitions. But gossip flies when the mysterious Sir James Morgan returns to his shadowy manor. The townsfolk say he is cursed.
James hates everything about England. The weather. The rumours. The scorn. Yet he must stay. His mother is dying of a disease for which he’s desperately trying to find a cure—an illness that will eventually take his own life.
When Rosa sets out to prove the dark gossip about James is wrong, she discovers more questions than answers. How can she accept what she can’t explain—especially the strong allure of the enigmatic man? James must battle a town steeped in fear as well as the unsettling attraction he feels for the no-nonsense librarian.
Can love prevail in a town filled with fear and doubt?
Michelle Griep does it again! Her newest novel, Of Gold And Shadows, is the perfect choice for fans of historical romance with a good dose of the mysterious. I loved the Victorian-era setting with a nod towards Charles Dickens. Find out more below.
The shadows hold secrets darker than they ever imagined. . . .
In 1888 Victorian England, Ami Dalton navigates a clandestine dual life. By day, she strives to establish herself as a respected Egyptologist, overcoming the gender biases that permeate academia. But with a heart for saving black-market artifacts from falling into the wrong hands, she is most often disguised as her alter ego, the Shadow Broker.
After eight years in India, Oxford’s most eligible bachelor, Edmund Price, has come out of the shadows to run for Parliament and is in search of an Egyptologist to value a newly acquired collection. Expecting a renowned Oxford professor, Edmund instead finds himself entangled with Ami, the professor’s determined daughter. As they delve into the treasures, their connection deepens, but trouble emerges when a golden griffin–rumored to bear the curse of Amentuk–surfaces, and they’re left to wonder if the curse really is at play, or if something more nefarious is hiding among the shadows . . . .
Michelle Griep has been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She seeks to glorify God in all that she writes–except for that graffiti phase she went through as a teenager. She resides in the frozen tundra of Minnesota, where she teaches history and writing classes for a local high school co-op. An Anglophile at heart, she runs away to England every chance she gets, under the guise of research. Really, though, she’s eating excessive amounts of scones while rambling around a castle. Michelle is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and MCWG (Minnesota Christian Writers Guild).
My Impressions:
Of Gold And Shadows was the perfect choice for the longer nights of Autumn. Atmospheric in its setting, this novel’s nod to Victorian England includes the fascination with all things Egyptian and Charles Dickens. Ami Dalton is an aspiring Egyptologist set on proving that women can have expertise in the area of archeology. She teams up with the much sought after Edmund Price as she values his large haul of antiquities. Ancient curses, political machinations, scheming partners, and a thoroughly despicable villain combine to make this an intriguing and fun read. But it is Ami and Edmund’s immediate chemistry that made me love this book. The opposites attract trope was skillfully handled with these two quirky and lovable characters. The book has a twistingly good mystery as well — I thought I knew what was going on, but boy was I surprised. I liked that a lot!
So if you love a historical novel that immerses you in a long gone time and place, gives you a fun reading romp, and satisfies your desire for an HEA, then Of Gold And Shadows is for you. An added bonus is this is just the first installment in Griep’s Time’s Lost Treasure series. More great reading to come!
Highly Recommended.
Audience: Adults.
(Thanks to Bethany House for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Happy Tuesday! I have to admit I was a bit daunted by the TTT prompt — Cover Freebie. I just couldn’t decide which direction to go — Christmas-y Covers, Autumn Vibes, Illustrated Covers — there are just so many choices. So I decided to really reach and go with fashion through the years. I chose these covers because so many different styles of clothing and hairstyles are represented. I think the cover designers did a great job of representing the era in which the books are set. What do you think?
Happy Friday! If you like historical fiction with elements of romance and suspense, then you are going to love Michelle Griep‘s latest novel, Of Gold And Shadows. The first line really dropped me into the story! Find out more below.
Cemeteries always smelled of earthworms and damp dog fur, especially after a rain, and Brudge rather liked it that way.
The shadows hold secrets darker than they ever imagined. . . .
In 1888 Victorian England, Ami Dalton navigates a clandestine dual life. By day, she strives to establish herself as a respected Egyptologist, overcoming the gender biases that permeate academia. But with a heart for saving black-market artifacts from falling into the wrong hands, she is most often disguised as her alter ego, the Shadow Broker.
After eight years in India, Oxford’s most eligible bachelor, Edmund Price, has come out of the shadows to run for Parliament and is in search of an Egyptologist to value a newly acquired collection. Expecting a renowned Oxford professor, Edmund instead finds himself entangled with Ami, the professor’s determined daughter. As they delve into the treasures, their connection deepens, but trouble emerges when a golden griffin–rumored to bear the curse of Amentuk–surfaces, and they’re left to wonder if the curse really is at play, or if something more nefarious is hiding among the shadows. . . .
Michelle Griep in her won words: I hear voices. Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I’ve been writing since I discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. I seek to glorify God in all that I write–except for that graffiti phase I went through as teenager.
Is it really Fall already? Unfortunately, it is still hot, hot, hot where I live. I hear cooler temperatures are coming, along with a developing hurricane! That I can do without. We will hope for a needed rain event and the ushering in of Fall weather. As to my Fall TBR List, well, as always, it is excessive. It includes books I had high hopes of reading in the summer, review books, and book club books. I need to knuckle down and get some reading done! Let me know what you think of my list.
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