A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii by Various Historical Fiction Authors Review Plus Giveaway!

Please join historical novelists Vicky Alvear Shecter, Sophie Perinot, Ben Kane, Kate Quinn, E. Knight, and Stephanie Dray as they tour the blogosphere for A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii, from October 27-December 5 with HF Virtual Book Tours!

 In honor of the Blog Tour the authors have included a very special giveaway of a beautiful one-of-a-kind Roman style Necklace (18") and Earring set inspired by jewelry from the ancient world. Handcrafted of real carnelian, the most popular semi-precious gemstone of the ancient world, it was designed to commemorate the release of “A Day of Fire.” Wear it yourself and imagine you are in Pompeii (not on the day of disaster of course), or, with the holidays approaching, it would make a great gift for a fan of ancient roman historical fiction.

Publication Date: November 4, 2014
Knight Media, LLC
eBook; 315p
ASIN: B00NI5CBXI

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pompeii was a lively resort flourishing in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius at the height of the Roman Empire. When Vesuvius erupted in an explosion of flame and ash, the entire town would be destroyed. Some of its citizens died in the chaos, some escaped the mountain's wrath . . . and these are their stories:

A boy loses his innocence in Pompeii's flourishing streets.
An heiress dreads her wedding day, not knowing it will be swallowed by fire.
An ex-legionary stakes his entire future on a gladiator bout destined never to be finished.
A crippled senator welcomes death, until a tomboy on horseback comes to his rescue.
A young mother faces an impossible choice for her unborn child as the ash falls.
A priestess and a whore seek resurrection and redemption as the town is buried.

Six authors bring to life overlapping stories of patricians and slaves, warriors and politicians, villains and heroes who cross each others' path during Pompeii's fiery end. But who will escape, and who will be buried for eternity?

Pre-order/Buy the Book

Amazon US
Amazon UK

About the Authors

Stephanie Dray

STEPHANIE DRAY is a multi-published, award-winning author of historical women’s fiction and fantasy set in the ancient world. Her critically acclaimed historical Nile series about Cleopatra’s daughter has been translated into more than six different languages, was nominated for a RITA Award and won the Golden Leaf. Her focus on Ptolemaic Egypt and Augustan Age Rome has given her a unique perspective on the consequences of Egypt's ancient clash with Rome, both in terms of the still-extant tensions between East and West as well as the worldwide decline of female-oriented religion. Before she wrote novels, Stephanie was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Learn more at www.StephanieDray.com

Ben Kane

BEN KANE worked as a veterinarian for sixteen years, but his love of ancient history and historical fiction drew him to write fast-paced novels about Roman soldiers, generals and gladiators. Irish by nationality but UK-based, he is the author of seven books, the last five of which have been Sunday Times top ten bestsellers.Ben’s books have been translated into ten languages. In 2013, Ben walked the length of Hadrian’s Wall with two other authors, for charity; he did so in full Roman military kit, including hobnailed boots. He repeated the madness in 2014, over 130 miles in Italy. Over $50,000 has been raised with these two efforts. Learn more at http://www.benkane.net


Eliza Knight
E. KNIGHT is an award-winning, indie national best-selling author historical fiction. Under the name, Eliza Knight she writes historical romance and time-travel. Her debut historical fiction novel, MY LADY VIPER, has received critical acclaim and was nominated for the Historical Novel Society 2015 Annual Indie Award. She regularly presents on writing panels and was named Romance Writer’s of America’s 2013 PRO Mentor of the Year. Eliza lives in Maryland atop a small mountain with a knight, three princesses and a very naughty puppy. For more information, visit Eliza at www.elizaknight.com.

Sophie Perinot
SOPHIE PERINOT is the author of the acclaimed debut, The Sister Queens, which weaves the story of medieval sisters Marguerite and Eleanor of Provence who became queens of France and England respectively. Perinot has both a BA in History and a law degree. A long-time member of the Historical Novel Society, she has attended all of the group’s North American Conferences, serving as a panelist at the most recent. When she is not visiting corners of the past, Sophie lives in Great Falls, VA. Learn more at www.SophiePerinot.com

Kate Quinn
KATE QUINN is the national bestselling author of the Empress of Rome novels, which have been variously translated into thirteen different languages. She first got hooked on Roman history while watching "I, Claudius" at the age of seven, and wrote her first book during her freshman year in college, retreating from a Boston winter into ancient Rome. She and her husband now live in Maryland with an imperious black dog named Caesar. Learn more at http://www.katequinnauthor.com

Vicky Alvear Shecter
VICKY ALVEAR SHECTER is the award-winning author of the young adult novel, Cleopatra’s Moon (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, 2011), based on the life of Cleopatra's only daughter. She is also the author of two biographies for kids on Alexander the Great and Cleopatra. The LA Times called Cleopatra’s Moon--set in Rome and Egypt--"magical" and "impressive." Publisher’s Weekly said it was "fascinating" and "highly memorable." Her young adult novel of Pompeii, Curses and Smoke (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic), released in June 2014. She has two other upcoming books for younger readers, Anubis Speaks! and Hades Speaks! Vicky is a docent at the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Antiquities at Emory University in Atlanta. Learn more at http://www.vickyalvearshecter.com/main

My Thoughts

A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii is the story of the destruction of Pompeii. We have all learned about Pompeii in the history books but as far as I know, there has not been a lot of historical fiction written about Pompeii. This novel is a collaboration of six fantastic authors who tell a believable tale of the people caught in this devastating eruption of Mt.Vesuvius. Each chapter is written by a different author and each chapter has different characters but all weave the characters together seamlessly.If I didn't know better I would have thought that this book was written by one author. That is how perfect the stories blended. This is not a happily ever after tale either, some people were able to escape the ashes and fire and some didn't. 

I have read most of the authors works and have loved them all. Each author has their own area of expertise when it comes to their style of writing. I have always found Roman history a fun time, when I was in high school I read all the comedies and tragedies that I could get my hands on. This novel did not disappoint me at all, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a well written historical fiction story.

I received a copy for review and was not monetarily compensated for said review.

A Day of Fire Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, October 27
Review at The Maiden's Court

Wednesday, October 29
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Thursday, October 30
Review at leeanna.me

Monday, November 3
Review at Bibliophilia, Please

Wednesday, November 5
Review at Peeking Between the Pages

Monday, November 10
Review at Flashlight Commentary

Wednesday, November 12
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book

Thursday, November 13
Review at Book Lovers Paradise

Tuesday, November 18
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection

Wednesday, November 19
Review at Book Babe

Tuesday, November 25
Review at Reading the Past

Wednesday, November 26
Guest Post at Historical Tapestry

Friday, November 28
Review at The True Book Addict

Monday, December 1
Guest Post at From the TBR Pile

Thursday, December 4
Review at CelticLady's Reviews

Friday, December 5
Review at Let Them Read Books

Giveaway

To enter to win this beautiful one-of-a-kind Roman style Necklace (18") and Earring set, hand-crafted with real carnelion, and inspired by jewelry of the ancient world, please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form below. Giveaway is open internationally.

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on December 5th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on December 6th and notified via email.
Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

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Match Play by D Michael Poppe

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Published by: Wido Publishing
Publication Date: November 11, 2014
Number of Pages: 310
ISBN: 9781937178611
Purchase Links:

Synopsis:

Golf, Madness, and Murder Collide

FBI Agent Lou Schein is assigned to investigate a grisly murder in Los Angeles, one echoing a similar case in Phoenix, Arizona. Agent Schein, a golf enthusiast, notices a strange coincidence: both crimes occur while the LPGA tournament is being held in the respective cities.
After the fourth murder, it’s clear they are after a serial killer obsessed with the golf game of match play. He is scoring the individual murders as one hole of the match on the current tournament course.
The killer leaves a series of taunts and clues which the FBI must decipher to learn where he will strike next. It is a game that becomes an obsession for both the killer and Agent Lou Schein, one determined to win the match and the other to stop him before he strikes again.

Read an excerpt:

He hears the dog barking. She is trying to quiet the dog as she approaches the door. David feels his hand tighten around the grip of the three iron. Her face expresses surprise and dismay when his Fourth Hole opens the door while pushing the little dog back with her right foot.
“Yes?” She says as she opens the door. He assumes the screen door that separates them is locked.
“David?” She gasps. “You’re soaking wet!”
“Hello, Dorothy. I didn’t expect it to be raining like this. I want to return your three iron, had you noticed it was missing? I must have dropped it into my bag by mistake the day we were practicing.” He holds it up so she can see it.
He watches her reach for the latch on the screen door.
“Actually, I haven’t noticed!” she says as she pushes the door open. “I haven’t been back to the course since the day we met.” She is motioning him into the foyer. “Aren’t you freezing? Get back Daisy!” Dorothy again pushes the dog with her foot.
David brushes water from his jacket and steps inside.
“How did you ever find me?” She asks, smiling. “Let me get you a towel. Just a second.” She scurries down the hall with Daisy at her heels.
“That isn’t necessary, Dorothy, I just wanted to return your club.”
Dorothy Duncan, hands him a towel and a moment later, the Fourth Hole is lying on the

Author Bio:

I was born in the Midwest on a dairy farm outside a small town. I had a love of art from a young age; drew and wrote stories about the farm. My upbringing was conservative and religious and it took a long time to overcome it. I served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam war and was honorably discharged in 1971. I then attended the University of Calfornia and received a degree in Studio Art in 1976. I painted for many years and have paintings in many private collections primarily on the West Coast of the US. I retired and finally had some time for writing; Match Play is my first novel and it will be released later this year or in early 2014. I live in the South Western United States with my wife Ann of twelve years.

Catch Up:

Tour Participants:

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Thank you to D Michael Poppe and Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for generously offering this book to me. If you'd like to join in on an upcoming tour just stop by their sites and sign up today!

 

DIY Nut Milks, Nut Butters & More by Melissa King Review!

All the guidance and recipes needed to turn almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios, and walnuts into nut milks, nut butters, and other healthy, whole-food treats.

Nut milk has gone mainstream. It’s lower in calories, higher in nutrients, and naturally tastier than dairy milk and other non-dairy milk alternatives. But many of the options lining supermarket shelves contain unnecessary additives and sweeteners, and those that don’t will cost you extra. DIY Nut Milks, Nut Butters & More brings nut power to the people with over 50 recipes for homemade milks and butters—and delicious, whole-food treats that put them to use!

Melissa King, the brain behind mywholefoodlife.com, has been making nut milks and butters for years. Her recipes are simple and easy, with just a handful of ingredients each and straightforward instructions. The recipes in DIY Nut Milks, Nut Butters & More are vegan, gluten-free, and paleo-friendly. 

With color photographs for each recipe and helpful process shots throughout, Make Your Own Nut Milks, Nut Butters and More is the ultimate reference for making beloved whole-food nut treats at home!

My Thoughts

DIY Nut Milks, Nut Butters & More is a definitive book about the uses for various kinds of nuts. I love Almond milk more than regular milk not and have ofter wondered how to go about making it. The book starts with an introduction, the health benefits of nut milk and butters, what ingredients and what equipment is needed. There are tons of different recipes to try. I enjoyed learning about something that people don't generally think of when they use or eat nuts. I will definitely be trying some of the recipes. They look very easy.

I received a copy for review from Netgalley and was not monetarily compensated for my review.

Murder at the Book Group by Maggie King Spotlight!

Product Details Series: Book Group Mysteries Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Pocket Books (December 30, 2014) Language: English ISBN-10: 1476762465 ISBN-13: 978-1476762463

For fans of Anne Canadeo comes a fun and sassy cozy mystery in which one woman must solve the murder of a book group member and untangle a web of secrets hidden by her bookish cohorts. 
Hazel Rose never dreamed that the murder mystery book group she and her friend Carlene started would stage a "real "murder. 
Nevertheless, on the night when the normally composed Carlene seems unusually angry and rattled, during group discussion she dies after drinking cyanide-spiked tea. Despite a suicide note, Hazel is skeptical; Carlene never seemed suicidal--why else would she make all those plans for her future? Incidentally, Carlene was married to Hazel's ex-husband, and Hazel has always suspected there might be something more to her past than she let on. 
How much does anyone really know about Carlene Arness? And did she die by her own hand or someone else's? Hazel begins a search for the truth that produces no shortage of motives, as she unearths a past that Carlene took great pains to hide. And most of those motives belong to the members of her very own book group... 
Featuring memorable characters and a wicked sense of humor, "Murder at the Book Group" shows the darker side of a book club where reading isn't about pleasure--it's about payback.

About the Author

Maggie King grew up in North Plainfield, New Jersey, graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology, and worked as a software developer in Los Angeles for many years. She is a founding member of the Sisters in Crime Central Virginia Chapter. Murder at the Book Group, her debut mystery, comes out December 2, 2014 from Simon and Schuster. She contributed the short story A Not So Genteel Murder to the Virginia is for Mysteries anthology. Maggie lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband, Glen, and two lovingly spoiled cats.

Visit Maggie at www.MaggieKing.com
Facebook at facebook.com/maggie.e.king
Twitter athttps://twitter.com/MaggieKingAuthr

Little Black Lies by Sandra Block, Free Preview!

Details about Little Black Lies - Free Preview (First 5 Chapters)

• Categories: Fiction & Literature Fiction & Literature Fiction & Literature Mystery & Suspense, Mystery & Suspense, Fiction & Literature Fiction & Literature
• File Size: 667409 KB
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
• Released: November 11, 2014
• Sold by: Hachette Digital, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: 1455532568
• ISBN-10: 1455532568
• ISBN-13: 9781455532568

She helps people conquer their demons. But she has a few of her own...

In the halls of the psychiatric ward, Dr. Zoe Goldman is a resident in training, dedicated to helping troubled patients. However, she has plenty of baggage of her own. When her newest patient arrives - a beautiful sociopath who murdered her mother - Zoe becomes obsessed with questions about her own mother's death. But the truth remains tauntingly out of reach, locked away within her nightmares of an uncontrollable fire. And as her adoptive mother loses her memory to dementia, the time to find the answers is running out.

As Zoe digs deeper, she realizes that the danger is not just in her dreams but is now close at hand. And she has no choice but to face what terrifies her the most. Because what she can't remember just might kill her.

Little Black Lies is about madness and memory - and the dangerous, little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

GO HERE TO READ FIRST FIVE CHAPTERS

About the Author

Sandra A. Block graduated from college at Harvard, then returned to her native land of Buffalo, New York for medical training and never left. She is a practicing neurologist and proud Sabres fan, and lives at home with her husband, two children, and impetuous yellow lab Delilah. She has been published in both medical and poetry journals. 

Visit Sandra’s  website ,  Facebook, and  Twitter!

Systematic Siege b N.Isobelle Blanco Cover Unveil!

 

Title: Systematic Siege: Provocative Tendencies (Episode #1)

Author: N. Isabelle Blanco

Series: SSPT Book #1

Expected Release Date: December 29 2014

Synopsis

He was the player. The most popular guy in highschool. In other words, the stereotypical heartbreaker that every girl died for.

She was one of the nerds. The outcast teased and shunned by the popular kids in school. In other words, him and his crew.

He always wanted her, she just never knew it . . .

In order to maintain his popularity, he buried those feelings deep, deep down in the pit of his miserable little soul.

That is, until one night he lost control.

They both did.

Unfortunately, they weren’t the only ones that knew it. What his friends ended up doing with the knowledge would scar her for the next seven years of her life.

And leave him wrecked, dealing with years of agony because he’d lost her.

Highschool graduation came and went, and they never saw each other again.

Now, seven years later, Andrew’s stepped in and taken his father’s place as CEO of his family’s company, Drevlow Systems, Inc.

Along with the new position comes a host of perks . . . and a brand new systems genius working as the head of his company’s IT department.

An IT genius that just happens to be the one woman he never forgot.

She hasn’t forgotten him or his reputation either and she wants nothing to do with him.

He’s determined to have her—she’s determined to see him burn in hell before that happens.

What ensues takes the term War of the Sexes to a whole new level.

{Episode #1}

Andrew is forced to face his past in a way he’d never expected.

Or prepared for.

Seven years.

That’s how long he waited to find Lexi again. Seven years worth of memories. Fantasies that tormented his life, making it impossible for him to move on.

Seven years worth of guilt for what he’d inadvertently allowed to happen.

He had it all planned out, every step of the epic-groveling he knew he’d have to do.

His plan was absolutely perfect.

Genius, actually.

Then he walked into his company’s IT department and seen the same big, blue-gray eyes that had haunted him for years . . .

Glaring at him from behind familiar, black-framed glasses.

And Andrew knew, right then, without a doubt . . .

That his plan wasn’t worth sh*t.

Disclaimer: Systematic Siege: Provocative Tendencies is a series of short stories, each roughly 10,000-15,000 words long, with an estimated final total of nine episodes for the entire series. 

Other Series by the Author

Allure Series

Amazon | Goodreads

Compulsions Series

Amazon | Goodreads

Project Sapphire Series

Amazon | Goodreads

The Szolites Series

Amazon | Goodreads

Retaliations Series

Amazon | Goodreads

Meet the Author

N. Isabelle Blanco was born in Queens, NY (USA). At the age of three, due to an odd fascination with studying her mother’s handwriting, she began to read and write. By the time she’d reached kindergarten, she had an extensive vocabulary and her obsession with words began to bleed into every aspect of her life.

An avid reader in her teens, her fascination with Japanese anime eventually led her to the universe of fan fiction, which became her on-again, off-again hobby for the next ten years. During that time she amassed a following of fans that, by her own admission, she would never be able to live without. It was those fans who encouraged her to step beyond the fan fiction realm and try her talent in the publishing world.

N. Isabelle Blanco spends her days working as an author, web programmer, marketer, and graphic designer. That is when she isn’t handling her “spawn”, as she calls her son, and brainstorming with him about his future career as a comic book illustrator.

Author Links:

MaE: www.houseofmalfunction.com

Website: www.nisabelleblanco.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/nisabelleblanco

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6444266.N_Isabelle_Blanco

Twitter: www.twitter.com/nyddi

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/nisabelleblanco

Google+: http://www.plus.google.com/+NIsabelleBlanco

Giveaway

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