Tag: dual timelines

Book Review: “The Boleyn Curse” by Alexandra Walsh

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The court of Henry VIII was a treacherous place for anyone, but especially for the Boleyn family. We all know the stories of Anne, Mary, George, and Thomas, but one figure from this illustrious family does not get enough attention: Elizabeth Boleyn, the mother of Anne, Mary, and George. What was her relationship like with her family, her husband, and most importantly, King Henry VIII? And what does a Chaucer manuscript recently discovered at Cerensthorpe Abbey have to do with Elizabeth and the Boleyns? Alxandra Walsh explores the life of Elizabeth Boleyn and the mystery of the missing Chaucer in her latest dual-timeline novel, “The Boleyn Curse.”

I would like to thank Boldwood Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. I enjoy a good dual-timeline novel, and when I saw that this one also featured Elizabeth Boleyn as the main character, I was intrigued. Elizabeth Boleyn has not been the focus of novels of the Boleyn family that I have read, so I was interested to see how her story would translate into historical fiction.

Since this is a dual timeline novel, there are two main timelines. We get to explore the Tudor period with Elizabeth Boleyn and the modern day with Tabitha Mundy, the archivist of Cerensthorpe Abbey. We begin with the modern storyline and Tabitha, who is employed by the owner of Cerensthorpe Abbey, Edith Swanne, to archive the entire estate. Tabitha is dealing with the death of her husband, Blake, when she meets Edith’s nephew and heir to the estate, Gulliver. Edith gives Tabitha the task of finding a missing Chaucer manuscript by decoding clues left behind in a journal from the 1900s. The journey to the missing manuscript holds a connection to Elizabeth Boleyn and the curse upon the family.

We also jump back to the life of Elizabeth Boleyn, who was Elizabeth Howard when the audience is introduced to her in 1485. Her father was arrested by the new King Henry VII for supporting King Richard III, but eventually the family rebuilt their reputation. Elizabeth falls in love with Thomas Boleyn and joins the glittery court of King Henry VIII, where she catches the eye of Henry VIII himself. Elizabeth fights for her family and the love of her husband, even if it means making an enemy of the crown itself.

I think this was a decent novel, even though it explored my least favorite rumor about the Boleyn family. I also thought the diary entries were a bit distracting from the rest of the narratives, a case of too many stories going on at once. Overall, I did enjoy this book. If you want a novel that is a dual timeline or a novel that features Elizabeth Boleyn, you should check out “The Boleyn Curse” by Alexandra Walsh.

Book Review: “Daughter of the Tarot” by Clare Marchant

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A single deck of cards changed the fate of generations of women. The tarot cards, created in 16th-century Italy, will connect two women separated by centuries. One was a woman in 17th-century London, originally from Milan, who used the cards to rescue women from abusive relationships. The other is a woman from modern-day London starting her life anew when she comes across an old tarot card deck with a missing card. What began as a hunt for a missing card will connect the two women and change lives forever. The cards hold secrets to the past, but will they bring hope or disaster? This is the premise for Clare Marchant’s latest dual-timeline novel, “Daughter of the Tarot.”

I would like to thank Boldwood Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. I recently read her novel, “The Shadow on the Bridge,” which I enjoyed, so when I saw this novel, it had such an intriguing description that I wanted to read it. I am not familiar with the history of tarot cards, and I have not read many novels set in the 17th century, so I was excited for a new adventure.

As this is a dual-timeline novel, there are two protagonists from two different periods: Portia from 17th-century England and Beatrice from 21st-century England. We begin in Milan in 1629, which has just been hit by the plague, where we are introduced to Portia and her baby daughter, Vittoria, who are struggling to survive. The next time we see Portia and Vittoria, iits 1644 and they are living in London. Vittoria is 15 years old, and Portia is using her talent with tarot cards to help those in need. What Vittoria does not know is that Portia uses her readings to help women escape abusive relationships by using the Devil’s Card as a message for the boatsman Jack, who is in love with Portia. Secrets and truths slowly begin to reveal themselves as someone from Portia’s past has come to London and may destroy her relationship with Vittoria.

In the modern storyline, we meet Beatrice, or Bea, who is starting a new life in London and is opening her own antiques shop. Bea has been avoiding her father and his new love interest since her mother died. She has the gift of reading tarot cards, and one day, she comes across an old deck of cards. The only problem is that it is missing a key card, the Devil’s Card. Bea and her landlord, Jack, search high and low for the missing card and find exactly what they are searching for, and some surprises.

It took me a while to get into this book as it was a slower pace than the previous novel that I read by Marchant. While I enjoyed the modern storyline, the 17th-century portion felt a bit slower, and it didn’t feel like the 17th century to me, but more like the 16th century. Overall, I think it was a decent novel with an interesting pair of protagonists. If you want a story about the 17th century with a unique premise, I recommend you read “Daughter of the Tarot” by Clare Marchant.

Book Review: “The House of Echoes” by Alexandra Walsh

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A love that can get through any obstacle even when the couple is married to other people is considered very rare. However, star-crossed lovers at court were practically unheard of, especially multiple couples from the same family. Anne Brandon knows how rare these matches are as her father Charles Brandon married the sister of King Henry VIII. Now she must figure out her feelings about romance while navigating court life. In the modern day, Caroline Harvey has relationship problems while she navigates the loss of her famous writer, grandfather Dexter Blake. How are these two women from different centuries connected and can they fight for who they love or are they destined to be alone? Alexandra Walsh tells both women’s stories in her novel, “The House of Echoes.”

I want to thank Boldwood Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. The concept of this novel and the cover were what pulled me into the story. I know about the children of Charles Brandon and Mary Tudor, but when it comes to Charles’ other children, I don’t know much. I wanted to learn a bit about Anne Brandon and have a good time with the story of Caroline Harvey.

We begin with the story of Caroline Harvey as she returns home to England from America after a bad break-up with her former fiance Travis Hibbert. She is the personal assistant to her grandfather, the recluse writer Dexter Blake, the author of the Ether Heracles book series. Dexter Blake is dying and it is up to her and her family to announce it to the rest of the world while releasing the last book in the series and making movies about the books. While the world mourns Dexter’s death, Caroline is given the gift of Dexter’s home and she begins researching the history of the house, which will lead her to an old fling Gideon and his book store Ten-to-Midnight. It is through Caroline’s research that she discovers the story of Anne Brandon and the truth about her life.

Meanwhile, in Tudor England, Anne Brandon is getting used to being the step-daughter of Mary Tudor, the sister of King Henry VIII. She is not used to court life, but she has friends who will become famous like Anne Boleyn and Margaret More Roper. As a young girl, Anne falls head over heels in love with Randall Hanworth and she believes that she is destined to marry him. However, fate and her father have someone else in mind; Edward Grey 3rd Baron of Powis, which made Anne Baroness of Powis. That doesn’t mean it was a happy marriage as the couple never had any children. Anne lived throughout the reign of Henry VIII, saw two of his wives beheaded including her friend Anne Boleyn, and had a great falling out with her father Charles Brandon before he died, which meant that she was left out of his will. Anne was willing to fight for the lands that she believed rightfully belonged to her and the love of her life Randall.

This was a fun novel with so many twists and turns, including one at the end that I did not see coming. I especially love the little details that Walsh included especially coming up with blurbs for each of the Dexter Blake books as well as the inner workings of the Brandon household. As someone who reads a lot about the Tudors, it was refreshing to read about Tudors that were new to me. If you want a fresh take on the Tudor with a modern twist, I greatly recommend you read, “The House of Echoes” by Alexandra Walsh.

Book Review: “Labyrinth” by Kate Mosse

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For centuries, the brave knights of Camelot and the Crusaders have searched for the Holy Grail. The cup that Jesus of Nazareth used during his Last Supper is rumored to be a vessel that can grant eternal life or miraculous healing powers. It can be a cup, plate, or stone, but in all stories, the Grail guardians and those searching for it are predominately male. But what if the guardians were male and female and the ones searching for it were predominately female? Alais from 11th-century France and Alice Tanner visiting France in 2007 share a connection that is centuries deep and it all started with a ring, a book, and an image of a labyrinth. How are these two connected to the labyrinth and the Grail and can they protect it from those who want to use it for their dark purposes? Kate Mosse weaves the tale of the Grail and the two women connected by fate in her novel, “Labyrinth.”

This is another one of my bookshop finds. The cover initially caught my eye, followed by the author and the description. Dual-timeline stories have become one of my favorite sub-genres recently, so when I saw this was a feminine take on the Grail quest with a dual-timeline twist, I jumped at the chance to read it.

We begin with Alice and an archeological dig that she decided to volunteer at as a guest of her colleague Shelagh. As an amateur, she knows that she should not go into a cave alone, but she decides to throw caution to the wind and finds the bodies of two people, a leather bag, a stone ring, peculiar writing on the wall, and the image of a labyrinth. This is quite a discovery, except it puts the entire dig in danger as the police want to investigate the scene. Not only that but Shelagh goes missing and someone wants to either harm or kidnap Alice. The discovery of the cave will change Alice’s life, and reconnect her with a man from her past, a man who knows the truth, and a woman from the past who connects all the dots.

In the year 1209, Alais and her family are sitting on pins and needles as the pope has declared a crusade against the people of her faith, the Cathars, who have been deemed as heretics. As the armies of the Catholic church are on the doorsteps of Carcassonne, Alais’s father Bertrand gives her a gift of a book and a stone ring. What Alais will learn is that there are three books in total and a special ring inscribed with the labyrinth to mark the guardians of the Grail. Alais must make the difficult choice to leave her home and travel to the head of the guardians to protect the knowledge of the Grail. Alais is willing to risk everything as both a Cathar and a guardian of the Grail.

This was an absolutely thrilling read, it is also the first time I have read a novel with the Cathars and the Crusade against them featured prominently. There were so many twists, turns, and secrets abound that just when you think you have the novel figured out, something new drops. The balance between the present day and the past was perfect and the characters were so realistic that it felt like I could have a conversation with them. I need to see how this trilogy ends, which does include new characters and timelines. If you want a thrilling historical fiction novel full of twists, turns, history, and myths, “Labyrinth” by Kate Mosse must be on your list.

Book Review: “The Girl From Oto” by Amy Maroney

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the girl from otoTwo independent women separated by time but united over two compelling portraits and the secrets hidden behind the paint. Mira (Miramonde) is a nun from a Renaissance convent in the Pyrenees who believes she is an orphan who wants to escape her small community and explore the world. Five hundred years later, Zari, an art scholar, begins the journey to discover who Mira is by using the clues she left behind in her works of art that will take her on a journey that will change her life forever. These two tales are woven together in the first book of the Miramonde series, “The Girl From Oto” by Amy Maroney.

I have seen this novel on social media, and it was an intriguing premise. I always look for books that present a fresh new look into the 16th century.

Our story begins with the birth of twins to Marguerite, the baroness of Oto, a boy and a girl. Unfortunately, in the house of Oto, daughters are not allowed to live, so Marguerite gives her daughter named, Miramonde, or Mira for short, to Elena, a mountain woman. Elena decides to make the journey to Belarac Abbey under the supervision of the Abbess Beatrice of Belarac. They make a plan that Mira will never know the truth about who she is and will be raised in the abbey until she is old enough to choose her path, which is her mother’s desire.

Jumping 500 years into the future, we meet Zari Durrell, a young art scholar on the hunt for paintings by a female Renaissance artist, Cornelia van der Zee, the topic of her dissertation. Her topic is well known, but while examining a portrait she believes was painted by Cornelia van der Zee, she discovers that the painting was painted by another artist named Mira. Zari’s journey to discover who Mira is will take her all over Europe as she follows the clues to the truth.

There is just something about a good history mystery mixed with a dual-timeline story that is so much fun to read. Maroney has done extensive research, not just for Mira’s story in the world of the Pyrenees, the wool trade, and life in a convent, but Zari’s adventures in academia and her journey along the Camino de Santiago.

Maroney created a colorful cast of characters, from the Renaissance to the modern day, that will grip the readers with the mysteries they must uncover. I cannot wait to see what other adventures Mira and Zari will go on. If you want a delightfully engaging and thrilling dual-timeline novel about 16th-century Spain, I highly recommend reading “The Girl From Oto” by Amy Maroney.

Book Review: “The Forgotten Sister” by Nicola Cornick

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52024957The year is 1560, and a young woman hatches a way to escape her loveless marriage. Her name is Amy Robsart, and she is the wife of Robert Dudley, one of Queen Elizabeth I’s favorites at court. Unfortunately, things do not go as planned, and the consequences reverberate throughout the centuries. Lizzie Kingdom, a television star, struggles to find her way in life. When tragedy strikes when her friend Dudley’s wife is found dead at the bottom of a staircase, the scandal breaks, threatening to ruin Lizzie’s life and reputation. A deadly secret from the past and an encounter with a mysterious young man will forever transform the lives of these two women from different centuries. Will Lizzie Kingdom discover the truth before it is too late? This mystery is masterfully told in Nicola Cornick’s Tudor novel, “The Forgotten Sister.”

After browsing the shelves one day, I found this book in my local Barnes and Noble. This is my second Nicola Cornick novel; the first was “The Last Daughter of York,” I have enjoyed both equally.

Like “The Last Daughter of York,” “The Forgotten Sister” is a dual timeline book in which one story takes place in Tudor England and the other in modern England. We begin with the ghost of Amy Robsart, the wife of Robert Dudley, wandering Cumnor Hall, waiting for someone to release her from her curse. Flash forward to the modern day, where Lizzie Kingdom is attending the wedding of her best friend, Dudley Lester, and his wife, Amelia. There, Lizzie comes into contact with a glass orb that, with her psychometry, allows her to see the history of an object. The sphere gives Lizzie a somewhat unsettling vision, but it is not clear to her what the meaning behind the vision.

Ten years later, Dudley and Amelia are going through a rocky divorce when Amelia is found at the bottom of a staircase, dead, just like her ancestor Amy Robsart. Dudley is suspect number one, with Lizzie as his accessory after the fact, just like what happened in Tudor England, since Lizzie and Dudley are so close. Lizzie is concerned about restoring her reputation until he encounters Amelia’s brother Johnny and Amelia’s half-brother Arthur. Johnny has a psychic connection to Amelia and wants to solve the mystery surrounding her death and the death of their ancestor Amy Robsart.

I am not usually a big fan of books with supernatural elements, but this one grabbed my attention. It kept my attention to the very end because even though I knew the basis of the Amy Robsart case, I wasn’t sure how it would tie into the modern case of Amelia’s death. I think telling Amy Robsart’s story from her perspective is a unique twist, and she pairs rather nicely with the contemporary protagonist Lizzie Kingdom, based on Elizabeth I.

If you want an enthralling mystery that spans centuries and is a delight for modern readers and Tudor nerds alike, you should check out “The Forgotten Sister” by Nicola Cornick.

Guest Post: “Why I Write Dual Timeline Novels and Why I Choose Present Day” by Clare Marchant

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The Queen's Spy Tour BannerToday, I am pleased to welcome Clare Marchant to my blog to discuss her latest novel, “The Queen’s Spy,” and her use of dual timelines. I would like to thank The Coffee Pot Book Club and Clare Marchant for stopping by on this tour. 

I have always loved reading dual timeline novels. I love history (of course!), and although I also read many historical books, both fiction and non-fiction, I love that connection between the past and the present, waiting to find out when the two worlds will meet.

I often wax lyrical about how I am fascinated with the connections that bind us all together, whether family ties, our links to places, objects, or indeed each other. We are all woven together by the way that we are threaded together with everything that we touch. We all have special items, be it family heirlooms or gifts, jewelry, or a book; perhaps that means something special to us. Something that will eventually belong to someone else. When it comes to history, these associations take on a whole new persona as they link over the years or centuries, and I love investigating this through my writing by tying the two stories together through a shared theme, a shared connection.

In Saffron Hall, that relationship, the object that tied the two stories together, was the book of hours. I have a fascination for old illuminated manuscripts, so I wanted to use one of these exquisite small prayer books as the object that united together my two protagonists, showing how the theme, ‘while I breathe, I hope’ touched the lives of them both. They both learn that they must live with the hurt they have endured and to keep taking each day at a time until things get better – they keep breathing and keep hoping. That eventually, time will help them to move on.

In The Queen’s Spy, the object is the triptych that Tom paints, showing his journey, which mirrors in some respects the one in the present day that Mathilde is taking. They are both connected by their shared background of being shunned by society for separate reasons. By being ‘different’ and having to face prejudice and leaving them to lead a peripatetic lifestyle never accepted by those around them. They are always searching for somewhere they will be recognized for who they are and loved for it. By investigating the painting, Mathilde begins to learn more about herself and her place in this world.  And she learns the book’s theme, that she cannot change the past, but she can change the future.

The reason why I choose present-day as my alternative timeline to the Tudor one is that despite the apparent differences to our daily lives between the way we now live compared to how they did in the sixteenth century, I think it shows just how much these morals that guide us affect us all whenever we lived. We are just the same in our hearts, with similar fears, hopes, desires, and despair. People love, they grieve, they laugh, and they cry. In every life, there are shared experiences, precious objects…and precious people.

The Queen's Spy Cover(Blurb)

1584: Elizabeth I rules England. But a dangerous plot is brewing in court, and Mary Queen of Scots will stop at nothing to take her cousin’s throne.

There’s only one thing standing in her way: Tom, the queen’s trusted apothecary, who makes the perfect silent spy…

2021: Travelling the globe in her campervan, Mathilde has never belonged anywhere. So when she receives news of an inheritance, she is shocked to discover she has a family in England.

Just like Mathilde, the medieval hall she inherits conceals secrets, and she quickly makes a haunting discovery. Can she unravel the truth about what happened there all those years ago? And will she finally find a place to call home?

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Queens-Spy-gripping-historical-fiction-ebook/dp/B08R6Q4CC9

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Queens-Spy-gripping-historical-fiction-ebook/dp/B08R6Q4CC9

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Queens-Spy-gripping-historical-fiction-ebook/dp/B08R6Q4CC9

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Queens-Spy-gripping-historical-fiction-ebook/dp/B08R6Q4CC9

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-queens-spy-clare-marchant/1139196760

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-queens-spy/clare-marchant/9780008454357

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-queen-s-spy-2

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/gb/book/the-queens-spy/id1554626619

Audio: https://amzn.to/2QRzT2K

Clare MarchantAuthor Bio:

Growing up in Surrey, Clare always dreamed of being a writer. Instead, she followed a career in IT before moving to Norfolk for a quieter life and re-training as a jeweler.

Now writing full time, she lives with her husband and the youngest two of her six children. Weekends are spent exploring local castles and monastic ruins or visiting the nearby coast.

Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClareMarchant1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claremarchantauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claremarchant1/?hl=en

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3fkuf2r