Welcoming Clare Flynn and her book - A Painter in Penang - to my blog

Today I'm welcoming Clare Flynn and her book - A Painter in Penang - to my blog as part of the blog tour hosted by The Coffee Pot Book Club (founded by Mary Anne Yarde)

 

I will share a review with you all, but first I will introduce the book.

A Painting in Penang

 

Sixteen-year-old Jasmine Barrington hates everything about living in Kenya and longs to return to the island of Penang in British colonial Malaya where she was born. Expulsion from her Nairobi convent school offers a welcome escape – the chance to stay with her parents’ friends, Mary and Reggie Hyde-Underwood on their Penang rubber estate.

But this is 1948 and communist insurgents are embarking on a reign of terror in what becomes the Malayan Emergency. Jasmine goes through testing experiences – confronting heartache, a shocking past secret and danger. Throughout it all, the one constant in her life is her passion for painting.

From the international best-selling and award-winning author of The Pearl of Penang, this is a dramatic coming of age story, set against the backdrop of a tropical paradise torn apart by civil war.

Publication Date: 6^th October 2020

Publisher: Cranbrook Press

Page Length: 362 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

You can purchase the book via -

https://books2read.com/painterinpenang

Now for the review - 

Where do I even begin to describe how wonderfully poignant A Painter in Penang is? I was initially slightly nervous about jumping in at Book 3, but I need not have been concerned, for this novel stands very firmly on its own two feet.

This is the story of sixteen-year-old Jasmine Barrington who is desperately unhappy living in Kenya. She feels adrift, lost almost. So when she is given the opportunity to go back to Penang, she jumps at the chance. Unfortunately political events, shocking family secrets, and unsavoury suitors threaten everything. I really felt for Jasmine. She is this talented young woman, but she is also extremely innocent. This emotional rollercoaster that Jasmine finds herself on is beautifully portrayed and intensely gripping.

This is a novel that one can really lose themselves in—the author has a gift of making the hours seemingly fly by.  Painter in Penang is a novel that I enjoyed from beginning to end. I will certainly be going back and reading the first two books in this series.

Clare Flynn

Clare Flynn is the author of twelve historical novels and a collection of short stories. A former International Marketing Director and strategic management consultant, she is now a full-time writer.

Having lived and worked in London, Paris, Brussels, Milan and Sydney, home is now on the coast, in Sussex, England, where she can watch the sea from her windows. An avid traveller, her books are often set in exotic locations.

Clare is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a member of The Society of Authors, Novelists Inc (NINC), ALLi, the Historical Novel Society and the Romantic Novelists Association, where she serves on the committee as the Member Services Officer. When not writing, she loves to read, quilt, paint and play the piano. She continues to travel as widely and as far as possible all over the world.

You can connect with Clare Flynn via the following platforms -

Website: https://clareflynn.co.uk

Blog: https://clareflynn.co.uk/alternate-blog-style-page.html

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarefly

Twitter: https://twitter.com/clarefly

 You can learn more about this book and the author by visiting the other blogs on the tour -

 

That's it for now.

Till the next time.

Take care Zoe
 

 

 

 

Welcoming Christopher D Stanley and his book - A Rooster for Asklepios - to my blog.

 Today I'm welcoming Christopher D Stanley and his book - A Rooster for Asklepios (A Slave's Story Trilogy Book 1) - to my blog as part of the blog tour hosted by The Coffee Pot Book Club (founded by Mary Anne Yarde).

I am delighted to share a review with you all, but first I will introduce the book.

A Rooster for Asklepios

 

 

Marcus, a slave in the household of Lucius Coelius Felix, enjoys a better life than most slaves (and many free citizens) as the secretary and accountant of a wealthy aristocrat.  His master is rising in the civic life of the Roman colony of Antioch-near-Pisidia (central Turkey), and his responsibilities and income are growing as well. If this continues, he could soon earn enough to buy his freedom, set up a small business, and even marry.

Then misfortune strikes, and his master falls into a deep depression that is exacerbated by a nagging illness that his physician is unable to cure.  The future looks bleak until the physician receives a dream from the healing god Asklepios calling Lucius to travel hundreds of miles across western Asia Minor to his sanctuary at Pergamon for treatment and, he hopes, a cure.

Accompanied by Marcus and his new wife Selena, Lucius embarks on a long and eventful journey in which both master and slave encounter people and ideas that challenge long-held beliefs about themselves, their society, and the world around them.  Values are questioned, loyalties tested, and identities transformed in a story that brings to life a corner of the Roman empire that has been neglected by previous storytellers.

Publication Date:  May 23^rd 2020

Publisher: Amelia Books

Page Length: 522 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

 You can purchase a copy of the book via -

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rooster-Asklepios-Slaves-Story-Trilogy/dp/B08978G39W

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08978G39W

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Rooster-Asklepios-Slaves-Story-Trilogy/dp/B08978G39W

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Rooster-Asklepios-Slaves-Story-Trilogy/dp/B08978G39W

Now for the review -

I have become rather fascinated with Ancient History of late, so when I was offered the chance to read a review copy of A Rooster for Asklepios (A Slave’s Story Trilogy, Book 1) by a professor of social and religious history of the Greco-Roman world, I knew that this was a book that I just had to read. Christopher D. Stanley has presented his readers not only with a book that portrays the era, but it is a story that is based on actual historical sources. And what is really great about this novel is that Professor Stanley has presented his readers with a map, that you could, if you so wished, use to travel to the places named in the book - how cool is that?

The story is set in Asia Minor in the first century. I know next to nothing about what was happening in Asia Minor during this period of history, but that did not matter, for Professor Stanley is a competent tour guide, and not once did I find myself confused or befuddled as to what was going on, and the customs that were being observed.

The protagonist of this story is a slave of Lucius Coelius Felix. Marcus is a very loyal slave, and he is also very learned. He is both a secretary and accountant for his master - and despite being a slave, Lucius depends on him to help with the smooth running of his business. Marcus is in an extraordinary situation because although he is still a slave, he is treated with respect by his master and he is even used as a comparison when Lucius is trying to explain to his own son why it is so important to act with decorum at all times. He even goes as far as saying he would disinherit his son and make Marcus his heir if he did not get his act together - so to speak. I really felt for Marcus when his master announced this! Marcus is a character that I really came to care about. He was certainly a character that I enjoyed getting to know.

Lucius’ character not only gives this story drive - it is his illness that dictates the narrative, but he also demonstrated how fickle the Gods could be and how politically motivated many of these sacred sacrifices were and how they could, quite literally, bring ruin onto a household if they so chose to. The augurs really did hold a very powerful position in this society. Prayer, ritual, and sacrifice are clearly depicted as being a very important part of every day life, which I found fascinating.

The story itself is incredibly engaging and although this book is very long, it was at no times a chore. I really enjoyed picking up this book every day, and I never found myself losing any motivation to read it. The skilled narrative, the fascinating characters, and the history itself, makes this book a must read for those who love historical fiction. I thought this book was really rather brilliant.

I would also like to introduce you to book 2 in the trilogy -

A Bull for Pluto

After a lengthy and eventful stay at the sanctuary of Asklepios in Pergamon, the time has come for Lucius and Marcus to return to Antioch.  Selena had been sent home earlier when Lucius learned that she was pregnant, and the impending arrival of the winter snows could soon make it impossible for them to reach their destination before the child is born.

​To Marcus’s surprise, Lucius announces that he plans to stop for a while in Hierapolis to bask in the healing waters of the city’s renowned hot springs.  Here Marcus meets a young woman named Miriam who challenges him to embrace his long-hidden Jewish ancestry.  Marcus is torn between his budding love for Miriam and the cost of heeding her advice.

​A tragic decision by Lucius seals their fate, as their full attention must now be devoted to preserving Lucius’s life.  They reach Antioch in time to learn that Lucius’s son Gaius has failed miserably in his management of the household while his father was away.  If Lucius should die, Marcus, Selena, and her unborn child will be at the mercy of this tyrant.  To fend off this danger, Lucius must tell Marcus the full truth about his past, a truth that will ensure Marcus's future at the cost of his master's honor.  Can he bring himself to act before his inevitable end?

You can purchase a copy via -

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bull-Pluto-Slaves-Story-Trilogy/dp/1732698139

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732698139

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Bull-Pluto-Slaves-Story-Book/dp/1732698139

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Bull-Pluto-Slaves-Story-Book/dp/1732698139

Praise for A Rooster for Asklepios and A Bull For Pluto

This compelling and enjoyable story offers the reader a superb 'insider' view of life in the first-century Greco-Roman world. I enjoyed traipsing around Anatolia with Lucius and Marcus!"
-Dr. Terence Donaldson, Academic Dean and Professor of New Testament, Wycliffe College, Canada

"The realism of this story reflects the author's deep first-hand knowledge of the landscape and culture where the narrative takes place."
-Dr. Mark Wilson, Director, Asia Minor Research Center, Antalya, Turkey

"This well-researched book really brings the Roman world to life!"
-Dr. Alanna Nobbs, Professor of Ancient History, Macquarie University, Australia

"The amount of research, imagination, and effort involved in crafting this story earned my admiration, and stirred my curiosity, too."
Dr. Mark Nanos, Lecturer, University of Kansas, USA

Christopher D Stanley

CHRISTOPHER D. STANLEY is a professor at St. Bonaventure University who studies the social and religious history of the Greco-Roman world, with special attention to early Christianity and Judaism.  He has written or edited six books and dozens of professional articles on the subject and presents papers regularly at conferences around the world.  The trilogy A Slave’s Story, which grew out of his historical research on first-century Asia Minor, is his first work of fiction.  He is currently working on an academic book that explores healing practices in the Greco-Roman world, a subject that plays a vital role in this series. 

You can connect with the author via -

Website: https://www.aslavesstory.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aslavesstory

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aslavesstory

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/christopherdstanley

 You can find out more about the books and the author by visiting the other blogs on this tour.

 That's it for now.

Till the next time.

Take care Zoe. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcoming Janet Lee Berg and her book - Restitution - to my blog

Today I'm welcoming Janet Lee Berg and her book - Restitution - to my blog as part of the blog tour hosted by The Coffee Pot Book Club (founded by Mary Anne Yarde).

I'm delighted to share an excerpt with you all, but first I will introduce the book.

Restitution

“Restitution” is the riveting, multigenerational story of Sylvie Rosenberg, a Holocaust survivor traumatized by the memory of her art dealer father forced to trade paintings with the Nazis in an attempt to save their large extended family.  Sylvie’s adult life in 1970s New York is plagued by survivors’ guilt and bitterness.  But when her self-destructive ways threaten to upend the life of her Vietnam-vet son, Sylvie finally needs to face her demons.  She returns to Holland to confront her past and fight the Dutch judicial system for the return of the masterpieces, but the battle proves far more difficult than Sylvie imagined...

Weaving in tragic true events from her own family history, Berg offers a sensitive story of history, romance, and humor along with detail from the extensive research of Lynn H. Nicholas, the world’s leading expert on art pilfered during WWII. Over 80 years later, the real family still awaits justice and the return of artwork that continues to hang on museum walls, without noting their tragic history…

Series: Sequel to "Rembrandt's Shadow"

Author: Janet Lee Berg

Publication Date: 30^th September 2020

Publisher: Koehler

Page Length: 262 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

You can buy a copy of the book via -

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Restitution-Janet-Lee-Berg-ebook/dp/B08GHG2HX2

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Restitution-Janet-Lee-Berg-ebook/dp/B08GHG2HX2

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/restitution-janet-lee-berg/1137466374

Books-a-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/search?filter=&id=8010669379714&query=janet+lee+berg

 Now I'll share the excerpt -

“On October 20, 1942, we were escorted to the train depot . . . to the unknown. We waited on the cement platform for three and a half hours. It was windy and cold. My brother and sisters wore dead faces. My mother nearly passed out, and a stranger helped her to her feet. Then, there was that final moment of truth—the big trade.” Sylvie went off again into her own world.

A Rembrandt passing hands, unbeknownst to the late, great artist, himself—Rembrandt van Rijn—who saved innocent lives with the stroke of a brush.

“Talk to me, Sylvie,” the lawyer coaxed. “Tell me what happened before your escape.”

She thought about the crude cargo boat at the port in Spain where they eventually met other relatives her father’s negotiating had saved—twenty-five Jews in all—the biggest trade and his last one.

“Oh, so many times we were told we were the lucky Jews because we ended up at the British safety internment camp on the island of Jamaica in the West Indies. We were in the state of suspension there for three long years . . . where I was supposed to finish growing up.”


Actual photos from the Katz family’s WWII experience

No, no. Go back. You’re getting way ahead of me. Before the camp, before the occupation. What were some of your earliest fears? When did you start to feel threatened?”

“I don’t know. It’s all so vague. Sometime in the late 1930s my father spoke about going to America, to New York, to look at art galleries and museums and eventually running a branch of his art business in the United States. I had no idea it was where he’d try to salvage whatever art would be left.

“At first, the idea of going to America was exciting, especially going on a big boat. Later on, when I started to enjoy the freedom of being a teen, I didn’t want to leave my home,

and I especially didn’t want to leave Samuel.”

“Samuel?”

“He was my first love. You know . . . there’s nothing like your first love.”

“Yes, let’s not get off track again. We need to go even further back—when you first felt threatened?”

She still saw Samuel’s eyes in her mind, full of promise. She’d been crying hard when she told him with tears running into her mouth that she’d be leaving the country soon with her family—they’d be on the run. That was when she received her first kiss, her first salty kiss.

Sylvie tried to focus and recalled when she was a little girl in the early 1930s.

“There was a man by the name of Maxwell from Germany who came on a regular basis to our hometown gallery on Spoorstraat 32, only a few kilometers from our home. I kept that number forever in my head—32, my lucky number.”

“Go on. Tell me about Maxwell?”

“Then he stopped coming, Maxwell. Something to do with our being Jewish. We received reports from across the border that things were getting very bad for the Jewish population in Germany, only fifteen miles away from our home. And later, like the spread of a terminal disease, the Nazis expanded their power, country by country. The Germans implemented anti-Jewish policies immediately upon occupation in Holland, including the taking of Jewish property. You know that Holland lasted only five days before they surrendered. There was nowhere to hide—no mountains, no caves, no forests.” Sylvie tried to remember other names that Attorney Adelstein may find helpful.

“There was another man, Dr. Hans Posse, who came to our gallery. He’s the one who wanted to send my father’s art to the Linz Museum—for Hitler’s private collection. It was right after Uncle Nathan and my father were forced to register their business.”

She told Adelstein that according to documents in the trade register, non-Jewish business partners were appointed as directors who resigned after the war, and the Rosenberg brothers were to continue to do business with whatever was left.

“How did your father feel about losing his power?” Mr. Adelstein asked.

“Like a small dog giving up a big bone, that’s how he felt. My parents wondered what to do with us kids regarding the fate of his business. If he lost the art, his children’s futures would be jeopardized.”

Sylvie was getting more upset and started to look through her jar of sweets for a soothing lozenge to clear her throat.

Tension increased daily at the dinner table, but without questions. It was a rule—at the dinner table, we only talked about pleasant things.

“The servants were let go, and we had to deal with setting the table, eating our mother’s lousy cooking, clearing the table, and washing our own dishes. We passed the salt back and forth along the lavish length of our table under the pretense that all the unpleasantness would go away. As you know, things only got worse.”

She told her lawyer that the Dutch police got word from the Germans to give the Rosenbergs special treatment. But the Germans were growing impatient with the family.

“So, you felt the clock ticking?”

“Louder by the day…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The “real” Sylvie Rosenberg and her children (Vogue, the author’s mother-in-law).

 Janet Lee Berg

Janet Lee Berg is a native New Yorker with a residence in Charleston, SC.  She is also author of several other works of fiction and children’s books and has had her work featured in the local, regional, and national press.  A journalist in the Hamptons, Janet Lee Berg has interviewed numerous celebrities and pursued an MFA in Creative Writing, under the direction of published professors including Frank McCourt, author of Angela’s Ashes. 

You can connect with the author via -

Website: http://janet.dalitopia.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janet.berg.338/friends

Twitter: https://twitter.com/janetleeberg1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawgeared/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7123134.Janet_Lee_Berg

You can also learn more about the book and the author by visiting the other blogs on this tour -

That's it for now.

Till the next time.

Take care Zoe