Rockstar Book Tours presents... A POISONER'S TALE by Cathryn Kemp - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the A POISONER'S TALE by Cathryn Kemp Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

A POISONER'S TALE

by

Cathryn Kemp

Pub. Date: February 4, 2025

Publisher: Union Square & Co.

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 376

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/A-POISONERS-TALE

The legendary figure of notorious seventeenth-century Italian poisoner Giulia Tofana, thought to be the first female serial killer in history, is brought to life in this feminist retelling.

Palermo 1632: Giulia is thirteen when she learns her mother greatest secret: Teofania makes an undetectable, slow-acting, lethal poison—Acqua Tofana—which she uses to free the broken and abused women of Palermo. Now Teofania wants to pass her recipe on to her daughter, and Giulia soon realizes that in a time when women have no voice, justice is sometimes best served in a cup of wine or broth.

Rome, 1656: Years later, within the alleys and shadows of the Eternal City, Giulia forms her own circle of female poisoners, who work together under the guise of an apothecary shop to sell poison to women in need.
       But even in a time of plague, when death looms over the city, it doesn’t go unnoticed that the men of Rome are starting to fall like flies. And with the newly elected pope determined to rid the city of witches and heretics, Giulia is more vulnerable than ever. How far is she willing to go to continue her mother’s legacy?

Weaving together the stories of the women Giulia helped, the men she killed, and those who wanted her dead, this is a tale of magic, secrets, vengeance, and sin in the back streets of Rome—and, ultimately, a fight for power.

 

 

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Some families hand down stories. Others hand down precious belongings. Still others pass down traditions most unusual, information seemingly impractical, and yet together they work to serve the greater good in the darkness of night. 

From the start, I was whisked away by this one, and, whether I wanted to be there or not, I became a virtual accomplish to the events that unfolded. Grant it, I'm not the take the law into your own hands type, however.... however. I do believe there is a special place in hades for certain people, especially those that treat others with such disrespect, as if they were property, and those that force their will (or more) upon others. The darker side of the story is certainly on display, but so are the desperate works of those that would serve their own brand of justice in a time when a woman couldn't count on help from the powers that be (so not getting into the here and now state of that statement 🙄). Watching Guilia come into her own, find her footing, and embrace her "heritage" was like walking that double edged sword. She was more perceptive from the beginning, it came like second nature to her, and yet her desire to help those that needed it most could lead to her undoing. 

It's a twisty ride with some surprises along the way, and yet a fascinating look at a person in history through a fictional lense. Which side of the action will you land on? Would you be for the limited use of the mysterious poison when the need was great enough? How would you choose? Fans of Historical Fiction definitely need this one in their reading list!

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About the author...

Cathryn Kemp is a Sunday Times bestselling ghost writer and author with a prolific career writing celebrity, inspirational, true crime, and nostalgia titles. Her personal memoir, Coming Clean, won the Big Red Read Prize for Nonfiction. For A Poisoner's Tale, her first foray into historical fiction, she was awarded a foundation grant by the Society of Authors to pursue the research for this book, reaching into the state archives of Palermo and the Vatican’s secret Holy Office of the Inquisition. She lives on the south coast of England.

Website | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

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*** Giveaway ***

1 winner will receive a finished copy of A POISONER'S TALE, US Only.

Ends February 18th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

2/3/2025	@tartan_teapotsandbooks_croft	IG Post
2/4/2025	Frugal Freelancer	Excerpt/IG Post
2/5/2025	The Eclectic Review	Excerpt/IG Post
2/6/2025	@enjoyingbooksagain	IG Review
2/7/2025	@bookgirlbrown_reviews	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

2/10/2025	jlreadstoperpetuity	Review/IG Post
2/11/2025	@alexandriavwilliams_	IG Review
2/12/2025	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic
2/13/2025	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
2/14/2025	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Rockstar Book Tours presents... THE TIME KEEPERS by Alyson Richman - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE TIME KEEPERS by Alyson Richman Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway before jetting off to the other sites participating for more bookish fun!

 

THE TIME KEEPERS

By

Alyson Richman

Pub. Date: October 15, 2024

Publisher: Union Square Co.

Formats: Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 336

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/THE-TIME-KEEPERS 

An unforgettable novel that captures the power of longing, loss, and love, The Time Keepers transports us from 1979 suburban New York to war-torn Vietnam, revealing that sometimes the most unexpected friendships can save us.

Two women from different worlds, Grace and Anh, are indelibly changed when a runaway boy is found on a street in their small Long Island town. Brought together by the love of this child displaced by war, the women find friendship and healing from their own painful pasts when their lives intersect with a mysterious wounded Vietnam vet. The vet, Jack, works at the Golden Hours, a watch store that mends timepieces—and might even mend damaged souls. 

Richman interweaves the journeys of these wonderfully diverse characters who will grip, fill, and break your heart—only to bring them together with the care and precision of an expert watchmaker, one piece at a time. Inspired by the true story of a Vietnamese refugee who entrusted the dramatic account of her escape from Vietnam to the author, and also that of a wounded veteran, Richman sheds light on those whose lives were forever impacted by the devastation of that war.

 

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Loss.

It's something we've all experienced at some point in our lives. Whether it be something one might perceive as trivial, or someone that's touched our hearts more than words can say, these moments, these minutes and seconds, leave their imprint on our very souls. Some of us carry them heavily, while manage to let go on the surface with ease, but there are still others that learn to mold those experiences into something more, allowing them to give of themselves to help others heal; others within whom they recognize a kindred spirit.

Such is the case in this beautiful, and moving story from author Alyson Richman. Grace and Anh are thrown together by fate, connected through hard times and tragedy, but help each other find their place in the here and now. The gentle soul that is Bao, a child that's seen more than his fair share at such a young age, was hard to know for multiple reasons, but easy to love for just as many. His well-being acts as both the catalyst and the glue that holds them together, even when they feel like falling apart. If you're a fan of Historical Fiction, you'll be swept away by this tale, enriched for the relationships you build with the characters, and leave with a smile on your heart by book's end. 

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About the author...

Alyson Richman is the USA Today bestselling and #1 international bestselling author of several historical novels including The Velvet Hours, The Garden of Letters, and The Lost Wife, which is currently in development for a major motion picture.  Alyson graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in art history and Japanese studies.  She herself is an accomplished painter and her novels combine her deep love of art, historical research, and travel.  Alyson's novels have been published in twenty-five languages and have reached the bestseller lists both in the United States and abroad. She lives on Long Island with her husband and two children, where she is currently at work on her next novel. 

Website | Twitter (X) | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

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*** Giveaway ***

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE TIME KEEPERS, US Only.

Ends October 29th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Special thanks to the Rockstar Book Tours team for the chance to bring this tour to you, and to Union Square Co for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now wherever books are sold. Be sure to check out the rest of the tour going on now...

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

10/14/2024	TX Girl Reads	Excerpt/IG Post
10/15/2024	Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
10/16/2024	Locks, Hooks and Books	Excerpt/IG Post
10/17/2024	Fire and Ice Reads	Excerpt/IG Post
10/18/2024	Wishful Endings	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

10/21/2024	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
10/22/2024	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
10/23/2024	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
10/24/2024	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
10/25/2024	Readingonthebrink	IG Review

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

RRR presents... SISTERS OF THE RESISTANCE by Jina Bacarr - REVIEW!

Hello, fair readers!

Today, we welcome Rachel's Random Resources and author Jina Bacarr as we step between the epages of her latest Historical Fiction release.  For those that prefer them, consider this your trigger warning as there are acts of violence remembered and referenced at points throughout the tale, but they act as a catalyst for the actions taken by the innocent souls after the fact.  Fans of the genre, and the author's previous works, know exactly the story they are getting into, and those just being introduced certainly won't be disappointed.  Ladies and gents, today's ebook of choice and blog tour guest...

Sisters of the Resistance

by

Jina Bacarr

Boldwood Books

About the book...

Paris, 1942: Two sisters in Paris had their lives torn apart. Now they must choose – save themselves, or fight the Nazis to the very end…

I’d given up everything to fight for the Resistance. But nothing prepared me for discovering my sister was a traitor. Kept by a Nazi SS officer, outwardly she barely resembles my beloved Justine anymore.

But I guessed her secret. About her beautiful, fragile little child. The baby she’ll do anything to protect. And I believe that deep down she still knows what is right.

As the Nazis threaten everything we ever held dear, I know I have one chance. I must convince her to betray the evil she seems to have chosen. I need her to find her true self once more.

Because I need her to join the fight…

Could you choose your country – and what is right – over the person you once loved more than anyone in the world?

Unmissable, heartbreaking, gripping WW2 fiction, perfect for fans of Soraya M. Lane, Ellie Midwood and Jean Grainger.

SNAG YOUR COPY TODAY

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Once upon a time, I read the first book in this series...and I was ripped apart.  The danger and uncertainty, the violence and heart stopping moments, the times you didn't know how they could carry on and yet they still managed to...all pieced together, it made for one heck of a story.  

This follow up is no slacker either.  From page one, you're thrown right back into the thick of things, so if you needed a refresher, or chose not to read the first one for one reason or another, you won't be lost; in fact, I was having a bit of a deja vu moment when I first started reading this one BECAUSE it plops you right back in the closing scenes of the first.  From there, you're on your own, or rather you're riding out the story between the two sisters and the very different, and yet only just, trajectory their life paths have taken.  While they both felt they had lost the other, the truth of the matter couldn't have been any more different.  They both made choices given the circumstances they were in, and for better or worse, they have to live with the consequences.  Can the bond of sisterhood heal the wounds inflicted by war?  Is there any way for a lost soul to return to the beautiful life they once lived when the landscape has changed so much?

Step into the pages of history for a story you won't soon forget filled with characters you'll want to remember.  It's dark, and violent at times, but such are the results of war.  The important thing to remember is that victory is never out of reach as long as one still has HOPE.  

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About the author...

Jina Bacarr is a US-based historical romance author of over 10 previous books. She has been a screenwriter, journalist and news reporter, but now writes full-time and lives in LA. Jina’s novels have been sold in 9 territories.

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | BOOKBUB

Newsletter Sign Up

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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as the ecopy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today and be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

RRR presents... The Last Bookshop in Prague by Helen Parusel - REVIEW!

Get ready to step into a story from the past that'll feel like your present as we reach for a better future in today's featured tour! Bringing you another Rachel's Random Resources beauty, we've set our sights on the newest release from author Helen Parusel, a name whom you've seen here before, and a name I associate with stories to lose myself in. So, if you're ready to see how this latest venture went, keep reading and let the adventure begin...

The Last Bookshop in Prague

by

Helen Parusel

About the book...

Was she incredibly brave or incredibly stupid? Neither. Just a bookshop girl doing what she could against her country’s oppressors.

The banned books club was only the beginning; a place for the women of Prague to come together and share the tales the Germans wanted to silence.

For bookshop owner, Jana, doing the right thing was never a question. So when opportunity comes to help the resistance, she offers herself – and her bookshop. Using her window displays as covert signals and hiding secret codes in book marks, she’ll do all in her power to help.

But the arrival of two people in her bookshop will change everything: a young Jewish boy with nowhere else to turn, and a fascist police captain Jana can’t read at all. In a time where secrets are currency and stories can be fatal, will she know who to trust?

A heart-wrenching and powerful story of courage, tenacity and love. Fans of Suzanne Goldring, Mandy Robotham and Debbie Rix will devour this unforgettable novel.

SNAG YOUR COPY TODAY

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As with the previous stories this author has shared, this story will have you by the heart from the first page until the last.  With well developed characters that move you, and a well written story that makes you feel, I found myself holding my breath more than once in anticipation of what might be coming, and hoping against hope that they'd make it through the hardships they were facing intact in body and soul.  Case in point, the initial run with our little lad hiding in the trunk and being held up at a Nazi check point.  EEK!    The historical elements place you in a time and place unfamiliar yet made familiar, exploring the rebellious nature of those with a bookish heart, while having to stand strong in the face of dangers yet to be revealed..and even those that come with a face that begs you to consider what's beneath the surface.

Filled to the brim with secrets, rebellion, and the chance at a better tomorrow, author Heather Parusel has created another bookish wonder that readers will want to get their hands on post haste.  If you're a fan of the genre, don't hesitate!  This should be on your must read list today!

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About the author...

Helen Parusel is a historical novelist, having been a teacher and a clothes buyer for M&S. She currently lives in Hamburg.

Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Bookbub  |  Instragram

Newsletter Sign Up

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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you, and for the ecopy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today and be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

RRR presents... In The Shadow Of War by Adrienne Chinn - REVIEW!

Time to step into the past with an author who's proved her talent twice over already! On tour now with Rachel's Random Resources, we're celebrating the final installment of the Fry Sisters trilogy by Adrienne Chinn. Make room on your shelf for today's ebook of choice...

In The Shadow Of War

 by 

Adrienne Chinn

About the book...

One war may be over, but their fight for survival continues…

 

For sisters Etta, Jessie and Celie Fry, the Great War and the hardships of the years that followed have taken a heavy toll.

Determined to leave her painful past behind her, Etta heads to the bright lights of Hollywood whilst Jessie, determined to train as a doctor and use her skills to help others, is hampered by the men who dominate her profession. On the vast, empty plains of the Canadian prairies, Celie and her small family stand on the brink of losing everything.

As whispers of a new war make their way to each sister, each must face the possibility of the unthinkable happening again…

AMAZON UK | US

KOBO | iBOOKS | B&N | WHSMITH

GOOGLE BOOKS

 

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Oh these books have always been filled with so much emotion, so many familial connections, so many attempts to triumph over adversity, and so much hope for the future. Times haven't been easy for any of the sisters, or their mother for that matter, but there was always one thing they could count on...each other. Though they each had their own paths to walk, their own truths to tell, their own loves to find, and their own futures to build, and they were certainly strong enough to see the hard times through (even if it didn't seem so at the time), they always knew they could turn to one another for that extra boost. They always knew no matter how far away they were, or the circumstances in which they may find themselves, they were connected at heart. They already know the horrors that war can bring, and how fleeting life can be. To have to face the possibility of that all over again is beyond words, and yet to turn a blind eye is not an option.

The author takes us through life's paces with each sister, sharing the good, the bad, and the survivable... and by story's end, you won't want to let go. You'll be prepared to, but given everything we've seen, and experienced, it feels like saying goodbye to a member of your own family... good thing rereading is always an option.  😉  A great way to close out the trilogy, and a wonderful pick for Historical Fiction fans looking for a story they won't soon forget. 

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About the author...

Adrienne Chinn was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, grew up in Quebec, and eventually made her way to London, England after a career as a journalist. In England she worked as a TV and film researcher before embarking on a career as an interior designer, lecturer, and writer. Her debut novel, The Lost Letter, a timeslip love story set in Morocco, was published by Avon Books UK in 2019. Her second novel, The English Wife -- a timeslip story set in World War II England and contemporary Newfoundland -- was published in June 2020 and has become an international bestseller. Her third novel, Love in a Time of War, the first in a series of four books in The Three Fry Sisters series, was published in February 2022. The second book in the series, The Paris Sister, will be published in February 2023.

FACEBOOK | SITE |TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you and to the publisher for the ecopy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available this month, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today and be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

RRR presents... A Wartime Welcome from the Foyles Bookshop Girls by Elaine Roberts - REVIEW!

Hello friends.

Welcome back to another bookish day here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.  We're ever so slowly getting back into the swing of things with everything going on, and I just wanted to say that I appreciate everyone's kind words during this trying time.  Placing reality aside for a moment, let's take a look at the book on today's docket, shall we?

Rachel's Random Resources is once again making the rounds with a newly released Boldwood Books title that's ready to whisk you away to times gone by, indulge in your bookish nature, and embroil you in a mystery that could have dire consequences if not properly solved.  Sound like your cup of tea?  Well then, sit down for a spell and take a look between the epages of today's blog tour guest and ebook of choice...

A Wartime Welcome from the Foyles Bookshop Girls

by

Elaine Roberts

Boldwood Books

About the book...

London, 1918: the world is being torn apart by war, but for the girls of London’s Foyles bookshop, where there is friendship, there is hope… 

Perfect for fans of Rosie Clarke and Elaine Everest.

Ellen Beckford and her sister Mary are living under their father’s shadow. Before their beloved mother died, they had dreamed of bright futures, but torn apart by grief, Harold Beckford barely lets his daughters out of his sight. Then Harold is injured during a break-in at his office at London’s docklands, and can no longer work. And with prices rising and food scarce, Ellen has no choice but to defy her father’s rules and seek employment. She finds a position at London’s renowned Foyles bookshop, and the other shop girls quickly take her under their wing.

But there are dark times ahead. Ellen’s father is accused of gathering intelligence from the docklands for the enemy, and the police seem determined to see him shot for spying. With the help of her new friends, can Ellen clear her father’s name and save her family from destitution?

---> SNAG YOUR COPY TODAY <---

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Family, friends, and the future...all things we can never truly be certain of, but place our trust in nonetheless, come what may.  If we're lucky, we choose wisely and things play out as planned; if not, we suffer the consequences to make it to another day.  Most of us will be on the winning side most of the time, but there are times that are darker which befall us all, and it's up to us to let the light back in.

Such is the case here for Ellen and her father.  Times were hard enough without the sudden departure of one of their beloved, but they didn't let it strike a death toll for their present, nor their future.  They pulled together as best they could, did what needed doing to survive, and fought like heck to shut down the naysayers trying to throw shade on their good name for their own nefarious reasons.  Are they successful?  Well, that's for me to know and you to READ in order to find out, but I will say this...no task undertaken in the name of love and family is ever done only halfway.  Ellen, along with the help of her new friends, will learn much about life, much about matters of the heart, and much about the importance of fighting for those we care about most...including ourselves when necessary.

By book's end, things are set to right, or as right as they could be, and we're given a window into what may still be on the horizon for the characters we've come to know and love during our time between the pages.  A great addition to the series that can certainly be read as a standalone, and the perfect pick for Historical Fiction fans that like their stories with a bit of heart.

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About the author...

Elaine Roberts is the bestselling author of historical sagas set in London during the First World War. Previously published by Aria, she is bringing her successful Foyles Girls titles to Boldwood who will publish the fourth in this series in February 2024.

 FACEBOOK |  TWITTER

 Elaine Roberts Books - BookBub

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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you, as well as the publisher for the ecopy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today and be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!