International entrants are welcome, plus the books originate from four different countries. There will be six winners in all, and you'll have the opportunity to pick which books you'd like a chance at. I've featured most of these on the blog before.
(1) Belinda Alexandra's Tuscan Rose (HarperCollins Australia, 2010), epic fiction set in Tuscany in the years leading up to World War II, is about a courageous young woman who lives through numerous hardships as she struggles to discover her mysterious origins.
(2) Barbara Erskine's Time's Legacy (HarperCollins UK, 2011), a time-slip novel with mystical themes, moves back and forth between modern Glastonbury, England, and its pagan origins 2000 years earlier. [read my review]
(3) Barbara & Stephanie Keating, To My Daughter in France (Vintage UK, 2003). In this multi-period spy novel and family saga, the will left by Irish academic Richard Kirwan reveals that he had a secret French daughter, Solange de Valnay, the result of a wartime liaison. I read this last year; it's an intense novel that's full (sometimes overfull) of drama, but I enjoyed it.
(4) Roberta Rich, The Midwife of Venice (Gallery, 2012). Suspense and adventure featuring a spunky Jewish midwife in 16th-century Venice who saves a Christian mother and her newborn baby at the risk of her own life. [read my review]
(5) Richard B. Wright, Mr. Shakespeare's Bastard (HarperCollins Canada, 2010). The story of Aerlene Ward, an elderly Oxfordshire housekeeper in the 17th century, who makes a late-in-life confession about her father's true identity.
(6) Margaret Wurtele, The Golden Hour (Berkley, 2012). Giovanna Bellini falls in love with a Jewish freedom fighter during the German occupation of her Tuscan village. [read my review and the author's guest post]
All are brand new and unread, either duplicates I received in the mail or books I bought two copies of by mistake (this happens more than I'd like to admit).
Please fill out this form to enter the giveaway. Deadline Sunday, April 8th. Good luck, and thanks for continuing to visit this site!
Congratulations on your blogoversary! Your site is fantastic; I return to it often. Keep blogging away!
ReplyDeleteAndrea
Congratulations, six years is a big achievement! I always enjoy visiting your blog as many of the titles you review are new to me and sound amazing.
ReplyDeleteWow 6 Years! That is certainly a commitment! And hopefully many more!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on yourblogocersary!
ReplyDeleteSix years is a great achievement! Well done.
ReplyDeleteI missed your blog! And it's such a nice surprise to find out about your blogiversary. Congratulations!! ^_^
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and thank you! I've discovered many wonderful books thanks to your blog. Your commitment to reading and love of history is a gift. Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteBelated (but nonetheless heart-felt) congratulations!!! Here's to many more years for "Reading the Past"
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on six years! I hope there are many more!
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks everyone! I love hearing that people are finding good reads here - that's what it's about.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your 6th aniversary. I only found your blog a few months ago. My particular favourite books are from female writers between the wars.
ReplyDeleteI'm always struck, seriously, by how much time must go into the careful presentation of this site. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBut re the list: how can two people write a novel?
Committees must be two or more; novelists must be one and only one.
Congratulations Sarah:) You do such amazing work with this blog on top of your 'day job'. Not quite sure how you do it!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Elisabeth
Hi, I am new to your blog, congratulations on 6 years. Thank you for a great giveaway.
ReplyDeleteLindsay (new follower)
http://thelittlereaderlibrary.blogspot.co.uk/
I've been having a great time reading these comments, both here and in the form submissions. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Shelley, there have been many instances of two authors co-writing a novel - it's very possible! There are many ways to do it... one person drafts and the other polishes, one does narrative and the other dialogue, they alternate viewpoint chapters, etc. Try googling for Charles Todd's writing process for a look at it (a mother-son writing team).
Lindsay, welcome to the site, and I'm a new follower of your blog as well - thanks for letting me know about it.
Happy blogiversary! I love that you sometimes feature Canadian authors, like Roberta Rich. The Midwife of Venice was good, and those who enjoyed it may also like The Spanish Doctor by the late Matt Cohen. It's a very similar story about a Jewish physician who risks his life to safely deliver the baby of a wealthy Christian noble. Not sure how widely available it is in the U.S.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and happy blogiversary!
ReplyDeleteBelated congrats on your 6th blogiversary! Here's to many more years of blogging!
ReplyDeleteDear Sarah,
ReplyDeleteHeartfelt congratulations on your blogiversary! This note is embarrassingly late as I have been very nearly completely absent from the Internet for a couple of months, yet as Reading The Past is one of my favourite book blogs I did want you to know how much I appreciate your hard work and admire your refined, gracious approach to reviewing. Thank you for the enjoyment and instruction you so generously provide. May you reap many rewards for your commitment to excellency :-)
Thank you everyone! I seem to be a little late in replying to comments myself... I think the spam filter at my ISP is preventing me from getting notifications.
ReplyDeleteHeather, I have The Spanish Doctor around here somewhere and will read it if my assignment schedule lets me!
Thanks, Deniz and Avis!
Danielle, I appreciate your comments (thanks so much!) and I've missed seeing your lengthy and wonderfully detailed reviews. Hope you'll be back to writing more in the future?