Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Giveaway: The Arrow Chest by Robert Parry

Yesterday I reviewed The Arrow Chest by Robert Parry, an amazing novel that takes place in 1876 Victorian England.  Today, I am excited to announce that thanks to Robert Parry, himself I am giving away one copy of this extraordinary book!  I am happy to announce that this giveaway includes all of my readers in the UK, Europe, Canada, and the United States.

Book Description:

London, 1876. The painter Amos Roselli is in love with his life-long friend and model, the beautiful Daphne - and she with him - until one day she is discovered by another man, a powerful and wealthy industrialist. What will happen when Daphne realises she has sacrificed her happiness to a loveless marriage? What will happen when the artist realises he has lost his most cherished source of inspiration? And how will they negotiate the ever-increasing frequency of strange and bizarre events that seem to be driving them inexorably towards self-destruction. Here, amid the extravagant Neo-Gothic culture of Victorian England, the iconic poem ‘The Lady of Shalott’ blends with mysterious and ghostly glimpses of Tudor history. Romantic, atmospheric and deeply dark.

The Trailer:


About Robert Parry:

Robert Parry is an independent UK writer of historical fiction with special interests in Tudor and Elizabethan history, Victorian Gothic and Pre-Raphaelite art.

His debut novel, 'VIRGIN AND THE CRAB' first appeared in 2009, and his 2nd novel 'THE ARROW CHEST' was published in January 2011. Both are available in Paperback and on Kindle.

Robert Parry's Website.


Please note:  There is a special requirement for this giveaway, read the requirements on how to enter carefully or you may be disqualified.

To Enter:

Manditory: If you win, you must agree to review this book within 3 months of receiving it.

Please leave a comment that if you win, you agree to review this book within 3 months of receiving it, along with your email address.  You don't have to have a blog to win this book.  You can post your review on a site like GoodReads, Amazon, Library Thing, etc.


Extra entries:

Extra Entries:  (please leave a separate comment for each, for instance you you are a follower, leave 3 comments that you are a follower).

+3 Old or new follower of this blog.
+3 Old or new follower on Twitter ().
+3 Be my friend on Facebook (Teddy Rose).
+3 "Like" the post about this giveaway on Facebook
+3 Be my friend on Goodreads (Teddy).
+3 for Joining my Books Won Reading Challenge (be sure to follow the rules and then let me know you joined here.)
+1 for each comment on a book review I have done. (Be sure to tell me which ones).
+1 for clicking to give free food at The Animal Rescue Site (tell me you did it).( Up to 1 time per day)
+1 for clicking to give free books at The Literacy Site (tell me you did it). ( Up to 1 time per day)

That's 21 or more possible entries!  But wait, there's more:


+3 Be a fan of The Arrow Chest  on Facebook.
+3 "Like" The Arrow Chest on Facebook.
+3 Follow Robert Parry on Twitter (@TweetsByWriter )

No P.O. Boxes, please.
Again, this giveaway is for those in  the UK, Europe, Canada, and the United States. 

This giveaway will end on Friday, March 4th, 11:59 P.M. E.S.T. The winner will be notified by email. Winner must respond within TWO days or will be disqualified. 

Please note, there will be more giveaways of The Arrow Chest during the tour.  S  Go check out the rest of the tour and find the giveaways. 

Tour Schedule:
*February 14th and 15th: Peeking Between the Pages
*February 22nd and 23rd: So Many Precious Book, So Little Time
*February 23rd: Historical Tapestry
*February 23rd: This Miss Loves to Read
*February 24th: Let Them Read Books
February 28th: The Written Word
*Mar 1st and 2nd: Jenny Loves to Read 
 
*Guest post, Interview, and/or Giveaway


Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:01 AM 102 comments  

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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The Arrow Chest by Robert Parry

In London, 1876, the bones of three females were discovered under the chapel in the Tower of London.  They were said to be the remains of two of Henry VIII's wives, Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard and those of Lady Jane Grey.  The painter, Amos Roselli was summoned there to do sketches of the remains.

Amos didn't want to be left in the tower alone and asked for someone to be there with him.  In a short while, a yeoman warder, came in and they had a friendly chat.  When Amos finished the sketches, the warder was gone and the man who gave him the commission showed up with his wife.  He knew nothing about the yeoman warder.  When Amos made inquiries about the warder he was told the man had been dead for many year.  This started the strange sightings and creepy feeling which plagued Amos throughout the novel.

Amos recently hired a new maid, Beth for his humble home.  He didn't pay her much as he was a struggling artist.  However, Beth took to her work and master and did the best she could. 
Things were looking starting to look up for Amos.  Amos's inspiration/muse and childhood  friend, Daphne had married a very wealthy man, Oliver Ramsey, one year ago and Amos had just been commissioned to do a portrait of Oliver.  Amos knew that if Ramsey liked the portrait he would most likely gain more commissions.

Amos was happy that he was finally going to see Daphne again and once he arrived, their friendship continued like it was never interrupted.  Daphne confides in Amos that her marriage wasn't what she expected and the Oliver was very disappointed that she hadn't produced an heir yet.  Poor Daphne was stuck in a loveless marriage and it soon became apparent that Ramsey had his sights on another woman.  He wanted to get rid of Daphne one way or another.

During his visit with the Ramseys' many strange things happened.  He keeps seeing a woman from a distance that appears to be Daphne but couldn't be.  Later, Beth said that Daphne had dropped off some flowers while he was gone however, Daphne had been with him that entire day.  To add fuel to this strangeness, Daphne like to hold séances with her guests after dinner and there were some cryptic messages from the dead.

Robert parry's poetic prose painted a haunting portrait of Victorian England and his characters.  He deftly weaved the story in with the story of Anne Boleyn .  It felt very authentic.  The characters were so well developed that I felt as if I was transported to Victorian England every time I picked up the book.  I felt like I was one of the characters.  There were a couple slow places in the book but those were minimal and then the book picked up again.   I loved The Arrow Chest and did not want it to end. 

4.5/5

View the Trailer:


Thanks to Robert Parry for this book.  Please note, this review is part of a book tour that I organized myself for Robert Parry through my new virtual book tour company,  Premier Virtual Author Book Tours.  This did not influence my review of this book.  I always give my true and honest opinions and feelings of every book I review.

Also reviewed by:
Peeking Between the Pages
All Things Historical Fiction

Please note, there will be giveaways of The Arrow Chest during the tour.  Stay tuned tomorrow for my giveaway.  Go check out the rest of the tour and find the giveaways.  There is one already in progress.

Tour Schedule:
*February 14th and 15th: Peeking Between the Pages
*February 22nd and 23rd: So Many Precious Book, So Little Time
*February 23rd: Historical Tapestry
*February 23rd: This Miss Loves to Read
*February 24th: Let Them Read Books
February 28th: The Written Word
*Mar 1st and 2nd: Jenny Loves to Read 
 
*Guest post, Interview, and/or Giveaway

Posted by Teddy Rose at 12:01 AM 3 comments  

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Monday, February 21, 2011

Maibox Monday

 
MailBox Monday now has it's very own blog, Mailbox Monday.  It is also on tour and is being hosted by Library of Clean Reads in February.

These are the books I received:

 Thanks to Simon & Schuster's Galley Grab.











Thanks to Jason Liebman of Henry Holt and Company.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 6:33 PM 9 comments  

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Sunday, February 20, 2011

The Fly by Katherine Mansfield


Back in January, I reviewed The Doll's House by Katherine Mansfield.  I found it to be a gem and said I wanted to read more by this author.  That is when John of The Book Mine Set recommended The Fly to me.

Mr. Woodifield is retire now because of the stroke he had however, he visits the office and his boss weekly.  On this visit he reminded his boss about the loss of his son.

Mr. Woodfield left but his boss was quite upset over the reminder of his dear son.  He tells his clerk that he is not to be disturbed for a half hour.  At first he just sits with a blank stare, thinking about his son.  His son has been dead for six years and he has not been able to cry and wonders whats wrong with him.

When he reaches for the photograph of his son he notices that there is a fly in his ink pot.  He rescues the fly and shakes him off on a peice of blotter paper.  The fly gets busy cleaning himself off and the boss pictures him rejoicing for being saved. However, then he toys around with the fly in a most disturbing way.

This very short story of about 7 pages really pack a punch.  It is one of mourning loss and the transference of emotions and power on to the defenseless.  Highly recommended.  You can read it here.

Also reviewed by:

Did you review this story?  Leave a link in the comments and I will post it here.

If you would like to participate in Short Story Mondays, go to John of The Book Mine Set. He has a short story review every Monday and a place for you to link your short story review. Come join in the fun!


Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:43 PM 8 comments  

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Saturday, February 19, 2011

Winners: TO TEMPT A RAKE by Cara Elliott

Thanks to Anna Balasi of Hachette Book Group for making this giveaway possible. 

The winners are:

Cheryl
Meredith
Marlene (already won)
YW Liang (already won)
Bethie (already won)
Mindie (already won)
Judy

Congratulations!  Please respond to my email within two days to claim your book.


Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:27 PM 2 comments  

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Winners: Notorious Pleasures by Elizabeth Hoyt

Thanks again to Anna Balasi of Hachette Book Group for making this giveaway possible.

The winners are:
Heather
YW Liang
PoCoKat (already won)
Cheryl

Congratulations!  Please respond to my email within 2 days to claim your book.


Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:10 PM 0 comments  

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Winners: Deadly Heat & Deadly Lies by Cynthia Eden

Thanks again to Anna Balasi of Forever for making this giveaway possible.

The Winners of this double book giveaway are:

Nicole
Cheryl
Clenna

Congratulations!  Please reply to the email I sent you within 2 days to claim your books.

 

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:53 PM 5 comments  

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Monday, February 14, 2011

The Basement Room by Graham Greene

Last year, Nan of Letters From a Hill Farm reviewed The Basement Room by Graham Greene.  Her convinced me that I had to read it for myself.

Philip's parents are leaving him for two weeks,  in the care of  Mr. and Mrs. Baines, the butler housekeeper.  His most recent nurse left and they haven't had time to fill her place.  Philip is 7 years old and likes to go to the basement where the Baines live.  He considers Mr' Baines a friend and likes to hanout with him down there.

Mrs. Baines is left upstairs to do all the housework while Mr. Baines relaxes.  He doesn't lift a finger to help well the master is away.  Mr. Baines tells Philip all kinds of tales from his life, including the time he lived in Africa.

One day Mrs. Baines was gone for the day, so Mr Baines and his lover took Philip out for the day.  After a long day, Philip was escorted up to bed and tucked in by both Baines and his lover.  Mrs. Baines arrived home and went directly to Philips rooms.  She asked him where Baines and the woman were but Philip, gripped with fear couldn't answer.
"The night light stood beside the mirror and Mrs. Baines could see there her own reflection, misery and cruelty wavering in the glass, age and dust and nothing to hope for."
Mrs. Baines left Philip's room and started down the stair to look for the two lovers.
"Philip could move, he raised his knees, he sat up in bed; he wanted to die.  It wasn't fair; the walls were down again between his world and theirs, but this time it was something worse than merriment that the grown people made him share. A passion moved the house he recognized but could not understand."
By the end or the story, poor Philip is affected by the events that happened for life.

This was a well written story with good character development.  I got sucked in right away and cared what happened to Philip.  Greene captures the heart, mind, fears, and emotions of a little boy with poetic prose.  I highly recommend this story and you can read it here.

Did you review this story?  Please leave the link in the comments and I will link it here. 

If you would like to participate in Short Story Mondays, go to John of The Book Mine Set. He has a short story review every Monday and a place for you to link your short story review. Come join in the fun!


Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:47 PM 8 comments  

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Maibox Monday

MailBox Monday now has it's very own blog, Mailbox Monday.  It is also on tour and is being hosted by Library of Clean Reads in February.

I received 2 books last week:

I won the book of my choice from The Book Depository, thanks to Lesa of at Baja's Cozy Book Nook.
I received this book from St. Martin's Press.  I hadn't requested it by the author, C.W. Gortner had them send it to me since I enjoyed 2 of his previous books,The Last Queen and .The Confessions of Catherine de Medici.

I don't normally care for mysteries but have read some really good reviews so I think I will try it when I get the chance.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 6:51 PM 12 comments  

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Friday, February 11, 2011

Winners: HOW SWEET IT IS By Sophi Gunn-Blog Tour

Thanks to Anna Balasi of Hachette Book Group for Making this giveaway possible.

The Winners are:
Elaing
Judy

Congratulations!  Please respond to the email I sent you within 2 days to claim your prize.


Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:44 PM 0 comments  

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