The Lady in the Coppergate Tower

THE LADY IN THE COPPERGATE TOWER

by Nancy Campbell Allen

Hazel Hughes has spent her life believing she is a Medium—someone who can talk to ghosts. But as of yet, that skill has remained frustratingly elusive. She is also suffering from a reoccurring childhood dream of someone who looks almost exactly like Hazel, but this dream version of herself is slowly going mad.

Sam MacInnes is a talented surgeon who runs in the highest social circles thanks to his family’s position and history. When Sam hires Hazel to assist him with his medical practice, he is immediately drawn to her intelligence, wit, and beauty.

Their potential relationship is derailed one evening when a mysterious count arrives in London and reveals to Hazel the truth about her past: she was abducted at birth and her twin sister has fallen dangerously ill.

Hazel agrees to travel to Romania with Count Petrescu in order to save her sister, and Sam insists on accompanying her. The count has secrets, though, and the journey grows more sinister with every mile that draws Hazel closer to her homeland. Even as her feelings for Sam become deeper and more complicated, she fears she might not survive the quest to save her sister with her heart intact, not to mention her life. She must learn to draw on gifts she doesn’t know she has if they are going to ever return home again.

Hazel and Sam must fight their way past dark magic, clockwork beasts, and their own insecurities as they try to reach her sister in the impenetrable Coppergate Tower before time runs out.

My Thoughts
I have read many of Nancy Campbell Allen's books before and love her style. Yet, I was quite hesitant to read one of her steampunk books. 

If you have never heard about steampunk before, I think Daily.com put it best when they said, "{Steampunk is] taking inspiration from a retrofuturistic mashup between a Victorian aesthetic and cyberpunk." (https://www.dailydot.com/parsec/what-is-steampunk-fashion/). Wikipedia adds, "Steampunk may also incorporate additional elements from the genres of fantasy, horror, historical fiction, alternate history, or other branches of speculative fiction, making it often a hybrid genre." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk)

With that being said, my daughter-in-law could not get enough of these books. So, I decided to give this one a try and I LOVED IT! The writing is phenomenal and the story line is very captivating! I especially love the fairy tale twist. I will definitely be reading the other books in the series!

Purchase Link

Amazon

Books in this Series

(Click the image to read more)

A Little Bit About Me - #1

WHY I STARTED BLOGGING

Next Monday will be my 7th blogoversary and I thought it would be fun to write about how I got started.

I was working at Deseret Book in Logan and was already reading a lot and working the many author signings. A coworker and I were friends on Goodreads and she knew that I posted my "star" ratings, but I never posted a review.

It was her encouragement that got me started in leaving reviews and from there it blossomed into a blog. I will be forever grateful to her and her love of reviewing that got me started. 

My blog is all about helping people find "good" books to read. Therefore, you will see positive reviews as I post only about the books I enjoyed.

I also consider myself more of an author promoter rather than just a reviewer. I have worked with many authors and feel blessed to know them. I am grateful for their talents in writing and want to help them be successful so they will continue writing.

I am also grateful for all my followers. Thank you for making this journey so enjoyable!

Nancy Campbell Allen

NANCY CAMPBELL ALLEN

"Nancy loves to read, write, travel and research, and enjoys spending time laughing with family and friends. She and her husband have three children, and she lives in Ogden, Utah with her family and one very large Siberian Husky named Thor." - Amazon

I am holding her book,

THE LADY IN THE COPPERGATE TOWER

About the Book

Hazel Hughes believes there is nothing remarkable about her, not even her strange ability to heal the sick and injured.

Her employer, Doctor Sam MacInnes recognizes her special talent, but because of the difference in their social status, he can't tell her how much he admires her.

When a mysterious count arrives in London and reveals to Hazel the existence of a twin sister, she agrees to accompany him to the wilds of Romania, where she learns that her healing skills are needed to save her twin's life. Worried for her safety, Sam insists on traveling with her.

Faced with dark magic, malfunctioning automatons, and dangerous magical artifacts, Hazel and Sam learn to rely on each other as they untangle a deadly web of mystery surrounding the count and search for a way to free Hazel's sister from the cursed walls of the Coppergate Tower before time runs out on all of them.

My Thoughts
I have previously read four of Nancy Campbell Allen's books listed below and love her style. I will admit though, I was a little hesitant to read her steampunk series. However, my daughter-in-law loves these books, so I decided to give it a try. I started this book a couple of nights ago. I am already over seventy percent into it and I AM LOVING IT! The writing is phenomenal and the story line is very captivating! I especially love the fairy tale twist. I will definitely be reading the other books in the series!

Nancy Campbell Allen's Steampunk Series
(Click on each book cover to read more about it)

Isabelle Webb, former Pinkerton Spy Series

Proper Romance and Timeless Regency Collection

Follow Nancy Campbell Allen

AMAZON | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Becca Wilhite

BECCA WILHITE

"Becca Wilhite loves books - reading and writing them. By day, she teaches high school English. By night, she's a wife and a mom. In between, she squeezes in wordplay."

-Amazon

I am holding her book,

CHECK ME OUT.

About the Book

Greta loves her job as assistant librarian. She loves her best friend, Will, the high school civics teacher and debate coach. She even loves her mother despite her obvious disappointment that Greta is still single.

Then she meets Mac in the poetry section of the library, and she is smitten. Mac is heart-stoppingly gorgeous and showers her with affection, poetic text messages, and free hot chocolate at the local café where he works. The only problem is that he seems to be a different person in his texts than in his face-to-face conversation.

When the Franklin Library is threatened with closure, Greta leaps into action. She arranges for a "battle of the bands" book jam, hosts a book signing by a famous author, and finally, stages a protest that raises more than a few eyebrows.

Through it all, she slowly realizes that it is Will, not Mac, who she turns to for support and encouragement. Mac has the looks; Will has the heart. How can she choose between them?

Check Me Out is a contemporary romance--with just a hint of Cyrano de Bergerac--that reminds us that it is what's on the inside that matters most.

My Thoughts

This book is SO ADORABLE! You will love it from the very first page as the setting is in a LIBRARY -- what a perfect place that we all cherish! The writing is fantastic with lots of humor and wit. The texts that go back and forth are heart-capturing. Do you have a "history crush?" Greta does--
Wait until you find out who it is :)

Grab a copy and then come back and tell me what you think of Greta, Will, and Mac. I. LOVED. LOVED. LOVED. THIS ONE!

Becca Wilhite's Books 

(Click on each book cover to learn more about it)

Follow Becca Wilhite

BLOG | AMAZON | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Proper Romance Authors

Look who I got to hang out with tonight- 

Watch for more info on each author and their amazing books.

PROPER ROMANCE AUTHORS

Becca Whilhite, Nancy Campbell Allen, Julie Wright

Josi S. Kilpack, Leah Garriot, Sarah M. Eden

Fool's Deadly Gold

FOOL'S DEADLY GOLD

by Clair M. Poulson

Lauralyn LaPlant and her sister, Bridgette, could not be closer. Their shared passion for adventure draws them to scale a sheer cliff one fateful day, but despite their experienced precautions, Bridgette suffers a terrible accident and plummets to an untimely death.

Shattered by grief, Lauralyn soon makes a sobering discovery: this was no accident—her sister’s climbing rope was cut. But who wanted Bridgette dead, and why? 

It’s up to Lauralyn and her grieving brother-in-law, Dade, to uncover the truth, even if it means putting themselves in the path of a ruthless killer. 

As their search for clues leads them deep into the heart of Gold Country, they discover that in the world of prospecting, greed knows no limits.

My Thoughts
I loved this story! I really enjoyed the underlying theme of digging for gold. I have tried panning for gold twice and loved it. (I do realize they probably peppered the stream with gold flecks for us impressionable tourists). Yet, it was fun and there is a certain thrill of finding even a flake of that glittering gold! It was intriguing how many characters where in this book and how many were willing to kill to have the gold all to themselves. It was also fun to read all the love triangles that kept coming at you. The author truly does keep you guessing clear to the end. Another FANTASTIC READ that you simply must get!

Purchase Link
Amazon

BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY

(Covenant Communications will notify winner by email)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Out of Liberty

OUT OF LIBERTY
Newest movie by Garret Batty,
the writer-director behind the popular films
Saratov Approach and Freetown!

Winter 1839. 

LIBERTY, MISSOURI. 

Local jailer, Samuel Tillery (Jasen Wade) is tasked with watching Missouri's most wanted men as they await their upcoming hearing. Caught between the local Missourians' increased drive to remove the prisoners, and the prisoners' desperate efforts to survive, Tillery is pushed beyond what any lawman can endure. 

Based on actual recorded accounts, Out of Liberty is an intense, evocative western, with an outcome you have to see to believe.

My Thoughts
This movie looks AMAZING! 
I love true stories-
Cannot wait to see this one!

MOVIE TRAILER

BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY
(Winner will be notified by email)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Q&A with Director, Garrett Batty

1. Where did the concept come from for Out of Liberty?

I love a good Western, and I've wanted to do one for a while. The events at Liberty Jail involve a triangle of conflict between the jailer, the mob and the prisoners.  It seemed like an intriguing plot to explore.  Amidst some of the better known occurances were attempted jailbreaks, repeated appeals to the legal system and an impromptu court hearing.  With 1830’s Missouri as a setting, it’s the perfect backdrop for a powerful western.

2. What were some high points during the creative process?

Working in independent film is extremely difficult.  It requires a lot of talented, passionate creative individuals to make things come together.  Stephen Dethloff brought in the first several drafts of the script, and it was a high point to see that there was a cinematic story in Liberty Jail.  Then, to be able to cast Jasen Wade, Brandon Ray Olive and Corbin Allred (who came back to acting after a 5 year hiatus just for this role) was a dream come true.  Another high point was getting to see the set of the jail.  We built 2 different sets, to cover interiors and exteriors.  To step onto each set after they were completely prepped for filming made everything feel real.

3. What was your favorite scene on set?

The entire shoot was extremely cold, and the pressure to get everything just right probably impeded me from being able to feel like I had a favorite scene during the shoot.  But now that the film is done, I can look back at some of the scenes and more accurately choose favorites.  There’s a lot of recorded stories about the friendship between Joseph (Brandon Ray Olive) and Porter (Corbin Allred.)  The scenes in which we tried to portray that friendship have become some of my favorites.  Also, the jailer, Samuel Tillery (Jasen Wade) has a classic western stand-off with one of the characters.  I’ve loved that scene from the moment it was in the script, through the final edit. 

4. Any learning moments you want to share?

Any film presents opportunities for learning moments.  Whether in the research phase, fundraising phase, production, post, or distribution, I’m always learning more and more about the process.  One lesson that relates specifically to OUT OF LIBERTY was learning to respect the humanness of whom the story is about.  Often I read historical accounts, but fail to recognize that they are written about real people, who deal with the same human hopes, dreams, faith and fears that I go through.  So I learned to not only show their actions, but to help the audience understand the human emotion that was driving their actions.  So in a moment of weakness, when Sydney Rigdon (Brock Roberts) doesn’t live up to my expectations, appreciating his humanness helps me to be more understanding of his actions.

5. What is the inspiration behind the story? 

OUT OF LIBERTY is based on the true events that happened at Liberty Jail in 1839.  Mob rule and public opinion collided with religious liberties and expressions of faith.  It lead to a conflict that escalated beyond what either side wanted.    Today, with ever-present social media and opinionated commentators stirring up reactions and attacks toward any differing belief, the similarities felt very relevant.  Fortunately, we see in both cases, that principled individuals, dedicated to the good of society, can make a difference.

6. What advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers?

Stop aspiring, start doing.  We need great storytellers!

7. If you had to summarize the film in one line what would it be? 

OUT OF LIBERTY is a western drama about a jailer caught between his civic job to keep Missouris’s most wanted men held for trial, and his personal duty to protect them from those who want them dead.

8. What do you hope people take away from this film?

When audiences go to the theater to see OUT OF LIBERTY, I hope they come away thinking “Wow, that was an awesome film!  Let’s see it again.”  It’s really a cool story, and to see it in theaters brings it to life in a way that no other format can.

9. What most surprised you in the making of this film?

One of the surprises along they way was how dedicated and committed the cast and crew were to telling this story.  One example of this is with the character of Caleb Baldwin played by Adam Johnson.  I’ve been friends with Adam Johnson for years, and have loved watching him in everything from CHARLY to The Outpost on The CW.  He was gracious enough to come do this movie as a favor for me.  I anticipated he would show up, deliver a good performance, keep the set fun, and be on to the next project.  But Adam surprised me.  He brought a performance that gave a level of humanity and depth that turned Caleb Baldwin into a real person for me.  It was humbling, inspiring, and it has stuck with me.  Every actor gave  their all, and it shows on screen.  It was really quite a nice surprise to have that caliber of talent on this film.

10. What scene was the most difficult to film? 

Each scene had its own set of challenges, but for this project I’d have to say the first day of shooting was the hardest.  The film is dedicated to my mother-in-law, who unexpectedly passed away only two days before filming began.  With this personal tragedy very much on my mind, it was difficult to try to focus on the film.  I was grateful to be surrounded by a supportive cast and crew, and a wonderful family.  One message of the film deals with enduring extremely difficult circumstances, so that inspired me throughout the shoot.

11. What other films have you directed?

OUT OF LIBERTY is my fourth feature film.  Other features I’ve written and directed are THE SARATOV APPROACH, FREETOWN and SCOUT CAMP. 

12. How long did it take to film your movie?

 We filmed OUT OF LIBERTY in November, 2018.

One fun story - I was holding auditions, and was surprised when Jasen Wade showed up to audition.  We had never worked together, and it was an honor to have him audition.  He read for a role and did a great job.  But I felt I should ask him to read the part of the jailer, Samuel Tillery.  He looked a little disheartened, but agreed to read for the part.  He was perfect for it!  About a week later, we offered him the part and he graciously accepted.  I asked him to make some time for a call so that we could discuss his approach to the character.  As we discussed the character, he paused for a minute, then said “Wait a minute… I’m just playing the jailer, right?”  He was shocked to find out that the jailer was the protagonist of the film.  He was expecting it to be just a small supporting role.

A Lady's Maid

A LADY'S MAID

by Jen Geigle Johnson

Molly O’Malley, lady’s maid to the progressive Lady Amanda Halloway, is determined to continue the life’s work of her lost love, killed in the Peterloo Massacre. But when her efforts and a trip to Lady Halloway’s charitable orphanage culminate in her own abduction, Molly’s eyes are opened to the horrifying crimes transpiring in the city’s slums. Despite the risks, she broadens her mission and is drawn ever closer to the peril all around them.

Thomas Flaherty, a footman in the Halloway household, has been with Molly from the beginning, but he fears she will never trust him with her heart. Even though her cause and happiness are of foremost importance to him, his loyal patience is tested by the fears that keep her at a distance. But with their safety on the line, Thomas is resolved to sacrifice everything for the woman he loves.

Risking their lives and their love, Molly and Thomas and a team of nobles on their side will stop at nothing to empower the powerless, no matter the personal cost.

My Thoughts
This book is SO FASCINATING! As you read you will find yourself in the ton with the noblest of the nobility. Then you will stumble into the darkest abyss of the place called Angel Meadow. You will read of the children and women who must suffer like none other and the people who are trying to help them gain freedom and personal rights. Molly and Thomas will quickly become your heroes and you will anxiously read to the very last page wanting to know more. It is SO GOOD! I highly recommend this book!

Purchase Link
Amazon

BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY

(Covenant Communications will notify winner by email)

a Rafflecopter giveaway