Port of No Return Book Tour and Giveaway

Port of No Return by Michelle Saftich

Publication Date: July 31, 2015

Odyssey Books

eBook & Paperback; 244 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Contessa and Ettore Saforo awake to a normal day in war-stricken, occupied Italy. By the end of the day, their house is in ruins and they must seek shelter and protection wherever they can. But the turbulent politics of 1944 refuses to let them be. 

 As Tito and his Yugoslav Army threaten their German-held town of Fiume, Ettore finds himself running for his life, knowing that neither side is forgiving of those who have assisted the enemy. His wife and children must also flee the meagre life their town can offer, searching for a better life as displaced persons. 

Ettore and Contessa's battle to find each other, and the struggle of their family and friends to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of a devastating war, provide a rich and varied account of Italian migration to Australia after World War II. 

 What can you do when you have nowhere left to call home? Port of No Return considers this question and more in a novel that is full of action, pain and laughter ó a journey you will want to see through to the very end. 

 Port of No Return is the first novel in a series of two.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

About the Author

Michelle Saftich is a first time author who resides in Brisbane, Australia, with her husband and two children. She holds a Bachelor of Business/Communications Degree, majoring in journalism, from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). For the past twenty years, she has worked in communications, including print journalism, sub-editing, communications management and media relations. In 1999, she was named National Winner for Best News Story in the ASNA (Australian Suburban Newspaper Awards). Born and raised in Brisbane, she spent ten years living in Sydney; and two years in Osaka, Japan, where she taught English. 

 For more information please visit Michelle Saftich's website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, April 9 
Review at Pursuing Stacie 

Tuesday, April 10 
Feature at Passages to the Past 

Wednesday, April 11 
Feature at The Writing Desk 

Thursday, April 12 Review at 
Dressed to Read 

Friday, April 13 
Guest Post at Dressed to Read 
Interview at Maiden of the Pages 

Monday, April 16 
Review at Books and Glamour 

Tuesday, April 17 
Feature at Being Anne 

Thursday, April 19 
Feature at Time 2 Read 
Review at Teaser Addicts Book Blog 

Monday, April 23 
Review at What Cathy Read Next 
Review at The Caffeinated Bibliophile 

Friday, April 27 
Review at Books of a Shy Girl

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below. 

Giveaway Rules 

• Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on April 27th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
• Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. 
• Only one entry per household.
• All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
• Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. 

Port of No Return

Review: Daughter of Sand and Stone - with GIVEAWAY!

Daughter of Sand and Stone

by Libbie Hawker\

Why I chose this book? historical fiction from an era I’d like to learn about

When I read this book? December 2015

Who should read this book? readers of historical fiction set in the days of ancient Rome

Source: TLC Book Tours

Here is a synopsis of Daughter of Sand and Stone from Goodreads

When Zenobia takes control of her own fate, will the gods punish her audacity?

Zenobia, the proud daughter of a Syrian sheikh, refuses to marry against her will. She won’t submit to a lifetime of subservience. When her father dies, she sets out on her own, pursuing the power she believes to be her birthright, dreaming of the Roman Empire’s downfall and her ascendance to the throne.

Defying her family, Zenobia arranges her own marriage to the most influential man in the city of Palmyra. But their union is anything but peaceful—his other wife begrudges the marriage and the birth of Zenobia’s son, and Zenobia finds herself ever more drawn to her guardsman, Zabdas. As war breaks out, she’s faced with terrible choices.

From the decadent halls of Rome to the golden sands of Egypt, Zenobia fights for power, for love, and for her son. But will her hubris draw the wrath of the gods? Will she learn a “woman’s place,” or can she finally stake her claim as Empress of the East?

My Review

This was an interesting book and once I got into the story, I enjoyed it very much. The writing was descriptive and truly created a picture in my head. It took me a while to really get into the story, but I was well into it by the end of the first chapter. The difficulty was due to my shortcomings and not due to the story or the writing. I don’t have much background in world history, so for much of the first chapter I almost felt like I was reading fantasy or dystopian fiction. The setting and place names were unfamiliar to me, as was the name of the heroine, Zenobia. So I ended up re-reading the first chapter twice, just to get the names straight!

Once I oriented myself, I really enjoyed learning about the times and grew to like many of the characters. Ironically, I’m not sure I was supposed to like Aurelian, but he was possibly my favorite character in the book. I also liked Zenobia, though at times I found her extremely frustrating. She was a strong woman and a leader, but at times sometimes her choices annoyed me. It often seemed that when there was a decision to be made, she chose the one that brought her glory at the expense of her family.

This was historical fiction and did it’s job, because it enticed me to learn more. I went through several stages, first wondering if Zenobia was a real person, and then after realizing she was a real person, I wanted to immediately  google her to learn more! I appreciated that the author included some of the history and her reasoning in developing the characters the way she did in her notes at the end of the book. If you enjoy historical fiction, pick this one up.

And if you would like to win a copy, I have one copy to give away! Just click the link below and fill out the form. (Sorry, US and Canda only!)

GIVEAWAY

DAUGHTER OF SAND AND STONE

Sorry, giveaway has ended!

Libbie Hawker writes historical and literary fiction featuring deeply human characters, with rich details of time and place. She is the author of ten novels, most of which take place in the distant past among ancient civilizations. She lives in the beautiful San Juan Islands with her husband.

Connect with Libbie

Website | Facebook | Twitter

My Rating:  ★★★1/2     3-1/2 Stars

This book review is included in a tour by TLC Book Tours. I was provided a copy for review purposes.

Libbie’s Tour Stops

Monday, November 30th: Peeking Between the Pages

Tuesday, December 1st: Bibliotica

Tuesday, December 1st: Life is Story

Wednesday, December 2nd: Reading Reality

Thursday, December 3rd: A Chick Who Reads

Monday, December 7th: Luxury Reading

Wednesday, December 9th: Book Dilettante

Thursday, December 10th: Mom’s Small Victories

Friday, December 11th: Book Nerd

Monday, December 14th: 100 Pages a Day…Stephanie’s Book Reviews

Monday, December 14th: Book Babe

Tuesday, December 15th: A Bookish Affair

Wednesday, December 16th: The Reader’s Hollow

Monday, December 21st: Raven Haired Girl

Tuesday, December 22nd: The Lit Bitch

Friday, December 25th: Books a la Mode – author guest post

Friday, December 25th: Patricia’s Wisdom

Tuesday, December 29th: I’m Shelfish

Tuesday, December 29th: Time 2 Read

Wednesday, December 30th: Broken Teepee

TBD: Thoughts from an Evil Overlord

TBD: Spiced Latte Reads

Review: The Crescent Spy

The Crescent Spy

by Michael Wallacei

Why I chose this book? Civil War era fiction

When I read this book? November 2015

Who should read this book? readers of Civil War fiction

Source: TLC Book Tours

Here is a synopsis of The Crescent Spy from Goodreads

Writing under a man’s name, Josephine Breaux is the finest reporter at Washington’s Morning Clarion. Using her wit and charm, she never fails to get the scoop on the latest Union and Confederate activities. But when a rival paper reveals her true identity, accusations of treason fly. Despite her claims of loyalty to the Union, she is arrested as a spy and traitor.

To Josephine’s surprise, she’s whisked away to the White House, where she learns that President Lincoln himself wishes to use her cunning and skill for a secret mission in New Orleans that could hasten the end of the war. For Josephine, though, this mission threatens to open old wounds and expose dangerous secrets. In the middle of the most violent conflict the country has ever seen, can one woman overcome the treacherous secrets of her past in order to secure her nation’s future?

My Review

If you read my blog often, you know how much I like Civil War era fiction and especially how I like reading about the women of the Civil War. This one has a little bit of everything — Civil War, a strong woman, adventure, a history lesson, and even a bit of romance!

I’ve read a lot of historical fiction about the Civil War, but almost all has been set in the east; Virginia, Maryland, etc. I think this is the first time I’ve ever read about the fall of New Orleans. I found the details of the river battles fascinating and I enjoyed reading about the military strategies. I found the concept of the fire boats launched ablaze to set the enemy vessels on fire particularly interesting.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and the characters. Josephine was a strong lead character for the most part, but she did have weaknesses and at times that endangered the people around her. She had a background that gave dimension to her character. If there is one thing I didn’t like, and you’ve heard this from me before, is that I would like to know ‘what happens next’. I would have liked an epilogue set at some time in the future, after the war, to know what became of Josephine and the people in her life. There are hints of potential, but I am left to my imagination to end this story.

If, like me, you are interested in learning more about the fall of New Orleans after you finish this book, you may be interested in the following links.

• The Capture of New Orleans
• American Civil War: The Capture of New Orleans

And if you would like to WIN a copy of The Crescent Spy, you are in luck! I have one copy to giveaway. Just click the link below to fill out the entry form. Winners will be picked November 19, 2015.

{Click here to go to entry form!}

About Michael Wallace

Michael Wallace was born in California and raised in a small religious community in Utah, eventually heading east to live in Rhode Island and Vermont. In addition to working as a literary agent and innkeeper, he has been a software engineer for a Department of Defense contractor programming simulators for nuclear submarines. He is the author of more than twenty novels, including the Wall Street Journal bestselling Righteous series, set in a polygamist enclave in the desert.

My Rating:  ★★★1/2   3-1/2 Stars

This book review is included in a tour by TLC Book Tours. I was provided a copy for review purposes.

Michael’s Tour Stops

Monday, November 9th: Life is Story

Monday, November 9th: Literary Lindsey

Tuesday, November 10th: Broken Teepee

Wednesday, November 11th: Time 2 Read

Thursday, November 12th: Kritter’s Ramblings

Thursday, November 12th: Thoughts on This ‘n That

Monday, November 16th: 100 Pages a Day

Monday, November 16th: FictionZeal

Tuesday, November 17th: Book Babe

Wednesday, November 18th: Reading Reality

Thursday, November 19th: Bibliotica

Friday, November 20th: Just One More Chapter

Monday, November 23rd: It’s a Mad Mad World

Tuesday, November 24th: Historical Fiction Obsession

Wednesday, December 2nd: Mom in Love with Fiction

Prejudice Meets Pride: Book Blast and Giveaway

Prejudice Meets Pride by Rachael Anderson

After years of pinching pennies and struggling to get through art school, Emma Makie’s hard work finally pays off with the offer of a dream job. But when tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to make a cross-country move to Colorado Springs to take temporary custody of her two nieces. She has no money, no job prospects, and no idea how to be a mother to two little girls, but she isn’t about to let that stop her. Nor is she about to accept the help of Kevin Grantham, her handsome new neighbor, who seems to think she’s incapable of doing anything on her own.

Fun, compelling, and romantic, Prejudice Meets Pride is the story of a guy who thinks he has it all figured out and a girl who isn’t afraid to show him that he doesn’t. It’s about learning what it means to trust, figuring out how to give and to take, and realizing that not everyone gets to pick the person they fall in love with. Sometimes, love picks them.

Amazon

Coming Soon…

Tour Schedule

Author Rachael Anderson

A USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/25/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Time Traveler's Boyfriend (& Giveaway!)

The Time Traveler’s Boyfriend

by Annabelle Costa

Why did you choose this book? It sounded like a cute story

When did you read this book? March 2014

Who should read this book? anyone ready for a fun romance

Source: TLC Book Tours

Here is a synopsis of The Time Traveler’s Boyfriend from TLC Book Tours

Claudia’s geeky boyfriend Adam has just invented a time machine.

No, really—he has.  She doesn’t believe it either until Adam provides her with definitive proof that he does, in fact, have a functioning time travel device sitting in the living room of his Manhattan brownstone.

But instead of getting ready to accept the Nobel Prize, Adam has very different plans for his groundbreaking invention.  He wants Claudia to use the machine to travel back in time and stop the accident that landed him in a wheelchair over a decade ago, and prevent the trajectory of events that he believes ruined his life.

When Claudia reluctantly agrees to become the first human time traveler, she knows she’s making a big gamble. If she succeeds, she could have the happy ending with commitment-phobic Adam that she’s always dreamed of.  But if she fails, it could mean the end of the universe as she knows it.

My Review

When I picked up this book, I didn’t expect much from it. Oh, I expected to like it. I wouldn’t have agreed to review it had I not. But I didn’t expect to like it nearly as much as I did! What I expected was a light romance, but the time-travel had me a bit worried. I’d tried to make it through The Time Traveler’s Wife a few years ago and just couldn’t, so I though I had something against time travel. (I’m not sure why, because I’ve read and enjoyed other time travel books and Back To The Future is among my favorite movies!) What I got was so much more!

This book is a cute romance and SO.MUCH.FUN!!!! I could hardly put it down. Luckily it is a very quick read. And the illustrations are fun, too; all sorts of graphs and flow charts done by ther geeky boyfriend. I loved the character of Adam, the boyfriend. He is kind and has a great sense of humor, and has so easily adapted to his wheel chair. In the story, we get to meet Adam both in the present, in his late 30s, and several years in the past, as a 24 year old. And he is a great guy in both times!

Claudia, his girlfriend, gets to know him in both periods, and falls in love with ‘both’ Adams. She also gets to know her former, self-centered, self and doesn’t care much for what she sees. And it was fun to see all the changes over time. The story takes place in New York city, and she travels back before 9-11. She often slips and speaks of movies and technology that didn’t exist in 2000, and it is fun to watch her try to cover her tracks, as she earns the nickname ‘Psychic Girl’. You really begin to wonder how this can possibly all work out happily. As in: if she changes events in 2000, will she still know and love Adam in 2014?

If this book has a weakness, it is the ending. I’m not really sure what happened, or what the motivation was for Claudia to go back to year 2000. Part of it is the time travel thing and how it alters situations is just so confusing for me (not just in this story!) I can’t quite wrap my mind around her going back and changing things and then...well...was she or wasn’t Adam aware of the ‘changed’ reality. I think I needed to just sit back and enjoy! For most of the book, I would have said this is a book for individual enjoyment but not really a good choice for book clubs. But after the ending, I would definitely like to discuss it with others. I think there could be some great discussions about different takes on the ending, as well as some of the characters and events throughout the story. Loved this one!

You can visit the author’s website here, and read a short excerpt of the book here.

My Rating:  ★★★★   4 Stars

This book review is included in a tour by TLC Book Tours. I received a copy of the book in return for an honest review, which you can read above.

GIVEAWAY

And now, for the giveaway. I will choose one winner to receive a digital copy of The TIme Traveler’s Boyfriend! To enter, just leave a comment below telling me why you would like to read this book. Be sure to include an email address! Winner will be chosen on April 21st!

Be sure to join Annabelle on the rest of her tour!

Annabelle Costa’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, March 31st:  Book Marks the Spot

Wednesday, April 2nd:  Bound by Words

Thursday, April 3rd:  Luxury Reading

Monday, April 7th:  Reading Reality

Wednesday, April 9th:  Time 2 Read

Thursday, April 10th:  A Chick Who Reads

Monday, April 14th:  The Written World

Tuesday, April 15th:  The Reader’s Hollow

Tuesday, April 15th:  Simply Stacie

Wednesday, April 16th:  Cupcake’s Book Cupboard

Thursday, April 17th:  Bibliotica

Monday, April 21st:  Stuck in Books

Tuesday, April 22nd:  Chick Lit Central - excerpt and giveaway

Wednesday, April 23rd:  Mom in Love with Fiction

Thursday, April 24th:  Patricia’s Wisdom

Thursday, April 24th:  Melody & Words

Monday, April 28th:  Bewitched Bookworms

Friday, May 2nd:  Peeking Between the Pages