Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia and is now hosted on its own blog.
This is my first Mailbox Monday in 2014 so I have few books to show… This post have the books I bought during my 3 month stay in Ireland and next week I’ll post what other books I had during that time. I’ll just list the links to Goodreads because I’m too lazy to do anything else.
1643. The armies of King Charles I and Parliament clash in the streets and fields of England, threatening to tear the country apart, as winter closes in around the parliamentary stronghold of Nantwich. The royalists have pillaged the town before, and now, they are returning. But even with weeks to prepare before the Civil War is once more at its gates, that doesn’t mean the people of Nantwich are safe.
While the garrison of soldiers commanded by Colonel George Booth stand guard, the town’s residents wait, eyeing the outside world with unease, unaware that they face a deadly threat from within. Townspeople are being murdered – the red sashes of the royalists left on the bodies marking them as traitors to the parliamentary cause.
When the first dead man is found, his skull caved in with a rock, fingers start being pointed, and old hatreds rise to the surface. It falls to Constable Daniel Cheswis to contain the bloodshed, deputising his friend, Alexander Clowes, to help him in his investigations, carried out with the eyes of both armies on his back. And they are not the only ones watching him.
He is surrounded by enemies, and between preparing for the imminent battle, watching over his family, being reunited with his long-lost sweetheart, and trying, somehow, to stay in business, he barely has time to solve a murder.
With few clues and the constant distraction of war, can Cheswis protect the people of Nantwich? And which among them need protecting? Whether they are old friends or troubled family, in these treacherous times, everyone’s a traitor, in war, law, or love.
When the Winter Siege is through, who will be among the bodies?
The book is set in a town called Nantwich during the height of the English Civil War. When a body is found tied with a red sash which links him with the royalist cause, constable Daniel Cheswis is charged to find who the murderer is. But the bodies start to pile up and the town lies in the path of the royalist army and soon the people have to work together to survive the siege.
I’m not familiar with the Civil War so this was all new to me and very interesting. But it also made me feel like I should know some of the people that was mentioned and that I missed the persons’ importance. The most interesting part of the book was seeing the life of ordinary people and how they survived during those hard times. Daniel was likeable character who took his responsibilities seriously and didn’t want to be seen as a hero. I would have liked to learn more about Daniel’s brother Simon, especially about his quest regarding some papers. It would have been interesting too see what happened there.
At first I thought there was too many storylines and stuff going on but at the end it all becomes clear how it’s all linked. The whole book is from Daniels point of view and I think it would have been nice to have someone else’s too.
Very entertaining and enjoyable read that makes me look forward for his next book.
4,5
Published: Electric Reads (2013)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 488
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
You can check the tour schedule here.
About the author
D.W. Bradbridge was born in 1960 and grew up in Bolton. He has lived in Crewe, Cheshire since 2000, where he and his wife run a small magazine publishing business for the automotive industry.
“The inspiration for The Winter Siege came from a long-standing interest in genealogy and local history. My research led me to the realisation that the experience endured by the people of Nantwich during December and January 1643-44 was a story worth telling. I also realised that the closed, tension-filled environment of the month-long siege provided the ideal setting for a crime novel.
“History is a fascinating tool for the novelist. It consists only of what is remembered and written down, and contemporary accounts are often written by those who have their own stories to tell. But what about those stories which were forgotten and became lost in the mists of time?
“In writing The Winter Siege, my aim was to take the framework of real history and fill in the gaps with a story of what could, or might have happened. Is it history or fiction? It’s for the reader to decide.”
For more information please visit D.W. Bradbridge’s website. You can also find him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.
I’m finally trying to make some kind of update. First my laptop was in repair (it’s not good when they know you by face in a repair shop) and then I’ve just been busy. I haven’t reviews any books I’ve read here but I try to say few lines about those at some point.
I’ve been now about 1,5 months in Ireland and I love it! I have 1,5 month left and I’m starting to feel panic if I have enough time to see everything I want. I booked my flight to London next month and I can’t wait! Planning to see at least The Tower and British Museum. I also plan going to Galway and I’m curious to see the other side of Ireland.
I study Business and Administration and I’m doing my internship/job experience here in Dublin at a bookshop. I’ve really loved working there but it’s also very dangerous place and I’m fearing for my suitcase when I travel home… I’ve already bought 27 books and I’m only been here half of the time! My friend came last weekend and took almost all of my books with her so now I can buy new ones :D
Kilkenny Castle
I visited Kilkenny and I fell in love! I could move there! It’s beautiful medieval style village about 2 hours from Dublin. I visited the castle and just walked around the city for a day. I could easily have spent more time there. Sadly the medieval part of the castle was really small but the rest of the castle was really pretty.
Malahide Castle
Malahide Castle had huge and beautiful garden which I walked through and got lost lol. Thankfully the rain stopped for awhile and I could get few photos of the castle.
Trim Castle
Last weekend I went to see Trim Castle. Some scenes for Braveheart was filmed there and we went to the room where Edward I throws Piers Gaveston out of the window. I was so wearing the wrong shoes for this trip! High heels for climbing tiny steps was not fun but it was worth it. We also went to the roof and the view was awesome but there was also (again) heavy wind.
view from Trim Castle
And last there’s a picture of this cutie who we met in Howth harbour.
Howth
The God’s of Heavenly Punishment by Jennifer Cody EpsteinOne summer night in prewar Japan, eleven-year-old Billy Reynolds takes snapshots at his parent’s dinner party. That same evening his father Anton–a prominent American architect–begins a torrid affair with the wife of his master carpenter. A world away in New York, Cameron Richards rides a Ferris Wheel with his sweetheart and dreams about flying a plane. Though seemingly disparate moments, they will all draw together to shape the fate of a young girl caught in the midst of one of WWII’s most horrific events–the 1945 firebombing of Tokyo.
Exquisitely-rendered, The Gods of Heavenly Punishment tells the stories of families on both sides of the Pacific: their loves and infidelities, their dreams and losses–and their shared connection to one of the most devastating acts of war in human history. (Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours)
The story is set during the years 1935-1962 and follows characters that are connected to each other.We meet a Czech architect and his son who will be a photographer, a Japanese architect and his wife and daughter, and American pilot who joins the war and leaves his newly married wife in America.
The book shows both sides in the war between US and Japan. I have never read a book about the war from Japanese point of view so that was interesting. We get a clear view how Japan changed from what it was before the war and what happened there.
At first it felt like there was lot of POV’s but it became fascinating to learn how all these people were connected to each other in some time in their lives. I especially enjoyed seeing Cam being a pilot during the bombings and how he felt about what was going to happen.
Often the chapters would jump years ahead but thankfully it was told in the beginning of new chapter that where we were and in what year. While it didn’t confuse me much, that would be my only complaint I have about the book. Sometimes there would be years between I wanted to know what happened during those years to some of the characters.
This was a great and emotional book and I’m so glad I read it. I’m looking forward reading more from this author!
4/5
Published: W.W. Norton & Company (2014)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 400
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
You can check the tour schedule here.
About the author
Jennifer Cody Epstein is the author of The Gods of Heavenly Punishment and the international bestseller The Painter from Shanghai. She has written for The Wall Street Journal, The Asian Wall Street Journal, Self, Mademoiselle and NBC, and has worked in Hong Kong, Japan and Bangkok, Thailand. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband, two daughters and especially needy Springer Spaniel.
For more information, please visit Jennifer Cody Epstein’s website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope everyone had great Christmas with your families.
New year will start rather slowly around here because I’m leaving tomorrow to Dublin, Ireland for 3 months to do my practical training/internship there. I have couple of reviews scheduled but otherwise I don’t know how much time I have to read.
Also my laptop crashed just before Christmas so I’ve been without computer and I’m using my mom’s laptop now. I was told there is something in the motherboard but they couldn’t fix it in the store so now I have to take laptop to Dublin and try to find someone to fix it. Fun times ahead I’m sure…