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The Gold Rush Girls
The Gold Rush Girls by Craig Moody is a tell of women who aspire for adventure and a better life by going west along with the wave of gold seekers in the 1840’s. But the life they find instead is grim, painful, and will test the limits of their will to live. The Gold Rush Girls is about survival, not of man vs nature, but of man vs man.
I was pulled into The Gold Rush Girls from the first paragraph. I enjoyed reading about the rough and tumble details about the trail, the heat, sickness, and other harshness endured on the trail. I love how the author was able to take me to that time and take me on this journey with the Ten women as they struggled to survive against loss, starvation, broken hearts, humiliation, and anger. When they were free I even felt relieved for them even though I knew it would be short lived.
The Gold Rush Girls is an emotionally draining novel, in the same way that The Handmaid’s Tale or Outlander is. The novel is riveting from the beginning but there are relationships and motivations that I think needed a more in depth explanation or exploration. I would have really liked to understand why Z loved Meideth. I wanted a deeper exploration of the relationship between Paco and Caroline’s somewhat stockholm like relationship. The characters were intriguing, but I wanted a fuller explanation of their motivations and how and why they change throughout the novel.
Meredith is a stirring main character that tackles an unbelievable amount of hardships. She is able to rebuild herself after repeated disaster and come out intact. She makes friends, loses friends, has several jobs and seeks a better life. She’s definitely a multifaceted woman that is super human in her ability to endure inhuman torture and come out the other side much the same. She is repeatedly assaulted but never loses her desire for a handsome man or portrays the mental or emotional scars someone might have.
The Gold Rush Girls is an emotional adventure that uses the known story of the search for gold out west and adds provocative new twists that will keep readers constantly thinking and empathizing.
Pages: 302 | ASIN: B0885BVNX7
Amelia’s Gold
Even in the midst of the Civil War, the Beaches stood as one of the richest and preeminent families in Savannah. As the oldest daughter, Amelia enjoyed all the luxury this provided, without being haughty about it. When her father entrusts her with the chance to save the family’s fortune, Amelia is thrilled at the prospect of serving her family. Her trip to the Bahamas opens her eyes to a world of new experiences, full of adventure, deceit, and a taste of freedom. As the fate of the Confederacy begins to decline, so does Amelia’s, eventually leading her to a life she would never have imagined.
Amelia’s Gold, by James Snyder follows Amelia Beach over the course of a year as she navigates the road paved by her father. The Civil War, the exotic allure of island life, and recovered pirate gold all combine to create an environment that completely unends Amelia’s world and what she always assumed would be her place in it. Nassau itself is a far cry from her home in Savannah in almost every way imaginable, but she navigates it, and its inhabitants, extremely well. Snyder does well to create an accurate snapshot of the world at that time with his meticulous research while still writing in a way that is both interesting and engaging. Although the pacing isn’t always solid, with some passages that just don’t do much to advance the story, it nonetheless never seems stuffy or tedious. Amelia, as well as every one of the supporting characters that filter in and out of her life, are all well written and compliment each other as necessary throughout the course of events.
Over the course of the book, Amelia deals time and time again with the theme of personal growth, both as an idea and an experience. The events play out over the course of only one year, and yet she faces an incredible amount of hardships, each one providing an opportunity to become a better and stronger person. She also achieves the balance of treating others with empathy and kindness without being played for a fool. Overall, Amelia is written as smart, capable, and still distinctly human. She almost serves as an anomaly of how women are typically considered during that time period, instead representing how many of them likely were.
Amelia’s Gold kept me invested, always curious about what would come next. The character of Felix was especially interesting to me and I wish there were more of him. Snyder carved a path for Amelia that proved to be unpredictable all the way to the very end, and left enough mystery for a reader to ultimately create their own ideas about the rest of her life.
Pages: 376 | ASIN: B086HWJ1XR
They Had a Common Enemy
Kathryn Gauci Author Interview
The Poseidon Network follows SOE agent Hadley who must root out a traitor in the network before their cover is blown. What was the inspiration for the setup to this exciting novel?
I wanted to show that for SOE agents working on behalf of the Allies, the situation in Greece was not easy. The political situation in Europe prior to and during WWII was very much one of division, and nowhere more so than Greece which had experienced great upheavals in their country in the early 20th century. However the Greek Resistance did pull together while they had a common enemy and their part in defeating first the Italians and then the Germans was to be admired. Women also played an important role too, as they had done in every war since The Greek War of Independence in 1821.
I also wanted to write the novel that was more a thriller in the style of Film Noir and the old classics, rather than another resistance story. The melting pot that Cairo was at that time was an ideal starting point. Characters in Rick’s Bar in “Casablanca” along with Harry Lime and his Viennese Nazi sympathizers in “The Third Man” were an inspiration too.
Larry is an interesting and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind his character development?
Again taking inspiration from Film Noir I wanted Larry to be a larger than life figure; a man’s man who loved women, yet was caught off-guard when he met Alexis. I tried to imagine the physiology behind such a man. He was, first and foremost, an adventurer, but all of us have a vulnerable human side – a soft spot. Alexis was his. I also wanted to show how he respected the men he worked with. The classic thriller writers and such authors as Steinbeck were a great influence for developing his character.
I enjoyed the historic details used throughout the book. What kind of research did you undertake to get things right?
I always try to get to know the places I write about. In this case, I lived in Greece for six years and heard stories from those who experienced the war firsthand. I have also visited Turkey and Egypt several time. I think this is vital as the atmosphere of a place gets into your blood. It is the sights, sounds and smells that touch the senses and give the novel light and shade.
What is the next novel that you are working on and when will it be available?
My current WIP is another WWII story set in the Jura/Franche-Comté region of France in 1944. I was there for two and a half months 2019-2020, researching the Maquis, Resistance, and smuggler routes into Switzerland. It is a beautiful area of lakes, forests and mountains, and rich with stories of heroes and heroines in almost every village. Unfortunately, the Germans – particularly the Gestapo – could not have infiltrated the area so successfully had not been for the many collaborators, who were paid a huge sum of money for denouncing someone, particularly the head of a network. This time the protagonist is a woman. I expect to have it out by September this year.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
![The Poseidon Network by [Kathryn Gauci]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/510ptS+p9BL.jpg)
1943. SOE agent Larry Hadley leaves Cairo for German and Italian occupied Greece. His mission is to liaise with the Poseidon network under the leadership of the White Rose.
It’s not long before he finds himself involved with a beautiful and intriguing woman whose past is shrouded in mystery.
In a country where hardship, destruction and political instability threaten to split the Resistance, and terror and moral ambiguity live side by side, Larry’s instincts tell him something is wrong.
After the devastating massacre in a small mountain village by the Wehrmacht, combined with new intelligence concerning the escape networks, he is forced to confront the likelihood of a traitor in their midst. But who is it?
Time is running out and he must act before the network is blown. The stakes are high.
From the shadowy souks and cocktail parties of Cairo’s elite to the mountains of Greece, Athens, the Aegean Islands, and Turkey, The Poseidon Network, is an unforgettable cat-and-mouse portrait of wartime that you will not want to put down.
A Gangland Problem
Gerry Mullins Author Interview
Testosterone Dublin 8 follows a man that uses testosterone to escape his unhappy life and in the process gets caught up with Dublin’s criminals. What was the inspiration for the setup to this thrilling story?
A doctor suggested I start taking testosterone, and that prompted my interest in the hormone. As I observed changes in my own mind and body, and read more about it, I realized it could provide the foundation for a very interesting book.
Most people associate the hormone with sex and athletics, but it influences so much more, particularly mood, ambition, drive and confidence. That makes it a very interesting issue to write about, but I could find no other novel about it.
There was a time when only elite athletes took anabolic steroids (which means testosterone), but now millions of ordinary men (and some women) around the world are juicing. There are myriad advantages and dangers to this.
In addition, I live in a part of the Irish capital called Dublin 8, which is going through the gentrification process – just like other cities throughout the world such as San Francisco where I used to live.
Gentrification provides a very interesting energy in a place as ‘old’ and ‘new’ residents live side-by-side, usually together, but separate. Occasionally hostile. I wanted to comment on this in a book. A law-abiding man who suddenly becomes a drug dealer was the vehicle to do this. He had felt a little superior to his new neighborhood, but as time goes by, it’s clear he isn’t that much different from the people he lives among.
Jimmy is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some ideas that drove his character development?
He is disappointed in his life. He was from a middle-class family and middle-class community, but didn’t achieve this in his adult life. Losing his job is confirmation of this. Frequently he feels the judgement of his late father, who reminds him of his failings during his lowest points. He is ashamed, angry and suicidal.
Jimmy’s enhanced manliness leads to a drug-dealing business, and his pride is gradually restored. But when the money starts rolling in, what is his ambition for it? To move to a middle-class area; to finally be the person his late father wanted him to be.
The story takes place in Dublin. Why was this time and place important to your story?
Dublin has a gangland problem and there have been many murders in the Dublin 8 area that is described in the book.
In addition, this area is changing as new people who have middle-class aspirations arrive, displacing lower-class families who have been there for generations.
So the time and the place are important because they generate a natural environment for stories like mine to emerge. The reason Jimmy is living there is because of gentrification. The reason he can get involved in the drugs business is because that business is all around him.
More generally, Dublin is celebrated in many novels, and is most famously linked to works that were published 100 years ago. Nothing wrong with that, but I wanted to describe the Dublin of here and now.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am not working any but have several in mind involving the characters of Testosterone, Dublin 8.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Twitter | Website
![Testosterone, Dublin 8 by [Gerry Mulins]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41NtMUQ8NkL.jpg)
TV producer Jimmy Fyffe starts taking anabolic steroids to restore the ‘manliness’ he has lost in a high-pressure career and unhappy marriage. His plan works – a little too well. Soon he is a cocaine dealer, carving out a market in Dublin’s more affluent suburbs. This draws him into conflict with two established drugs gangs. He is kidnapped, beaten and terrorised, and is linked to the killing of a drugs-lord and two Gardaí.
Is Jimmy next to die, or will the same newfound machismo that landed him in trouble also help him escape it? Things get worse before they get better. The extra testosterone in his system hardens him both mentally and physically, but he also becomes reckless and arrogant. Ultimately, redemption is found during an ayahuasca ceremony in the Wicklow mountains, when Jimmy confronts his past through a conversation with his dead father.
Testosterone, Dublin 8 describes the effect of the ‘male hormone’ on an individual, and on wider society. It is told against the backdrop of a gentrifying Dublin, where the two main tribes – locals and blow-ins – live side by side. It is a moral tale wrapped in a classic thriller that gets to the heart – and veins – of modern Ireland.
The Poseidon Network
The year is 1942 and the world is knee-deep in the Second World War. The world is split with countries taking sides to either fight from the Axis Powers or the Allied Powers. The Allied Powers had risen up to ward off and halt the growing plague of Germans, Italians and Japanese- the Axis Powers- who decided that their countries’ original boundaries were too small. The latter, led by Mussolini, Hitler and the Emperor, had gone on a rampage annexing countries through bloody and violent take-overs. It is within this orchestra of madness we find ourselves in a hot, sunny and sandy city of Cairo in Egypt in Kathryn Gauci’s The Poseidon Network.
The Poseidon Network throws readers into a scintillating world of love, betrayal, murder and war. In this fast-paced and intricately written novel, we see the world from the point of view of Hadley, a British spy working for the Special Operations Executive, commissioned by Churchill, and holding a cover as a newspaper correspondent. His cover is essential to keep him alive in these dangerous times where Egypt is teaming with Greeks, Germans, Italians, Arabs and Britons- all with different vested interests in the ongoing war. It was a dangerous time for sleuths. The Greeks were rooting for the victory of their countrymen against the Nazi back in Greece with a few undesirable characters supporting the enemy of their people. The British were, on the other hand, preventing the imminent occupation of Egypt by the Italians. It is during this time, in his usual foregoing, that Hadley chances upon a creature of mesmerizing beauty, dark haired and enshrouded in attractive mystery. At this point the book picks up a quick pace that kept me on edge with suspense. Would he get to talk to her? Does she eventually fall in love with our ‘good ol’ boy’, Mr. Hadley? Then suddenly a girl is found dead on the banks of the Nile. Is it our mystery girl?
The cover, with sepia pictures of a lady, a sleuth and soldiers, done in a minimalistic style, I think accurately represents the style and period in which this engaging story is told. Once you are a few pages in, you come across Kathryn Gauci’s foreword informing you that the book is a fictional account of real events that occurred during the World War II. True to her word, the book is pin point accurate on the dates and times, events and certain people that were significantly involved in the war. The author has done impeccable research and uses it to colorize and energize this historical romance novel that invites readers into a globe-trotting mystery that is easy to grasp but hard to crack.
Pages: 360 | ASIN: B07ZJJ1NG8
How The Irish Won The American Revolution
![How the Irish Won the American Revolution: A New Look at the Forgotten Heroes of America's War of Independence by [Phillip Thomas Tucker]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51XSgk23MdL.jpg)
How the Irish Won the American Revolution by Phillip Thomas Tucker is a historical account of the notable figures of Irish origin who fought in the American Revolution. Accounts in the books are set within the scope of the years 1775 to 1783. During this period, the Kingdom of Great Britain had established colonies known as the thirteen colonies in America. Britain was effectively controlling the colonies and collecting revenues in the form of tax which kept growing to the dismay of the colonies. What followed were protests which escalated into a full blown war of independence with the colonies seeking autonomy. Though buried and forgotten in history Phillip Thomas Tucker opines that Irish immigrants played a key role in the revolution. In the alternative, America would still be paying homage to a British Monarchy and be a British Protectorate like Canada had the Irish not been a key element for the struggle against British colonization. Furthermore, the book seeks to accurately answer how the war was won by George Washington’s seemingly tiny army against the Brits who were well-seasoned in warfare and sequestering foreign nations.
The author has been able to bring to the fore his opinion that the Irish were not on the margin of the revolution but smack in the middle of it as major moments, holding prime positions in the war and thus steering the course of history as we know it. Phillip at a point in the account narrates the story of fathers who, in a show of patriotism, went to war with their sons and outperformed other soldiers in deeds of valor. Case in point: The Patterson Clan, who he describes as a father and three sons who set themselves apart and died together at the battle on the ‘bullet- swept’ King’s Mountain. Then he accounts for four brothers from the Beattie Clan who fought side by side and led the war as soldiers in the captains. For a historical book I find it quite accurate and the author having done extensive research to bring forth facts that support his claim.
With regards to his literary skills, Phillip has out done himself in using colorful language marked by well-placed adjectives used in the anecdotal accounts of the war. He has kept the paragraphs at a short trim and concise. The paragraphs are straight to the point and they elucidate the fact that the war could not have been won without the Scotch- Irish.
The book is an accurate account written with a noble goal of giving long overdue credit to brave Irish souls that helped America become what it is.
Pages: 350 | ASIN: B015M9U04O
The Complexity of Lives
Marina Osipova Author Interview
Too Many Wolves in the Local Woods follows the journey of two women during WWII and how their lives affect their descendants. What were some important themes you wanted to explore in this book?
This book, though it reads as a standalone, is book 2 in my Love and Fate series. Those who read How Dare the Birds Sing must remember Lyuba, Natasha and Natashen’ka, and also Ulya-Ursula who appeared in just one episode then became a main character in Too Many Wolves in the Local Woods. In this book, I wanted to explore the complexity of lives and how war can intertwine them unexpectantly and how irrevocably the actions of the characters can influence the fates of their descendants. Two other themes were important for me to investigate: how thin the line is between hero and killer under war circumstances and the meaning of patriotism, justice, and morality during difficult times such as my main heroine and many real-life people faced during the Nazi occupation.
Did you put anything from your own life into this book?
My life is irrevocably connected with all I write about WWII, the Great Patriotic War as it is called in Russia and the former Soviet republics. I was raised on stories about this horrific war in which the Soviet Union alone lost about 27 million human lives. I remember, as children, we visited the frontline heroes or their family members, listening to the tales about their fight for the Motherland. My own experience of it is reflected in the epilogue when Natashen’ka visits an old partisan who fought together with her mother against the occupants.
This novel is exceptionally well written. What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer with this book?
With this book, I delved into the topic of an intelligence officer working behind enemy lines that was, if not quite new—after all, I read books and saw films related to the subject—was uncharted territory for me as a writer. Only my future readers can say if I met the challenge of the task.
When will this novel be available?
Too Many Wolves in the Local Woods will be available as part of the collection of WWII novels, The Road to Liberation, on May 5, 2020.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Herculaneum: Paradise Lost
![Herculaneum: Paradise Lost by [Lorraine Blundell]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41GkIWYfZoL.jpg)
The stunning seaside resort of Herculaneum happens to be one of the most exotic and appealing places on Earth. It is home to people from all walks of life, all social statuses, and boasts breathtaking views and lucrative businesses. Even those who have little manage to have a full and happy life in Herculaneum. What many there seem to forget is its beauty is overshadowed daily by its position relative to the one thing that can change the lives of every man, woman, and child who dwell there. Herculaneum, its residents, and all of their hopes and dreams lie adjacent and vulnerable to Mount Vesuvius.
Herculaneum: Paradise Lost, by Lorraine Blundell, details the events leading up to, and the eruption of, Vesuvius and the lives most impacted by the tragic event. Blundell includes a large cast of characters who, at the outset, seem unrelated. From the beginning the book reads like short stories all loosely related, but by the book’s ending, the author pulls the characters together and unites their seemingly disconnected plots.
Though several of Blundell’s characters have subplots based on intrigue, I felt that there was a lack of one single overarching climax to the story. That being said, the cast of characters are interesting enough to keep readers engaged and invested in the plot.
Set in 78 AD, Blundell’s work is an easy and engaging read. For a time period known for vibrant language, this particular book reads smoothly and the author’s choice of verbiage is uncomplicated and lends itself well to the characters’ varied plots. In rare moments there were phrases like “fast food” that I thought were out of place, however these moments were few and far between and only stood out because of the rich and powerful language utilized so expertly throughout the rest of the novel.
Though Prima isn’t necessarily set as Blundell’s main character, I was left with the impression that hers was one of the most striking subplots. The almost positive spin the book puts on her job as a prostitute flows well with the idea that Herculaneum is a virtual paradise where everyone is happy and fulfilled no matter their choices in life. The turnaround Prima is able to make with her life–her second chance–is a beautiful metaphor for new beginnings.
Anyone who enjoys an element of history in their dramatic fiction story will enjoy Blundell’s work. Herculaneum: Paradise Lost is a fantastic and quick read with poignant lines, rich characters, and a powerful message.
Pages: 238 | ASIN: B084JCM3RT
LITERARY TITAN 