HFVBT: Review & Giveaway of The Bruges Tapestry

The Bruges Tapestry by P.A. Staes
Published by CreateSpace
Published on August 29, 2012
254 pages
Historical Fiction
I received this book from Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:

Following a 500-year-old mystery concerning a Flemish tapestry is routine work for Detective Claire DeMaer, since she’s employed by the Newport Beach Art Theft Detail. But, unlike past cases, this one involves arresting Paolo Campezzi, lover to her best friend Nora. Mr. Campezzi is a distant descendant of a Florentine Duke, who commissioned the tapestry in 1520 in Bruges, Belgium.

Claire finds that she must explore the true provenance of the tapestry, free Mr. Campezzi in order to re-establish her friendship with Nora and depend on the expertise of a textile expert she doesn’t know. All this must occur in 72 hours, before the Vatican takes the tapestry back.

But Claire isn’t the only one with the Vatican looking over her shoulder. Claire’s story intertwines with a 1520 diary by Beatrice van Hecke, the tapestry-weaver’s daughter. Only Claire can discover the secret that is woven in time.

I found The Bruges Tapestry to be a very engaging story from the very beginning. I loved the story of the tapestry; however, I wish the book focused more on the tapestry rather than the other subplots. The tapestry's story makes a wonderful story all in itself.

The story begins in 1544 with a very distraught girl named Beatrice, the daughter of a tapestry maker. Her story is heartbreaking and it reeks of the abuses of the Catholic Church. To me, Beatrice should have been the main character of this book. She is such a strong young girl for her time and faced tremendous horrors. I wanted to read more about her life. Her story ended much too abruptly.

Next, we meet Claire who I'm not too crazy about. She is an art theft detective in present day. She investigates the alleged (yes, I'm an attorney) theft of the tapestry. I really enjoyed the mystery surrounding the tapestry. Her unraveling of the tapestry's history was so intriguing. It kept me engaged in the book when her life issues bogged me down. I thought Claire's issues with her family and her former lover distracted from the story of the tapestry.

Overall, I enjoyed this book with some distractions. I loved the tapestry and I wanted more. I wanted to know more about Beatrice and her Duke; less about Claire and her issues. This is a fun historical mystery and I think readers will enjoy it.

About the author:

 

 

P.A. Staes is the author of The Bruges Tapestry; the first of the Clare DeMaere series of historical mysteries. To lend veracity to The Bruges Tapestry Ms. Staes traveled to Stirling Castle in Scotland, The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, The Cluny Museum and Gobelin Factory in Paris, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Cloisters to bring alive the rich and romantic world of tapestry. Ms. Staes lives in Southern California with her husband and two dogs.

 

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Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, March 18
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Tuesday, March 19
Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Review & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick
Wednesday, March 20
Review at Turning the Pages
Guest Post at Book Lovers Paradise
Thursday, March 21
Review & Giveaway at Kinx’s Book Nook
Friday, March 22
Review at A Book Geek
Monday, March 25
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, March 26
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Wednesday, March 27
Review at Confessions of an Avid Reader
Thursday, March 28
Review at The Book Garden
Interview at The Maiden’s Court
Friday, March 29
Guest Post at Broken Teepee
Tuesday, April 2
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Wednesday, April 3
Guest Post at A Chick Who Reads
Thursday, April 4
Review at Book of Secrets
Review & Giveaway at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Friday, April 5
Review at Broken Teepee

Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop

2nd Annual Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop

It's time for some spring cleaning!

This is your chance to clear out your overflowing bookshelf and pass some of your books on to other booklovers.  Time to pass on those books that just weren't for you or the review copies that you are never going to get read.

And boy, do I have a box of books for you! Take a look

• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith

• The Giving Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

• The Lost Prince by Selden Edwards

• A Tainted Dawn by B.N. Price

• Savages by Don Winslow

• The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

• Jack by A.M. Homes

• The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

All you have to do is complete the rafflecopter form below! Good luck!

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Angelopolis Giveaway!!

Have you been waiting for Danielle Trussoni's sequel to Angelology?! Well, it's almost here and I have an amazing giveaway for you.

 

Angelopolis

 

 

 

 

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ANGELOPOLIS

By Danielle Trussoni

Viking

On-sale 3/26/13

9780670025541; $27.95

www.danielletrussoni.com
 

PRAISE FOR THE ANGELOLOGY SERIES:

“A heaven-sent supernatural thrill ride best described as The Da Vinci Code meets Raiders of the Lost Ark …Danielle Trussoni's stellar debut novel that forever will change how you think about the winged creatures.”—USA Today
 

“Angelologyfinds an almost hallucinatory power…fusing the divine and the debased, the psychological and the theological, into a single rich, strange tableau that transmits a shock of truth.”—Time

 
 

“Breathtakingly imaginative first novel…Once you’ve entered Angelology’s enthralling world…you’ll be thinking ‘Vampires? Who cares about vampires?’ ”—People
 

“Adventures beyond Dan Brown’s wildest dreams [and] writing that far outstrips Brown’s pedestrian fare…Trussoni is such a graceful, clever and brainy wordsmith that her celestial drama becomes both believable and captivating.”—Town & Country
 

“Trussoni’s gorgeous writing, fantastical imagination and familiarity with biblical and mythological texts are on splendid display in Angelology…One cannot help being seduced by this unusual, imaginative literary, religious thriller.”—Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

 
 

“Trussoni anchors this fanciful dark fantasy to a solid foundation built from Catholic church history, biblical exegesis, and apocryphal texts. Suspenseful intrigues and apocalyptic battle scenes give this complexly plotted tale a vigor and vitality all the more exciting for its intelligence.”—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
 

“Critically acclaimed memoirist Trussoni breaks into the fiction market in a big way. [ANGELOLOGY is] an ambitious adventure story with enough literary heft and religious fervor to satisfy anyone able to embrace its imaginative conceits and Byzantine plot.”—Kirkus Reviews

 
 

ABOUT THE BOOK:
 

The fantastic whirlwind of ANGELOPOLIS (Viking; on-sale 3/26/13; 9780670025541; 27.95), the highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel ANGELOLOGY by Danielle Trussoni, touches down in full force. This fast-paced, and terrifically clever story is an exquisite return to the inspired and seductive world of dark angels and the angelologists who hunt them.
 

The star-crossed hero and heroine have changed utterly in the ten years that have passed since the events of ANGELOLOGY. Verlaine has traded his Clark Kent nerdiness for the superhero power of an angel hunter; Evangeline, with her illustrious wings, is his chief target. What begins as a cat-and-mouse chase becomes a quest when clues from Russia’s imperial past suggest that a powerful elixir may actually be within reach for the angelologists—and could disarm the evil Nephilim once and for all.
 

ANGELOPOLIS leads readers from Paris to St. Petersburg, Russia, and deep into the provinces of Siberia and the Black Sea coast. Underground prisons, Edenic gardens full of rejuvenating herbs, and the hidden corridors of the Winter Palace form a mesmerizing backdrop for a high-octane tale of abduction, treasure-seeking, and divine warfare. Featuring real historical figures such as English Renaissance magician John Dee and the equally mystifying Grigori Rasputin, as well as the cultish allure of the House of Fabergé’s wondrously crafted eggs, the true story of Evangeline’s origins will be cracked open.
 

ANGELOPOLIS is a spectacular ride through myth, biblical lore, and alternative history. From the hidden ambitions of the Romanovs to the sensual secrets behind the Angel Gabriel’s famous visitations, the liberties Danielle takes are as audacious and captivating as ever. 
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 

 DANIELLE TRUSSONI’s memoir debut, Falling Through the Earth, was selected as one of the Ten Best Books of 2006 by the New York Times. She currently splits her time between the United States and France. Visitwww.danielletrussoni.com for more information.

 

Why I Love to Read: Book Blogs

Why I love to Read

Book Blogs

When I began my blog in May 2012, I had no idea what I was doing. I didn't know what a weekly meme, blog hops or blog tours were. All I wanted to do was write about the books I was reading. At that time I was completely immersed in supernatural fiction. I wasn't venturing beyond that genre.

Once I started posting regularly, I discovered that there is this amazing book blog community. I had no idea how many people had blogs that talk about how much they to read. What’s even better is that these blogs cover every genre imaginable. I have found so many new books and authors by visiting all of these amazing sites. Each blogger has his/her own favorite books and authors. I've read so many great reviews about books that I thought I would never try.

I remember when I started I had to Google the definition of a blog tour. I had no idea what it was. Now I participate in several. I love that blog tours introduce readers to new authors and releases. I, also, love giveaways that are included in the tours; not to mention all the wonderful author interviews and guest posts. You are exposed to so many different aspects of a book during a tour. It just makes you want to read that book even more.

I have yet to come across the nastiness of book blogging. I haven’t had any mean confrontations with other bloggers or authors. No jealousies either! For that, I’m very grateful. What I have experienced is a remarkable community who want to share new releases, covers, authors or whatever else he/her discovers in the book world. It makes me want to read more and more. With every new book recommendation, my TBR list is turning into Mount Everest. I will never be without something to read next.

Finding new authors is another pleasure of starting my own blog. Some people don’t like when they receive a cold email from an author wanting you to read and review their book. Actually, I enjoy it; but I don’t receive many. Maybe if I received tons I might get a little jaded. That being said, the authors that have sent me their books have been really good and the authors have been really kind when I didn't like their book.

So far, I've had a very positive experience with my book blog. I’m reading more than I ever have before. I’m reading new genres (graphic novels) and going back to my favorite genre (historical fiction). I've found some amazing blogs and met some great people.

In case you’re curious, here are some of my favorite book blogs: ·         Passages to the Past
·         The Relentless Reader
·         Oklahoma Women Bloggers
·         Indie Jane
·         Workaday Reads
·         Book Journey
·         (un)Conventional Bookviews
·         Peace Love Books
·         Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
·         Booklover Book Reviews
·         I Am a Reader, Not a Writer
·         Historical Tapestry
·         Austenprose
·         Austenesque Reviews
·         English Historical Fiction Authors
·         Austen Authors
·         My Jane Austen Book Club

Kindle Fire Giveaway

Enter to win!

Kindle Fire HD 7" + $50 Amazon Gift Card

Sponsored by these Fabulous Book Bloggers:

1. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
2. Books R Us
3. Miss Remmer's Reviews
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5. Phantasmic Reads
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7. Brooke Blogs
8. ~Oh, The Books You'll Read
9. While You Were Blogging
10. A Bookish Escape
11. Kelly's Lucky You
12. Books 4 Tomorrow
13. Mary Ting
14. An Avid Reader's Musings
15. The LUV'NV
16. Fae Books
17. A Writer's Life
18. Auggie Talk
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20. Kinx's Book Nook
21. Girls With Books
22. A Tasty Read Book Reviews
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$25 Amazon Gift Card
Last day to enter - 3/31/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Prize will be delivered in the form of the winners choice of either an Amazon Gift Card 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 http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



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