‘This is the first book in a historical fiction series that spans hundreds of years and several generations.

In the 16th century France, Minou Joubert finds herself embroiled in the beginnings of the Wars of Religion between the Huguenots and Catholics. Between that and receiving a mysterious message letting her know her life is in danger, she enters a world of secrets and conspiracies she must navigate to save her life and protect her loved ones.

The plot keeps you on your toes the entire time, making it completely impossible to put it down. Beyond being a really well-constructed story, Kate Mosse conveys a narrative that presents the complicated historical and political backgrounds with nuance and balance, without making it too complex to follow.

Moreover, this book has all the classical aspects of adventures but puts women and their stories and actions in the epicenter of the action. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, ‘The City of Tears.

Happy reading! ‘

RESERVE YOUR COPY OF The Burning Chambers

Two years ago 39 year old Clemency Burton-Hill, radio broadcaster, author of the beautiful and inspirational ‘Year of Wonder’ (a long time staff favorite here at Books & Company) and a lover of all things Bach, suffered a devastating brain hemorrhage leaving her without sight, speech and mobility.

She has spent the last two years working her way back and this past week the BBC sent out a gem of a program called ‘Planet Bach’ where Burton-Hill discovers 'the mighty consolation of playing the music of Bach every day’ through the stories of people from all over the world - different countries, cultures, ages and backgrounds - who all practice this ‘everyday Bach’ as others would practice yoga, meditiona or exercixse.

You can find the program at the link in our bio. It isn’t long but is sure to stay with you.

As for ‘Year of Wonder’, all we can say is that it is the perfect gift for the music lover in your life.

In the book, Clemency Burton-Hill chooses one piece of music for each day of the year, with a short explanation about the composer to put it into context, and brings the music alive in a modern and playful way.

As the author says : 'The only requirements for enjoying classical music are open ears and an open mind.'

Happy listening and happy sunny Monday!

RESERVE YOUR COPY OF Year of Wonder

One of the (many) perks of working in an independent bookshop is that you get to meet the enthusiastic and lovely publisher reps who travel the globe showcasing the many new and exciting books coming your (our)way.

We hope that the easing of restrictions will allow us to once again meet in person.

Until then, here is a review of our ‘Book of the Week’ by Elena from Bloomsbury publishing. Hope to see you soon!

‘In July I read This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron, the author of our bestselling Cinderella is Dead and I really loved it! Briseis is a black teenager who lives in Brooklyn and has been adopted by two wonderful mums. She has a special power over plants. When they move to the countryside because Bri inherited a house with a secret garden, a lot of her past gets uncovered and mystery and danger wait behind the corner. There is a lot of Greek Mythology which is super cool and a cast of diverse characters and intriguing plants.

Definitely a five star read! ‘

Review by Elena Bianco, International Sales Manager, Bloomsbury Publishing

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The Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Firekeeper’s Daughter is an stunning debut novel by Angeline Boulley about identity, heritage, community, and strength.

18-year-old Daunis lives with her mother in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. She caused a bit of a local scandal upon her arrival as her mother was the underage daughter of a wealthy white family in town and her late father was a promising hockey player from the nearby Ojibwe reservation who married another girl and got her pregnant before Daunis was even born. Being of mixed heritage, she struggles with feelings of not fitting in; although she has strong ties to both communities, she doesn’t feel fully accepted by either. Following her uncle’s recent death of an overdose and her grandmother’s stroke, she has put her plans to study medicine at university on hold to stay in town and support her fragile mother while they heal. 

When Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, she gets swept up in an ongoing undercover drug investigation and agrees to become a confidential informant for the FBI. In doing so, she is forced to look closely at those around her and consider what she’s willing to risk in order to protect her community. 

An Indigenous woman herself, Angeline Boulley tells the story with great reverence for the Ojibwe culture and its traditions and lets it permeate the fabric of the story. She touches on some heavy themes throughout the book such as murder, drug use, and sexual violence against women, however she weaves it into a larger, compelling narrative about identity, community, friendship, and resilience, which is beautifully written. 

I tore through this book in under 24 hours – once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down. Although there were some heavy subject matters, I appreciate that Boulley didn’t shy away from issues facing many Native Americans, especially as she also focusses on how the Ojibwe community deals with the trauma collectively and processes it to move forward.

Happy reading!

Christine Ebert

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