Luminous by Samantha Wilcoxson 5th Publication Anniversary Book Blast

Publication Date: June 5, 2020
Publisher: independently published
Audio narration: Joanne Joyce
Pages: 319
Genre: biographical historical fiction

Book Description

Tragic true story of a radium girl.

Catherine's life is set on an unexpected course when she accepts a job at Radium Dial. The dial painters forge friendships and enjoy their work but soon discover that an evil secret lurks in the magical glow-in-the-dark paint. When she and her friends start falling ill, Catherine Donohoe takes on the might of a big corporation and becomes an early pioneer of social justice in the era between world wars.

Emotive and inspiring - this book will touch you

Falling Pomegranate Seeds by Wendy J. Dunn Read a Snippet

Publication Date: February 28th, 2025
Publisher: Poesy Quill
Series: Omnibus Edition
Pages: 1030 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction/Tudor Fiction

Book Description

In the Falling Pomegranate Seeds Duology, readers are transported to the rich historical tapestry of 15th and 16th-century Europe, where the lives of remarkable women unfold against the backdrop of political upheaval and personal struggles.

In the first book, beginning in 1490 Castile, Doña Beatriz Galindo, a passionate and respected scholar, serves as an advisor to Queen Isabel of Castile. Beatriz yearns for a life beyond the constraints imposed on women, desiring to control her own destiny. As she

A Darn Good Read Named One of the 70 Best Historical Fiction Blogs & Websites for 2025

This year I'm taking a step back from blogging for a number of reasons, although I am still participating in blog tours and will post the occasional review.

Recently, my spirits received a welcome boost when I learnt from Feedspot that my blog had been included in the 70 Best Historical Fiction Blogs and Websites in 2025.

My fellow recipients are some of the popular and well-respected historical book blogs and websites on the internet today and I am very flattered that A Darn Good Read is ranked amongst them.

The complete list and the criteria used for selection can be viewed here.

Thank you, Feedspot!

White Feathers by Susan Lanigan Read an Excerpt

Publication Date: 21/3/2025
Publisher: Idée Fixe Press
Series: White Feathers, Book #1
Pages: 398
Genre: Historical Fiction

Book Description

"Anti-war and anti-patriarchy without ever saying so - a bravura performance of effortless elegance" - Irish Echo in Australia

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROMANTIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD 2015

In 1913, Irish emigrée Eva Downey receives a bequest from an elderly suffragette to attend a finishing school. There she finds friendship and, eventually, love. But when war looms and he refuses to enlist, Eva is under family and social pressure to give the man she loves a white

The Cross of Ciarán by Andrea Matthews Spotlight

Publication Date: June 18, 2020
Publisher: Inez M. Foster – self-published
Series: The Cross of Ciarán series #1
Pages: 362
Genre: Time Slip Romance

Book Description

When a fifth century pagan priest is unearthed in Ireland fifteen hundred years after being entombed, archaeologist Caitlin O’Connell is convinced it’s the find of the century. The body is in perfect condition, right down to the intricate tattoos adorning the Celt’s skin. In fact, if scientific data hadn’t proved otherwise, she would swear he hadn’t been interred more than a few hours.

Eager to discover more about the mysterious Celt, Caitlin accompanies the body back to the New York museum where she’s employed,

Oscar's Tale by Chris Bishop Spotlight

Publication Date: February 25th, 2025 (new paperback)
Publisher: Historical Fiction Company
Pages: 166 (pb)
Genre: Historical Fiction

Book Description

Oscar’s Tale is that of a Saxon boy who sets out to find and rescue his father who has been taken by Viking slavers.

The story begins in 877, just prior to the Viking attack on Chippenham in which King Alfred was routed. Against this backdrop, Oscar is obliged to set out on his all but impossible quest and quickly becomes embroiled in all that’s going on in Wessex at this turbulent time, culminating in him playing a small but important part in the battle at Edington.

Ghost Encounters: The Lingering Spirits of North Devon by Helen Hollick with Kathy Hollick Read an Excerpt

Publication Date: 27th February 2025
Publisher: Taw River Press
Pages: 201
Genre: Non-Fiction (with a bonus of two short stories)

Book Description

Everyone assumes that ghosts are hostile. Actually, most of them are not.

You either believe in ghosts or you don’t. It depends on whether you’ve encountered something supernatural or not. But when you share a home with several companionable spirits, or discover benign ghosts in public places who appear as real as any living person, scepticism is abandoned and the myth that ghosts are to be feared is realised as nonsense.

A Recipe for Murder by Verity Bright Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date:31 March 2025
Publisher: Bookouture
Format: Print, e-book and audio
Series: A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #21
Genre: Historical Mystery, Cosy Mystery

Book Description

Cream cakes, cucumber sandwiches, apple tarts and… poison? Lady Swift is trying to plan the menu for her wedding, until murder strikes in kitchens across the village!

Lady Eleanor Swift’s marriage to dashing Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon is just days away. There’s a lot to organise from the dress to the catering, including, of course, the all-important wedding cake.

But Eleanor is heartbroken when their chef, apple-cheeked Annie Tibetts, dies of

The Midnight of Eights by Justin Newland Read an Excerpt

Publication Date: 28th October 2024
Publisher: The Book Guild
Page Length: 288
Series: The Island of Angels (This is book 2 of 2. The first book is called The Mark of the Salamander. Book 2 is written as a stand-alone, or can be read after reading book 1.)
Genre: Historical Fiction

Book Description

1580.

Nelan Michaels docks at Plymouth after sailing around the world aboard the Golden Hind. He seeks only to master his mystical powers – the mark of the salamander, that mysterious spirit of fire – and reunite with his beloved Eleanor.

After delivering a message to Francis Walsingham, he’s recruited into the service of

Viva Violetta & Verdi by Howard Jay Smith Read an Excerpt

Publication Date: January 28th, 2025
Publisher: Historium Press
Pages: 256
Genre: Historical Fiction

Book Description

A Love Affair Inspiring the World's Most Unforgettable Operas:

Experience the intense, lifelong love affair between Giuseppe Verdi and Giuseppina Strepponi, the brilliant and seductive soprano who shaped his legacy. As his muse, lover, and wife, Strepponi was the inspiration behind Verdi's most iconic works, including La Traviata and Aida. Her influence was pivotal, as she became the architect of his creative triumphs and the heart of his operatic genius.

Set against the backdrop of Italy's

Kindle-free Promotion for "New Zealand: A Novel"Amazon March 15 to March 17 PDT

Exciting news!

Here is another chance to grab a free copy of New Zealand: A Novel by Lance Morcan.

This promotion will run for three days commencing March 15 and ending March 17 PDT (time converter).

You can download the free Kindle version HERE.

Reviews can be read on Amazon or Goodreads.

For more information about Lance Morcan and his writing, visit his Amazon Author Page or his blog.

Muldoon's Misfortunes by E.V. Sparrow Book Blast

Publication Date: July 16, 2024
Publisher: Celebrate Lit Publishing Group
Series: Those Resilient Muldoons
Pages: 351
Genre: Historical Fiction/Christian Historical Fiction
Triggers: Alcoholism, grief from deaths of infant, children, spouse, emotional health, relationship issues

Book Description

A cursed widower forsakes his faith to ensure his hope.

On a verdant island beset by poverty and death, Mick Muldoon dares to escape his misfortunes. Is working a farm and raising a family such an impossible thing to ask? Wasn’t God supposed to answer prayers—not turn a deaf ear?