A themed tour through Prism Book Tours.
Welcome to my tour stop today for Arcana by Jessica Leake! I reviewed Arcana about a week ago here. I'm super excited to have Jessica stopping by today to share about the Edwardian setting of her story.
It's a super fun post, so check it out and enter the giveaway while your here...
Arcana
Welcome to my tour stop today for Arcana by Jessica Leake! I reviewed Arcana about a week ago here. I'm super excited to have Jessica stopping by today to share about the Edwardian setting of her story.
It's a super fun post, so check it out and enter the giveaway while your here...
Arcana
by Jessica Leake
Adult Historical Fantasy
Hardcover, 288 pages
November 18th 2014 by Talos
Summary
Amid the sumptuous backdrop of the London Season in 1905, headstrong Katherine Sinclair must join the ranks of debutantes vying for suitors. Unfortunately for Katherine, she cannot imagine anything more loathsome – or dangerous. Through her late mother’s enchanted journal, Katherine receives warning to keep hidden her otherworldly ability to perform Arcana, a magic fueled by the power of the sun. The machinations of the fashionably elite are a constant threat, but worse still are those who covet Katherine’s Arcana, seeking the power of her birthright. They could be hiding behind the façade of every suitor, even the darkly handsome Earl of Thornewood. With so much danger and suspicion, can she give her heart to the one who captivates her, or is he just another after her power?
Or, would you like a special personalized/autographed copy of Arcana? You can purchase one from Fiction Addiction HERE.
Guest Post
10 (Mostly Random) Facts about the Edwardian Era 
Picture from victorianpassage.com
1. The fashion at the time? S-bend corsets
2. The Gibson Girl--the woman every woman wanted to be (but she was a made-up character created by artist Charles Dana Gibson)
3. Edward VII was king at the time, and he was a playboy who had a large appetite–both for women and for decadent, 10-course meals.
4. It’s remembered as an opulent era full of luxury, balls, and elaborate country parties—at least for the aristocracy
5. Cars, trains, and even the subway existed at this point, but many still traveled by horse-drawn carriages
6. There are conflicting dates for the Edwardian Era. Strictly speaking, Edward was king from 1901-1910, but the era is often expanded to include the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, the start of WWI in 1914, and a few years beyond to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
7. Modern advances: electricity, photography, and the telephone all existed at this point
8. Though the social classes were still stratified, there was more social mobility at this point thanks to industrialization
9. 11-and-10-course meals were a necessity for the upper classes, and they ate things like foie gras, squab, and just about anything gelatinized
10. Fun, random fact: Lady and the Tramp was set during the Edwardian Era!
I’m a stay-at-home mom of three beautiful children (two toddlers and a newborn, in fact, so I think you can begin to see why my blog may be a bit neglected) and author of Arcana: A Novel (Skyhorse/Talos, November 4, 2014), my debut historical fantasy with a heavy dose of romance. I have a particular obsession with blending different genres, but almost everything I write has an element of fantasy and romance. I’ve been in love with historical England ever since my first literary crush: Mr. Darcy (I can’t even count the number of times I watched Pride & Prejudice–the A&E version, of course!!) I’m represented by the fabulous Brianne Johnson of Writers House, and I live in Greenville, SC.
Before I was a writer, I worked as a psychotherapist. I spent several years working at a psychiatric hospital in Birmingham, AL, but after my husband graduated as a pharmacist, we moved back to Greenville. I claim Greenville as my hometown now since I spent most of my childhood here, and I’m a proud alumna of St. Joseph’s Catholic School and Winthrop University.
Before I was a writer, I worked as a psychotherapist. I spent several years working at a psychiatric hospital in Birmingham, AL, but after my husband graduated as a pharmacist, we moved back to Greenville. I claim Greenville as my hometown now since I spent most of my childhood here, and I’m a proud alumna of St. Joseph’s Catholic School and Winthrop University.
Tour-Wide Giveaway
- $25 Amazon gift card & personalized hardcover of Arcana (INT)
- Two personalized hardcovers of Arcana + swag (US only)
- One ebook of Arcana (INT - Mobi or Epub)
Ends November 23rd
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Come along and follow the tour!
The third quote you shared was one of my favorites too! I also love all the names. Shrimpdittle and Dingleproops are fantastic. I like your predictions for the second half of the book. I really didn't have any predictions. Every prediction I did have has already been proven wrong or right, so I'm just looking forward to the rest of the book!
ReplyDeleteI like the cover and the first chapter sounds interesting. ;)
ReplyDeleteI would love to meet my "future love" during one.
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty cover
ReplyDeletejust like to feel the low
ReplyDeleteI would probably be too nervous for a season.
ReplyDeleteI have never joined a read-Along. Could be fun. I love these covers.
ReplyDeleteWould like to meet him at one.
ReplyDeleteI would want to meet my future love
ReplyDeletedebutante sounds fun...i can meet many good looking men :)
ReplyDeletethx 4 hosting...
I'm just now getting to responding. Busy week.
ReplyDeleteI did love that part. Seriously. :) I've just been wondering exactly what is going on and my interest is definitely pricked. Almost to the end of this one... :D
The covers are fantastic! Perfect for Sophronia (the MC). I would definitely highly recommend this series!
ReplyDeleteFirst chapter: As I am starting this series with book 2 (will read book 1 right after), I found the first chapter a fun way to learn about the different girls involved. The assessment of each gave interesting descriptions of their personalities.
ReplyDeleteCharacters: Each are presented so well that they are special and distinct. It's not hard to keep track of them. Each voice is unique.
Plot: Love it. Along with the mystery of trying to figure out what is going on, I love watching how Sophronia gets herself out of sticky situations.
Least favorite part: Not knowing who Sophronia picks - Soap or Felix.
Most favorite part: The dialogue. Totally love the humor infused in everything whether it be blatant or subtle.
Favorite lines: I admit that I am listening to the audio version. So, I can't pick any out easily. But, there are so many wonderful ones. BTW, the audio version is excellent! The narrator is perfect in capturing the voices of all the characters.
Predictions: Clueless. However, this is fine because I'm just along for the wild ride in store for us.
Other thoughts: I agree. I love the names, manners of speaking and etiquette described that Gail uses in her stories. Just the right amount of serious and whimsy.
Thanks so much for sharing! I definitely agree. :) It's good to know that the audio version is good. Sometimes they're not. Another update to post tomorrow and then we're on to Waistcoats and Weaponry...
ReplyDeleteOh, and do you have any questions for the author?
ReplyDeleteI thought so too. I do like scifi sometimes.
ReplyDelete