Book Blast: The Graham Saga by Anna Belfrage

Please join Anna Belfrage as her beloved time-slip series, The Graham Saga, is featured around the blogosphere from July 28-August 15 with HF Virtual Book Tours and enter to win your own set of Books 1-6!



 

 

About The Graham Saga

This is the story of Alex and Matthew, two people who should never have met – not when she was born three hundred years after him.

It all began the day Alex Lind got caught in a thunderstorm. Not your ordinary storm, no this was the mother of all storms, causing a most unusual rift in the fabric of time. Alex was dragged three centuries backwards in time, landing more or less at the feet of a very surprised Matthew Graham.

In a series of books we follow the life and adventures of the expanding Graham family, both in Scotland and in the New World – and let me tell you it is quite an exciting life, at times excessively so in Alex’ opinion.

Sometimes people ask me why Alex had to be born in the twentieth century, why not make her a woman born and bred in the seventeenth century where the story is set? The answer to that is I have no idea. Alex Lind is an insistent, vibrant character that sprung into my head one morning and simply wouldn’t let go.

Seductively she whispered about terrible thunderstorms, about a gorgeous man with magic, hazel eyes, about loss and sorrow, about love – always this love, for her man and her children, for the people she lives with. With a throaty chuckle she shared insights into a life very far removed from mine, now and then stopping to shake her head and tell me that it probably hadn’t been easy for Matthew, to have such an outspoken, strange and independent woman at his side.

At this point Matthew groaned into life. Nay, he sighed, this woman of his was at times far too obstinate, with no notion of how a wife should be, meek and dutiful. But, he added with a laugh, he wouldn’t want her any different, for all that she was half heathen and a right hand-full. No, he said, stretching to his full length, if truth be told not a day went by without him offering fervent thanks for his marvelous wife, a gift from God no less, how else to explain the propitious circumstances that had her landing at his feet that long gone August day?

Still, dear reader, it isn’t always easy. At times Alex thinks he’s an overbearing bastard, at others he’s sorely tempted to belt her. But the moment their fingertips graze against each other, the moment their eyes meet, the electrical current that always buzzes between them peaks and surges, it rushes through their veins, it makes their breathing hitch and … She is his woman, he is her man. That’s how it is, that’s how it always will be.

 

Graham Saga Titles

Book One: A Rip in the Veil
Book Two: Like Chaff in the Wind
Book Three: The Prodigal Son
Book Four: A Newfound Land
Book Five: Serpents in the Garden
Book Six: Revenge & Retribution
Book Seven: Whither Thou Goest (November 2014)
Book Eight: To Catch a Falling Star (March 2015)

 

About the Author

Anna was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result she’s multilingual and most of her reading is historical- both non-fiction and fiction. Possessed of a lively imagination, she has drawers full of potential stories, all of them set in the past. She was always going to be a writer – or a historian, preferably both. Ideally, Anna aspired to becoming a pioneer time traveller, but science has as yet not advanced to the point of making that possible. Instead she ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for her most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career Anna raised her four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive…

For years she combined a challenging career with four children and the odd snatched moment of writing. Nowadays Anna spends most of her spare time at her writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and she slips away into her imaginary world, with her imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in her life pops his head in to ensure she’s still there.

For additional information regarding Anna, her characters, extra scenes, and teasers for her next books, have a look at Anna’s website at: www.annabelfrage.com. You can also find her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

 

Book Blast Schedule

Monday, July 28

Broken Teepee
Kincavel Korner
bookworm2bookworm’s Blog

Tuesday, July 29

So Many Books, So Little Time

Wednesday, July 30

A Bibliotaph’s Reviews

Thursday, July 31

Book Drunkard

Friday, August 1

The Lit Bitch

Saturday, August 2

Book Nerd

Sunday, August 3

Literary Chanteuse
Just One More Chapter

Monday, August 4

A Bookish Girl
Historical Tapestry
To Read, Or Not to Read

Tuesday, August 5

CelticLady’s Reviews

Wednesday, August 6

The True Book Addict

Thursday, August 7


 Impressions in Ink

Friday, August 8

A Bookish Affair
The Mad Reviewer

Saturday, August 9

Historical Fiction Connection

Monday, August 11

Gobs and Gobs of Books

Tuesday, August 12

Pages of Comfort

Wednesday, August 13

History Undressed

Thursday, August 14

Passages to the Past

Friday, August 15

Mina’s Bookshelf

Giveaway

To win a set of Anna Belfrage’s Graham Saga (Books 1-6) please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form HERE.

Two winners will be chosen. Giveaway is open internationally!

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on August 15th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter on August 16th and notified via email.

Winners have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.



The Newfound Land (Graham Saga Book 4) by Anna Belfrage

Back in October I read and reviewed the three earlier books in the series.

Book 1 - A Rip in the Veil
Book 2 - Like Chaff in the Wind
Book 3 - The Prodigal Son

In this latest book, Matthew and Alex continue their journey in Maryland in 1672. The family have been fairly successful. They own land and the family are thriving.

Sadly, their enemies have found them, their is a degree of ill-health and there is a general feeling of unrest.

Slave traders, missing children, men capturing women and the white man ignoring the Native Americans.

Like with the earlier books in the series, there is a sense of similarity with the the Outlander Series Diana Gabaldon. This is a great series of books and I look forward to reading the next in the series.

 

About the Author

I was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result I’m multilingual and most of my reading is historical – both non-fiction and fiction.

I was always going to be a writer – or a historian, preferably both. Instead I ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for my most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career I raised my four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive … Nowadays I spend most of my spare time at my writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and I slip away into my imaginary world, with my imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in my life pops his head in to ensure I’m still there. I like that – just as I like how he makes me laugh so often I’ll probably live to well over a hundred.

I was always going to be a writer. Now I am – I have achieved my dream.

For more information, please visit Anna Belfrage’s WEBSITE.

Disclaimer - I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The Prodigal Son (Graham Saga Book 3) by Anna Belfrage

This third instalment in the trilogy finds Matthew returned from the plantations. Back in Scotland the relationship with his brother continues to rage in an unhealthy manner, alas that is not the only consideration.

This book is set in the period where we see Charles II restored to the throne and the Country embarking of a period of social, economical and political unrest.

Meanwhile, Alex is frightened as to what the future holds for them and finally issues Matthew with an ultimatum. What will he do?

Reflecting over the trilogy, this book, as with second in the series can be read as standalone books, although the background is entwined within the story line of this book.

Anna has a delightful website where you can read about the series and download the few chapter in a PDF file.


About the Author

I was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result I’m multilingual and most of my reading is historical – both non-fiction and fiction.

I was always going to be a writer – or a historian, preferably both. Instead I ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for my most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career I raised my four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive … Nowadays I spend most of my spare time at my writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and I slip away into my imaginary world, with my imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in my life pops his head in to ensure I’m still there. I like that – just as I like how he makes me laugh so often I’ll probably live to well over a hundred.

I was always going to be a writer. Now I am – I have achieved my dream.

For more information, please visit Anna Belfrage’s WEBSITE.

Click the links to read my reviews for other books in the series

Book 1 - A Rip in the Veil 
Book 2 - Like Chaff in the Wind
Book 3 - The Prodigal Son
Book 4 - New Found Land - Coming soon!

Like Chaff in the Wind (Graham Saga Book 2) by Anna Belfrage

Having read and reviewed book one in the series; you can read that review HERE.

The second book in the series set out with Matthew in Edinburgh. There has been bad feeling between him and his brother and much damage has been done to their relationship, to the point of no return.

In Edinburgh, things take a turn for the worse, as Matthew is captured and sold off as an indentured servant to spend his days on the plantations of the Colonies.

Alex is desperate to be reunited with her husband, but does she manage it? As I turned each page I was really caught up with the story line. Does Alex become reunited with her beloved Matthew? - you will have to read the book to find out!

Again, a well laid out plot which has received much research. I just wondered as I read the sentence that explains the indentured ship crossing the Atlantic, when did the ocean receive it's name? There were a few scenes that made me question the plot, but I decided that it was important to not look at the events of the 1600's with a 21st Century mind. I really enjoyed this book and am very glad that I did decide to read them in the published order and am looking forward to reading and reviewing the finale in the series.

Anna has a delightful website where you can read about the series and download the few chapter in a PDF file.

About the Author


I was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result I’m multilingual and most of my reading is historical – both non-fiction and fiction.I was always going to be a writer – or a historian, preferably both. Instead I ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for my most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career I raised my four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive … Nowadays I spend most of my spare time at my writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and I slip away into my imaginary world, with my imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in my life pops his head in to ensure I’m still there. I like that – just as I like how he makes me laugh so often I’ll probably live to well over a hundred.
I was always going to be a writer. Now I am – I have achieved my dream.

For more information, please visit Anna Belfrage’s WEBSITE.

I shall be back next week with the review of the final book in the series as part of the book tour for book three.



See others participating in the Book Tour HERE

Disclaimer- I was provided with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A Rip in the Veil (Graham Saga Book 1) by Anna Belfrage

A little while ago I was given the opportunity to review the 3rd book in the Graham Sage by Anna Belfrage. As I read the synopsis I discovered a problem; I had not read the first books in the series. So my response was I would love to read the third book, but I would also read and review the first two in the series.

After a few days the books arrived and I started to read. Lately I have been in a reading slump. Over the years I have periodically stopped reading, recharged my batteries and started again. This time my recommencement in reading coincided with the arrival of these three books and I was hooked from the start.

 There was something very readable about this book. From the first sentence I was hooked, and that enthusiasm for a book, or in this case three books has not happened for a while, a very long while and even my favourite authors had not reinvigorated my reading.

We start the scene with Alex, driving along when she is caught up in a severe thunder storm. As the storm rages Alex is thrown together with the second central character of the book, Matthew. The problem is that Alex and Matthew both exist, but 300 years apart.

Set in both Scotland and America, Alex is a modern woman living in a past time where outspoken women were not encouraged, and women were meek, mild and knew their place. Matthew on the other hand knows that Alex is trouble, she is outspoken and he believes a woman before her time, if only he knew!

There is a similarities between this series and the popular series by Diana Gabaldon; that is not a negative. Anna has researched thoroughly and delivered a wonderful themed story that simply drives you to keep reading and move across to the following books in the series.

Anna has a delightful website where you can read about the series and download the first chapter in a PDF file.

About the Author

I was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result I’m multilingual and most of my reading is historical – both non-fiction and fiction. I was always going to be a writer – or a historian, preferably both. Instead I ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for my most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career I raised my four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive … Nowadays I spend most of my spare time at my writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and I slip away into my imaginary world, with my imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in my life pops his head in to ensure I’m still there. I like that – just as I like how he makes me laugh so often I’ll probably live to well over a hundred.

I was always going to be a writer. Now I am – I have achieved my dream. For more information, please visit Anna Belfrage’s WEBSITE.

I shall be back a little later in the week with the review of the second book in the series before joining the book tour for book three.

Guest Post: Anna Belfrage on 17th century religious conflicts

Today we welcome Anna Belfrage to HT as part of the blog tour to celebrate the release of The Prodigal Son, the third book in the Graham Saga.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’d like to start by thanking Historical Tapestry – and the ladies behind the blog – for taking part in the on-going blog tour for my book, The Prodigal Son by allowing me the opportunity to share my ramblings here.  The Prodigal Son is set in the latter half of the 17^th century, a period defined by religious conflicts, and the below is an attempt to give some background to these tumultuous times.

In 1637, a young Scottish woman stood up in the midst of the church service, gripped her stool and hurled it at the dean. Picture the scene; St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh is crammed with people, most of them there under protest, the dean is shifting from foot to foot, now and then his voice squeaks as he reads his way through the new liturgy. Up stands Jenny Geddes, incensed to the point of self-combustion, and sends her stool flying. Moments later, St Giles is a cacophony of raised voices, people shove and push and the poor dean retreats behind a stout pillar to avoid being hit by all the objects that people are throwing.

So why all the hullabaloo? Well, it all comes down to religion – it often does, even in these days – and the conflict between Charles I, who wanted to impose a book of common prayer on all his subjects, and the leaders of the Scottish Kirk, who would rather eat a plate of toadstools than acquiesce to their sovereign’s meddling with their beliefs.

When Jenny stood up that day in St Giles, I am sure she acted out of conviction. I am, however, far more doubtful as to the spontaneity of her little protest. For months the Scottish Kirk has organised protests, fanning the righteous anger of their flock into explosive fire. In keeping with the example set by John Knox, the father of the Scottish reformation, the Scottish Kirk of the seventeenth century insisted it should govern itself. When Charles tried to force the issue, the Kirk fought back – successfully, one might add.

Incensed ministers of the Kirk called their flocks together, all over Scotland men came together to sign the National Covenant, a document that stated that no king had the right to come between man and God. It also served as a call to arms, and some years on the Scottish Covenanter Army was a force to be reckoned with, ably led by battle hardened veterans from the Thirty Year War.

Charles I lost his throne – and his life – as a consequence of his meddling. Okay, okay, that is a simplification, because while religious controversy was the spark that ignited the Civil War, there were other, far more pragmatic, political reasons behind the ousting of the king.

All of this happened well before the events in The Prodigal Son – but the reality Matthew Graham and his wife, Alex, experience, is very much a consequence of the religious upheaval in the preceding decades. Charles II came to the throne with the intent of staying on it – and while he showed commendable clemency on most matters, he came down like a ton of bricks on the men who had signed the order of execution for Charles I and on anyone arguing religious matters fell outside the king’s control. This included those stubborn, loud-mouthed Scottish ministers and their refusal to kowtow to their king as overlord of their Kirk…

Charles II looking dark and dangerous

For men raised on the National Covenant, for men who had fought for their right to pray and believe as was taught by their Kirk, it was impossible to meekly abjure their faith. Instead, the congregations followed their ministers out on the moor to listen to the word of God as they considered it should be preached (a lot of brimstone and fire, no mealy-mouthed references to gambolling lambs in green pastures, not in a land defined by its core of harsh granite – both in its mountains and in its people). A deadly cat-and-mouse game followed, with the soldiers of the king chasing ministers and followers over the moors, while said ministers (and followers) did their best to evade them. Men were fined, they were flogged, and many of them were deported, some were executed in creative ways (such as being tied to a stake while the tide was out and left to drown when the tide came back in. Must be an awful way to die…) Still these stubborn Scots clung to their Kirk, still they refused to accept the hegemony of the king.

“Idiots,” Alex Graham mutters when she reads this. (For Alex all this religious stuff is totally incomprehensible. Well, it would be, seeing as she was born in 1976… Being yanked out of her time and propelled three centuries backwards comes with serious complications.)

“How idiots?” Matthew looms over his wife, hazel eyes burning into hers. He looks quite intimidating, but Alex seems unperturbed.

“You’re risking everything,” she hisses. “What if…” She breaks off and turns her back on her husband. “One day your luck will run out, Matthew Graham, and then what?”

“I go canny, lass. But you can’t expect me to sit on my hands when…”

Alex wheels. “Why not? Why can’t you just stay out of it?” Her hands whiten as she tightens her hold on her skirts and her eyes are uncommonly dark in her pale face.

“I can’t. These are my brothers, Alex, these are my ministers. Of course I must help.”

“And risk your life – our lives.”

“It won’t come to that,” he tries, placing his big hands on her shoulders.

“How do you know?” Her voice wobbles. “How can you stand here and tell me things will be okay when both of us know that sometimes they go very, very wrong?”

“I…”

Alex holds up her hand and backs away. “I don’t want to hear, okay?”

“Alex,” he groans. She shakes her head and stumbles off. I think she’s crying, but knowing Alex she wouldn’t like me to go after her – at least not now.

I throw Matthew a long look. “She’s right, you know. Your involvement may come at a heavy price.”

He gnaws his lip. “I must follow my conscience.”

“And what about her?” I point at his wife, now halfway up the hill. “Who comes first, Matthew? Your wife and family or your faith?”

“Both,” he tries.

I shake my head, “Ultimately you’ll have to choose. Don’t leave it too late, okay?”

“Too late?” His eyes are stuck on Alex.

“Too late,” I nod. “Some things lost can never be replaced.”

Matthew blanches and looks at me. “I have no choice,” he says hoarsely.

“Of course you do – all of us do.” I pat his arm. “Let’s just hope you make the right choice – for you and for her.” I’m talking to air. Matthew is bounding off in pursuit of his wife.

“Alex,” he calls. “Wait for me!”

It is somewhat ironic that the two king(s) that succeeded in totally rubbing most of the Scottish Protestants up the wrong way were, in fact, Scots. Charles I and his son were Stuarts, a dynasty young on the English throne, old on the Scots, but they were quick to forget their old homeland when presented with the tantalising – and exceedingly richer – aspects of their new, southern kingdom. As we all know, pride comes before fall, and some years on the last Stuart king would lose his throne to a large extent due to the lack of support from the Lowland Scots. 

But those events, dear reader, are the matter for a future instalment in The Graham Saga.

Tour Details

Link to Tour Schedule: http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/theprodigalsontour/
Twitter Hashtag: #ProdigalSonTour
Anna Belfrage's website.
Anna Belfrage on Facebook
About the Author

I was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result I’m multilingual and most of my reading is historical -  both non-fiction and fiction.

I was always going to be a writer - or a historian, preferably both. Instead I ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for my most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career I raised my four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive … Nowadays I spend most of my spare time at my writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and I slip away into my imaginary world, with my imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in my life pops his head in to ensure I’m still there. I like 

that – just as I like how he makes me laugh so often I’ll probably live to well over a hundred. 

I was always going to be a writer. Now I am - I have achieved my dream.