The Witch of Painted Sorrows Blog Tour: Review

Publication Date: March 17, 2015
Atria Books
Formats: Hardcover, Ebook
Pages: 384

Genre: Historical Mystery

LibaryReads March 2015 Pick

Indie Next Choice for April 2015

 

Synopsis

Possession. Power. Passion. International bestselling novelist M.J. Rose creates her most provocative and magical spellbinder yet in this erotic, gothic novel set against the lavish spectacle of 1890s Belle Époque Paris.

Sandrine Salome runs away to her grandmother’s Parisian mansion to escape her dangerous husband, but what she finds is even more menacing. The house, famous for its lavish art collection and elegant salons, is mysteriously closed up. Although her grandmother insists it’s dangerous for Sandrine to visit, she defies her and meets Julien Duplessi, a mesmerizing young architect. Together they explore the hidden night world of Paris, the forbidden occult underground and Sandrine’s deepest desires.

Among the bohemians and the demi-monde, Sandrine discovers her erotic nature as a lover and painter. Then darker influences threaten – her cold and cruel husband is tracking her down and something sinister is taking hold, changing Sandrine, altering her. She’s become possessed by La Lune: A witch, a legend and a sixteenth-century courtesan, who opens up her life to a darkness that may become a gift or a curse.

This is Sandrine’s “wild night of the soul,” her odyssey in the magnificent city of Paris, of art, love and witchery.

 

What Did I Think About the Story?

The Witch of Painted Sorrows, like all other books by M.J. Rose I have read, is an absolute treat for the senses!   The reader is completely submerged in what the characters experience, every touch, smell, sound and feeling so perfectly presented that you feel like you are right there, experiencing the same things. Which, given the sinister undertone lacing through this story, can be quite unnerving.

The revelations that our main character Sandrine comes to realize, in regards to her family's history and the secrets her ancestral home is hiding, are slow burning, as is the insidious presence that begins to take over her life, first by unleashing her inner passions and vibrant artistic talents and finally altering her personality in frightening ways. This slow release makes the whole mystical world swirling around Sandrine chilling as she isn't even quite sure what is happening to her. The reader just has to keep turning those pages to find out what might happen next.

My favorite aspect of the novel would have to be the time Sandrine spends painting and developing her craft.  It is rare that a novel takes you within the head of an artist so that you actually get the experience of seeing what that artist sees when looking at something that, for anyone who isn't an artist, would seem ordinary and watching it transform into something amazing. I wanted to spend more time within Sandrine's head as it was fascinating getting to see the workings of such a talented mind.

My only slight complaint (and given this wonderful story it is slight) is that I found a few of the secondary characters fell somewhat flat for me, especially Sandrine's husband. He is often referenced throughout the story as a horrid man who could pose a huge threat to Sandrine, but when we finally get to meet him it is barely a glimpse and that glimpse just didn't feel necessary. For me, he really only served to get Sandrine to Paris but added nothing else to the overall story.

The Witches of Painted Sorrows brings Belle Epoque Paris to life like only M.J. Rose can do. On top of the exciting and often frightening events discussed, the reader walks the halls of the Louvre, attends class at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and takes a walk around the Eiffel Tower. I am so very excited to see where Ms. Rose takes this newest series!

What Do I Think About the Cover?

I absolutely adore it! It just might be my favorite cover of the year so far! The dark colors and mysterious woman superimposed over the city perfectly fits the dark mysteries going on within the pages.


My Rating: 4.0/5.0

 



Thank you to Amy at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for providing me with a free copy of The Witch of Painted Sorrows in exchange for an honest review. Be sure to continue below for more information about the author, the book and the rest of the blog tour!

 

 



 

Praise For the Novels of M.J. Rose 

 

 

The Witch of Painted Sorrows

“Rose’s new series offers her specialty, a unique and captivating supernatural angle, set in an intriguing belle epoque Paris—a perfect match for the author’s lush descriptions, intricate plot and mesmerizing storytelling. A cliffhanger ending will leave readers hungry for the next volume. Sensual, evocative, mysterious and haunting.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Mixes reality and illusion, darkness and light, mystery and romance into an adult fairy tale. [Rose] stirs her readers curiosities and imaginations, opening their eyes to the cultural, intellectual and artistic excitement that marked the Belle Epoque period. Unforgettable, full-bodied characters and richly detailed narrative result in an entrancing read that will be long savored. Library Journal (Starred Review)

“A haunting tale of possession.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Rose is an unusually skillful storyteller. Her polished prose and intricate plot will grip even the most skeptical reader. ” (The Washington Post)

 

 

The Collector of Dying Breaths

 

 

"Breathtaking…combines fascinating history, torrid romance and a compelling mystery into a marvelous package that will entice fans of Anne Rice and Diana Gabaldon.” (Associated Press)

“A page-turning, alluring concoction of fiction infused with fantastical yet actual history. Readers will be charmed by her well-drawn and memorable characters, and they will be mesmerized by her enchanting narrative, which takes them on a mystical and magical journey.” (Library Journal (starred))

“A terrific piece of entertainment.” (CT Post)

“Wondrously original… elegantly written. Rose manages to utterly suspend our disbelief in a book that leaves us, appropriately enough, breathless.” (Providence Journal)

“Mysterious, magical, and mythical…what a joy to read!” (Sara Gruen, New York Times bestselling author of Water for Elephants)


Seduction


“Atmospherically romantic and perfectly toned. Classy and elegant literary seduction of the highest measure. As wondrously crafted as it is original.” (Providence Journal)

“Readers will be enchanted by M.J. Rose’s supernaturally charged novel Seduction, inspired by Victor Hugo’s self-imposed exile on the British island of Jersey in the 1850s.” (USA Today)

“Has just about everything a thriller fan could wish for.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

“Full of well-researched history, the paranormal, and modern intrigue, this atmospheric tale of suspense is fully engrossing to those willing to suspend their disbelief.” (Library Journal (starred review))


The Book of Lost Fragrances


“A compelling page turner…Once you catch a whiff, you will be enchanted.” (Associated Press)

“M.J. Rose is a bold, unflinching writer and her resolute honesty puts her in a class by herself.” (Laura Lippman)

“The Book of Lost Fragrances resonates with spirit, blending myth with reality, tragedy with triumph, pain with joy. You’ll find yourself questioning everything you believe–and wanting more.” (Steve Berry)

“Provocative…a sweeping sense of romance [and] history.” (Cleveland Plain-Dealer)

Buy the Book

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About the Author

 

 

M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother’s favorite books before she was allowed.

She is the author of more than a dozen novels, the co-president and founding board member of
International Thriller Writers and the founder of the first marketing company for authors: AuthorBuzz.com. She lives in Greenwich, Connecticut. Visit her online at MJRose.com.

Connect with M.J. Rose on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Goodreads.

Sign up for M.J. Rose’s newsletter and get information about new releases, free book downloads, contests, excerpts and more.



You can check out the whole HF Virtual Book Tour for The Witch of Painted Sorrows HERE.

 







 



So Just What Was The Belle Époque? Guest Post by Robert Stephen Parry, Author of The Hours Before

The Hours Before, A Story of Mystery and Suspense from the Belle Epoque, releases today! As many fans of historical fiction have probably noticed, the term "Belle Époque" has shown up in the descriptions of a lot of novels...but what exactly does it  mean? I am delighted to say Robert Stephen Parry has stopped by to let us know just that! So please read, enjoy, and find out how you can enter to win a copy!



Elegance, like beauty, is probably best described as being ‘in the eye of the beholder.’ We all have different ideas in this respect.  The period of history called The Belle Époque - which in translation means ‘the beautiful era’ is just such a battle-ground of differing opinions. For some it is the ultimate in stuffy formality, for others the apogee of style and panache.

 

Spanning the years between around 1870 to the onset of the First World War in 1914 (coinciding with the late Victorian and Edwardian periods in Britain), the Belle Époque was an era in which people strived for a ‘certain something’ - a pleasing countenance with long, clinging lines and sensuous silhouettes to the fashions, enhanced by the accessories of parasols, canes and the most extraordinary and extravagant of hats. Gorgeous. I chose it without hesitation as the backdrop to my latest novel: The Hours Before - A Story of Mystery and Suspense from the Belle Époque.

 

 

 

The Belle Époque was only named as such in retrospect, when people looked back at it from later decades. As the song goes: ‘you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til its gone.’ It wasn’t perfect, of course. Like most periods of history, it had its fair share of poverty and deprivation, inequality and injustice. But the Belle Époque was also largely a peaceful era, without any major wars or revolutions in Europe. People felt good, literacy and numeracy increased and the arts and sciences flourished.

 

As you can see from the above composite picture, it was not only about they way people dressed, but also the widespread use of the ‘art nouveau’ styles in art and design that were blossoming at this time - curvaceous, sinuous lines in everything from jewellery to glassware, from architecture to furniture.

In social terms, there was a self-confident, modern, forward-looking attitude - yet also combined the sophistication of manners from bygone times. A great combination. Advances in technology gave us improved health and hygiene, and there were fast communications via the telegraph. In the home, gas lighting, some early uses of electricity and decent plumbing made life comfortable if not quite luxurious for the privileged few - while travel, usually by rail, was extensive, reliable, safe and comfortable.

 

The characters in the novel 'The Hours Before' lead anything but comfortable lives, however. Theirs is a story of drama, mystery and suspense. Beginning in 1899 as the turn of the century approaches, there is a feeling that all is perhaps not entirely well with the world. Set in London, Vienna and various other locations in Europe, the age old conflicts of good and evil take to the field.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About The Hours Before

 

 

In darkness, late at night, a woman returns to her hotel to discover her usual maid has been replaced by a stranger. What begins as an icy exchange, born of weariness, becomes within minutes one of the most extraordinary encounters of her life. It will take her on a journey deep into her past and towards the fateful assignation that already awaits her on the other side of the night. Set amid the elegance and sophistication of the Belle Époque, and the Gothic splendour of late Victorian England, ‘The Hours Before’ is a story of drama, mystery and romance, revealing a hidden world of vice and malevolence – but also a pathway of transformation and knowledge.

 

 

About the Author

 

Robert Stephen Parry is a UK writer of historical fiction with interests in Tudor, Elizabethan and Georgian England; Victorian Gothic and the Belle Époque. A fresh and original voice in historical fiction, his work combines reality, mystery and imagination within a well-researched and vivid historical setting.

Website: http://www.robertstephenparry.com

Win A Copy of The Hours Before