Mary's Bookcase

Monday, 8 June 2026

Check out Rise of the Pale Moon by Patricia Brandon

Rise of the Pale Moon

By Patricia Brandon

Publication Date: October 15th, 2024

Publisher: Palmetto Publishers

Pages: 262

Genre: Historical Fiction

Unlikely Allies: Three Diverse Women Navigate Tumultuous Times, Risking All Amidst Revolutionary Woes. A Tale of Hope, Love, and Triumph Over Adversity.

In the heart of coastal South Carolina, during the Revolutionary War era, a profound narrative unfolds in Rise of the Pale Moon. This captivating tale is set on a plantation, where three young women of strikingly different backgrounds are held captive - a humble indentured servant from London, a resilient chattel slave, and a resourceful Catawba Indian. Their lives are intertwined, bound by the chains of their circumstances, and deeply impacted by the Master and his family.

These women, each bearing a unique perspective, must learn to navigate their relationships with each other and their captors. As they grapple with their brutal reality, their courage is put to the ultimate test. Will they risk a daring escape, knowing full well that it could result in their demise? Or will they remain, hoping to influence their fate and possibly alter the course of the war in the American South?

Rise of the Pale Moon explores the intricacies of loyalty, sacrifice, and love amidst harsh adversity. The characters' relentless pursuit of hope is a testament to their determination and resilience, offering an inspiring portrayal of human spirit. As the birth of a new nation unfolds around them, their journey reveals the transformative power of unity and friendship.

This riveting narrative is more than just a historical fiction; it is a timeless exploration of the human condition, capturing the essence of shared struggles, shared dreams, and the shared determination to survive. The characters' journey serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring power of hope, even in the darkest of times.

Rise of the Pale Moon is a captivating read, that will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, leaving you with a renewed perspective on life, love, and the power of resilience. The story serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the courage to fight for freedom. A must-read for anyone who appreciates a compelling historical narrative laced with poignant life lessons.

***

Praise for Rise of the Pale Moon:

"... a captivating read, that will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, leaving you with a renewed perspective on life, love, and the power of resilience. The story serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the courage to fight for freedom. A must-read for anyone who appreciates a compelling historical narrative laced with poignant life lessons."

~ Yarde Book Promotion, 5* Editorial Review

"Set in Charleston, South Carolina during the Revolutionary war, this novel takes the reader on a journey through the past while teaching about history and friendship in a way that readers, especially middle grade readers, will surely connect. As a teacher, I was hooked at the beginning when the main character, and indentured servant, faces unbelievable hardship on the passage to America. Readers will learn about the history of that era while being entertained with the story."

~ Sophia, 5* Amazon Review

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Patricia Brandon

Patricia Brandon is a winner of a Carrie McCray Memorial Literary Award (South Carolina Writers’ Association.

Her first novel, The Center of Gravity, earned a Coffee Pot Book Club (UK) “Highly Recommended” 5-Star Award. It recently was awarded a bronze medal (fiction-mystery-historical category) in the Readers Favorite International Book Contest.

Her second novel, A Rule of Live, was selected as a gold medal (YA, Historical Fiction category) 2021 Book of the Year by The Coffee Pot Book Club. It also was recently selected as a bronze medal (YA Mystery category) winner in the Readers Favorite International Book Contest.

Rise of the Pale Moon was selected as a finalist for the American Writing Awards 2025.

All novels have gleaned several excellent editorial reviews.

Connect with Patricia:

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Sunday, 7 June 2026

Check out Enheduanna’s Song From the Sands by Ellen Rachlin

Enheduanna’s Song From the Sands

By Ellen Rachlin

Publication Date: August 25th, 2026

Publisher: Histria Fiction

Pages: 272

Genre: Historical Fantasy / Historical Literary Fiction

Discover the untold story of Enheduanna, the world’s first named author, as she navigates power, betrayal, and divine destiny in ancient Mesopotamia. A mesmerizing fusion of history, myth, and female leadership that challenges how we see the past—and ourselves.

A high priestess dethroned. A rebel with a dangerous plan. One empire hanging by a thread.

When Enheduanna is named High Priestess of Ur, her connection to the gods makes her a target. Lugalanne’s coup strips her of robes, power, and home, casting her into the perilous underworld. There, amid forests of shadows and treacherous trials, she discovers that divine favor alone won’t save her—only cunning, courage, and a willingness to embrace the ruthlessness of her enemies can restore her.

Drawing on history and myth, Enheduanna’s Song From the Sands follows the world’s first named author as she fights to reclaim her voice and her destiny. Political intrigue, betrayal, and divine tests collide as Enheduanna must decide whether to forgive, to fight, or to harness the power that could shake the foundations of an empire. For readers who love The Song of Achilles’s intimate heroism, Circe’s mythic depth, or The Daughters of Sparta’s fierce women, this is a mesmerizing dive into ancient Mesopotamia where courage and cunning are the only paths to survival.

Praise for Enheduanna's Song From The Sands:

"In finely detailed prose, Ellen Rachlin brings Enheduanna, daughter of Sargon, to life, as well as the mythic figures of Inanna and Ereshkigal of the Underworld. Enheduanna’s Song From the Sands is filled with conflict and intensity, each quest, not only a matter of achieving power, but of life and death."

~ Regina McBride, author of Stranger from Across the Sea

"JEnheduanna was such a powerful FMC in this book and woman in real life, I’m truly so grateful to have learned about her. Ellen Rachlin’s writing captures the powerful and divine moments of Enheduanna’s life and suspends them before you so you may be there right alongside..."

~ Morgan, ARC Reviewer

"Enheduanna's hymns to the goddess Inanna are the first known literary works to name an author. Rachlin brings her to life in this novel set in 2300 BCE, a novel of sex, war, love, a baby in a basket, and a woman creating a new order of being. It’s historical fiction writing that reminds the reader of Hilary Mantel, you can’t put it down. You want to follow the priestess to bed, to rise, to her last fighting breath. Rachlin won’t let you put this book down."

~ Kate Gale, author of Under a Neon Sun and Swimming the Milky Way

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Ellen Rachlin

Ellen Rachlin’s poetry has appeared in American Poetry Review, Comstock Review, Granta, Court Green, Literary Imagination, and various anthologies. She has published two collections of her poems, Until Crazy Catches Me (Antrim House, 2008) and Permeable Divide (Antrim House, 2017), winner of the 2018 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Silver Award.

She has a historical fiction novel, Enheduanna’s Song From the Sands, based on the life of Enheduanna, the Akkadian high priestess and world’s first-named author, forthcoming from Histria Books and a collection of poems, At the Big Bang Resort, forthcoming from Red Hen Press.

She is also the author of two chapbooks, Waiting for Here (Finishing Line Press, 2004), a finalist in the New Women's Voices series, and Captive to Residue (Flarestack Publishing, 2009). She received her MFA from Antioch University. She serves as Treasurer of The Poetry Society of America and is a partner at Blue Leaf Ventures.

Other writing genres include numerous textbook and journal articles on the subject of finance and investing with various publishers including Wiley.

Connect with Ellen:

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Thursday, 4 June 2026

Daughter of Mercia (Dr Anna Petersen Mysteries #1) by Julia Ibbotson

Daughter of Mercia

Dr Anna Petersen Mysteries #1

by Julia Ibbotson

*First Book Anniversary Blog Tour*

Publication Date: June 6th, 2025

Series: Dr Anna Petersen Mysteries

Publisher: Archbury Books

Pages: 301 ebook / 392 pb

Genre: Medieval Dual-Timeline Mystery Romance

A brand-new Anglo-Saxon time-slip full of mystery and romance.

Echoes of the past resonate across the centuries as Dr Anna Petersen, a medievalist and runologist, is struggling with past trauma and allowing herself to trust again. When archaeologist (and Anna's old adversary) Professor Matt Beacham unearths a 6th century seax with a mysterious runic inscription, and reluctantly approaches Anna for help, a chain of events brings the past firmly back into her present. And why does the burial site also contain two sets of bones, one 6th century and the other modern?

As the past and present intermingle alarmingly, Anna and Matt need to work together to solve the mystery of the seax runes and the seemingly impossible burial, and to discover the truth about the past. Tensions rise and sparks fly between Anna and Matt. But how is 6th century Lady Mildryth of Mercia connected to Anna? Can they both be the Daughter of Mercia?

For fans of Barbara Erskine, Elena Collins, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley and Christina Courtenay.

Praise for Daughter of Mercia:

“Ibbotson’s prose immerses you in the vivid world of the Anglo-Saxon era, richly layered with sensory detail that brings both the past and present timelines to life. I could feel the atmosphere—the cold stone and the wind on the hills. Her writing weaves the two eras seamlessly, connecting people across time and creating a mysterious, slow-building tension that keeps you turning the pages.”
~ Alis Page, Reviewer, 5*

“... an atmospheric, and wonderfully immersive, novel that has it all: characters with their own conflicts, both in the past and the present; a mystery that links the eras; the intrigue of Mildryth's fate and Anna's secrets; and all within the fascinating setting of archaeology.”
~ Ruins & Reading, 5* Review

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This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Julia Ibbotson

Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She is the author of historical mysteries with a frisson of romance. Her books are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip / dual-time mysteries.

Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language / literature / history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher. Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s.

She has published five other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone. Her latest novel is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon dual-time mysteries, Daughter of Mercia, where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries.

Her books will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. Her readers say: ‘Julia’s books captured my imagination’, ‘beautiful story-telling’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘brilliant and fascinating’ and ‘I just couldn’t put it down’.

Connect with Julia:

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Instagram • Bluesky • Pinterest

Amazon Author Page • Goodreads

Wednesday, 3 June 2026

The Agincourt King – Audiobook Plantagenet Legacy Series by Mercedes Rochelle

The Agincourt King – Audiobook

Plantagenet Legacy Series

By Mercedes Rochelle

Publication Date: April 8th, 2024

Publisher: Sergeant Press

Pages: 260

Genre: Historical Fiction

Audiobook :

Publication Date: May 4th, 2026

Publisher: Sergeant Press

Narrator: Kevin E. Green

Listening Length: 8 hours 36 minutes

From the day he was crowned, Henry V was determined to prove the legitimacy of his house.

His father's usurpation weighed heavily on his mind. Only a grand gesture would capture the respect of his own countrymen and the rest of Europe. He would follow in his great-grandfather Edward III's footsteps, and recover lost territory in France. Better yet, why not go for the crown?

Poor, deranged Charles VI couldn't manage his own barons. The civil war between the Burgundians and Armagnacs was more of a threat to his country than the English, even after Henry laid siege to Harfleur.

But once Harfleur had fallen, the French came to their senses and determined to block his path to Calais and destroy him. By the time the English reached Agincourt, they were starving, exhausted, and easy pickings. Or so the French thought.

Little did they reckon on Henry's leadership and the stout-hearted English archers who proved, once again, that numbers didn't matter when God was on their side.

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The Plantagenet Legacy Series

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All titles in the series are available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Mercedes Rochelle

Mercedes Rochelle is an ardent lover of medieval history, and has channeled this interest into fiction writing.

Her first four books cover eleventh-century Britain and events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. The next series is called The Plantagenet Legacy about the struggles and abdication of Richard II, leading to the troubled reigns of the Lancastrian Kings.

She also writes a blog: HistoricalBritainBlog.com to explore the history behind the story.

Born in St. Louis, MO, she received by BA in Literature at the University of Missouri St.Louis in 1979 then moved to New York in 1982 while in her mid-20s to “see the world”. The search hasn’t ended!

Today she lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.

Connect with Mercedes:

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Amazon Author Page • BookBub • Goodreads

Monday, 1 June 2026

What the Ocean Brings by Tonya Ulynn Brown

What the Ocean Brings

By Tonya Ulynn Brown

Publication Date: June 4th, 2026

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

Pages: 393

Genre: Historical Romance

Quebec, Canada, 1847. While trying to escape the Potato Famine, shipwrecked Irish immigrant Breanna Clarey awakens injured and alone on an unfamiliar beach. To make matters worse, she has been separated from her family, and her friend, Crow, is lying dead at her feet. But when Dawson Roberts, a reclusive fisherman with a guarded past and big dreams for his future, finds Breanna, he puts his plans on hold to offer her shelter and help find her family.

But life for an Irish immigrant isn't easy. Facing a deadly quarantine station, dangerous immigration officials, and grief over her missing family, Breanna struggles to exert her independence and navigate her new world. While Breanna confronts an unknown future, Dawson is plagued by a painful past. They each must determine their own course, even if it means ignoring the pull they have on each other.

When the future takes an unexpected turn, only the ocean that has brought them so much devastation can help them find their way back to where they belong.

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Tonya Ulynn Brown

Tonya Ulynn Brown is an award-winning historical romance author who writes emotionally rich tales of ancient castles, treacherous plots, and forbidden love. With a deep passion for the turbulent histories of England and Scotland, she brings the past vividly to life through stories where danger and desire walk hand in hand.

Tonya holds a master’s degree and teaches Reading and Writing at the elementary level. Fueled by iced coffees, beautiful books, and an enduring obsession with Mary, Queen of Scots, she fills her days writing, teaching, and researching the lives of long-dead monarchs and other historical figures.

Most of all, she loves spending time with her husband, two sons, and one very spoiled French bulldog.

Connect with Tonya:

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Amazon Author Page • BookBub • Goodreads

Thursday, 21 May 2026

Read an excerpt from HEROICA by Alison Morton

HEROICA:

Three women, three centuries, three reckonings

Roma Nova

By Alison Morton

Publication Date: May 14th, 2026
Publisher: Pulcheria Press
Pages: 162
Genre: Collection of alternative history short(ish) stories

Even the strongest state is vulnerable to its past.

2020, Roma Nova. Carina Mitela investigates a potential rebellion but discovers the long-buried secret that ignited the attempted uprising links directly to her own powerful family.

1683, Vienna. As Europe struggles against the Ottoman onslaught, Honoria Mitela leads her troops into the desperate battle to save besieged Vienna. The fate of Europe – and of Roma Nova itself – hangs in the balance.

1849, Central Italy. Statia Mitela’s impulsive act saves one life but jeopardises Roma Nova’s very existence and threatens her descendants with public disgrace, financial ruin and permanent exile.

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Three stories of the women of the Mitela family, descendants of the founders of Roma Nova, bound by blood and courage.

Praise for HEROICA:

“All three stories in this collection deal with honour and the question of being true to oneself, especially if this entails running the risk of coming into conflict with the state and the status quo. All three central women are physically and morally brave, even rash. Their strength of spirit is never in doubt.”
~ Lorna Fergusson, Fictionfire

“For anyone who has read and enjoyed the Roma Nova stories before, this collection of novellas is a must. And if you haven’t, then please start from the beginning with INCEPTIO – you’ll be hooked!”
~ Christina Courtenay, bestselling author of romantic time-travel fiction

Excerpt

Excerpt from Revolution?, the first story in the HEROICA collection

Set in 2020 in the European country of Roma Nova, the last part of the Roman Empire that has survived from the late 4th century into the 21st.. Carina Mitela is undercover as an innocent seeming market researcher in Brancadorum, a sleepy, rural town in the east. Apparently, somebody is stirring people up for a revolution.

I rented a small office at the local enterprise centre in Brancadorum. At about four and a half metres square, it boasted a desk, some shelving, a lockable cupboard and a corner couch where I could crash if necessary. The window gave onto the parking lot, then other light industrial workshop buildings. Beyond them rose the slopes growing grapes for the famous Brancadorum champagne. I knew the French didn’t like us calling it that and the labels stated vinum bullescens – sparkling wine – but we all knew what we meant.

After I’d pulled down the blind against the spring sunshine shining right onto the desk, I set up my laptop and tested the Wi-Fi. Next, I tried Fornax’s cell phone, but received no reply – not even a recorded voice message – so I’d need to take a trip out to his farm and knock on his door. Hopefully, the poor guy wasn’t sick. Conrad said he had a couple of helpers on the farm so they would have supported him if he were ill.

Meanwhile, I originated the questionnaire. Being on paper it would seem old-fashioned, but current research held that people didn’t like being accosted in the street by a stranger brandishing an el-pad. Paper and pen were supposed to be more friendly. As I picked up the printed sheets at the central service desk, I asked the assistant if he could recommend a nearby hotel.

‘The Vitis Aurea. It’s a bit bland. Local groups and businesses use it for meetings and networking. You’ll find it just down the end of this road. The bar does get busy, though.’

‘That’s great. I can get some further opinions for my market research in a relaxed atmosphere.’

He grinned at me.

‘Do you mean they’ll say more than they should if they’ve had a few?’

‘All’s fair in market research.’ I winked at him and he laughed with a warm expression in his eyes. I glanced at his name badge. ‘Well, thank you, Palucus. I’ll let you get on with your work.’

Deciding I’d flirted enough, I drove to the Vitis Aurea and once I’d checked in, I discovered it was perfectly comfortable. A good bed, strong flow of hot water in the shower and, joy of joys, a coffee machine. So much for Palucus’s assessment. No sign of the golden vine of its name, but I’d operated in far worse places.

As it was only four in the afternoon, I took a walk into the centre of Brancadorum to ‘sniff the air’ as the political analysts called it. The town was an old settlement from the earliest days of Roma Nova. Legend had it that the original owner of the land, Brancus, from one of the Twelve Families who founded Roma Nova, was such a corrupt operator that the imperatrix of the time took the land away from him and gave it to his daughter to run. Maybe that was just a legend, but an interesting one. Even so, the eastern settlement had taken a form of his family’s name. The gods knew how he’d persuaded them to do that.

Only a few of the original buildings still existed, but the theatre was one of them, carved into the hillside and giving a wonderful view across to the mountains on the other side of the valley. Still, the town had retained its original layout and had been enhanced over the centuries. In the forum, I wandered along the Saepta Apulia colonnade, checking out the shops. A few posters curling at the edges or completely tattered clung to the windows of one that had obviously shut a while ago. Then I saw it.

A stylised cartoon of a man in a short-sleeved shirt and khaki trousers, no tie, brandishing a traditional broom in two hands and standing against the background of a line drawing depicting a run-down Roma Nova city with crumbling buildings. He was sweeping away cartoon figures of the imperatrix, a fat capitalist grasping a moneybag and a senator in a traditional toga.

Citizens Forward!

Saturday is our day of action

Our day of destroying those who oppress us

Our day of recovering our dignity

Our day of freedom!

Underneath were the date, time and venue.

Mercury save us, this was plain sedition. I squinted at the bottom of the poster to see who the printer was. Nothing. Well, that was illegal to start with. Then it hit me. Today was Friday. This meeting, rally, whatever, would be tomorrow.

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