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September Virtual Tour: Maria La Divina by Jerome Charyn

“As he did in The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson, Charyn here reimagines the life of a complex and talented woman, this time the diva of divas, Maria Callas…A bravura performance that hits all the right notes and is sure to delight opera devotees and fans of strong women characters.” – Library Journal, starred review

“In the spirited biographical novel MARIA LA DIVINA, the allure of an opera legend is rendered with humanizing grit.” – Foreword Reviews

“Everyone in Callas’ world is drawn in depth, while this vivid portrait of the diva is compelling and dramatic without being idealistically flattering. An excellent choice for biographical fiction and opera fans.” – Booklist

“Charyn elicits sympathy for his complex lead through nuanced character work, and he manages to channel the excitement of Callas’s performances. This is a marvel.” – Publishers Weekly

“A deftly crafted work of historical biographical fiction, MARIA LA DIVINA once again showcases author Jerome Charyn as a novelist of extraordinary literary ability.” –Midwest Book Review

“Charyn impressively covers events, places, and people (even an older Winston Churchill) with a solid pace that never stalls…The complex genius of the Divine Diva will stay with any reader of this work.” – Historical Novels Review

Maria Callas, called La Divina, is widely recognized as the greatest diva who ever lived. In his new novel, MARIA LA DIVINA (Bellevue Literary Press; September 16, 2025), Jerome Charyn’s Callas springs to life as the headstrong, mercurial, and charismatic artist who captivated generations of fans, thrilling audiences with her brilliant performances and defiant personality.

Callas was one of the first divas to come from an impoverished background. As an outsider, she was shunned by the Italian opera houses, but through sheer force of will and the power and range of her voice, she broke through the invisible wall to sing at La Scala and headline at the Metropolitan Opera, forging an unforgettable career. Adored by celebrities and statesmen, the notable and notorious alike, her every movement was shadowed by both music critics and gossip columnists—until, having lost her voice, she died alone in an opulent, mausoleum-like Paris apartment.

In Charyn’s inimitable style, MARIA LA DIVINA humanizes the celebrated diva, revealing the mythical artist as a woman who survived hunger, war, and loneliness to reach the heights of acclaim.

To celebrate the release of MARIA LA DIVINA, we are hosting a pub week virtual book tour from September 14 – 22 featuring this stellar list of book influencers. Follow along for features, reviews, excerpts, and GIVEAWAYS:

Sunday, September 14 Suzy Approved Book Reviews

Sunday, September 14 Lexijava

Monday, September 15 We Love Big Books And We Cannot Lie

Monday, September 15 Books and Coffee MX

Tuesday, September 16 Nurse Bookie

Tuesday, September 16 What Is That Book About

Wednesday, September 17 Cassie’s Book Reviews

Wednesday, September 17 Nissa The Bookworm

Thursday, September 18 Sarah’s Bookish Reviews

Thursday, September 18 We Break For Books

Friday, September 19 Rozier Reads And Wine

Friday, September 19 Karen’s Library

Saturday, September 20 Kim Reads and Reads

Saturday, September 20 Red Reviews 4 You

Monday, September 22 The Maddie Hatter

Monday, September 22 Storeybook Reviews

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September Virtual Tour: THE ROOM OF LOST STEPS by Simon Tolkien

“In epic fashion worthy of his namesake, Tolkien crafts a remarkable novel of an American boy swept up by love and circumstance and cast into the crucible of the Spanish Civil War. Intense, vivid, and moving.” ―Mark Sullivan, bestselling author of Beneath a Scarlet Sky and All the Glimmering Stars

“Tolkien includes real-life events and people to anchor the story. Through detailed descriptions of place and of Theo’s evolving perspective, Tolkien crystallizes the horrors of war, the toll it takes on those in the middle of it, and the importance of finding a place that feels like home.” ―Booklist

An American boy with impossible dreams is thrust into the cauldron of the Spanish Civil War in this arresting and thrilling historical coming-of-age epic and sequel to The Palace at the End of the Sea.

Critically acclaimed author Simon Tolkien, grandson of literary legend J.R.R. Tolkien, continues the beautifully written historical saga and coming of age story of Theo Sterling he began with The Palace At The End Of The Sea (Lake Union | June 1, 2025) with the second installment in this two-part series, THE ROOM OF LOST STEPS (Lake Union | September 16, 2025).

About this duology, Simon explains: “The kernel of the idea for Theo Sterling’s story came to me a long time ago when I read an article about the Abraham Lincoln Brigade – Americans who volunteered in the last years of the 1930s to fight for the democratically elected Spanish Republic, that was under attack from the Spanish army supported by Hitler and Mussolini. Thousands of them from many different walks of life – university graduates and mill hands, teachers and truck drivers, even a governor’s son – crossed the sea without any previous experience of soldiering and risked their lives to fight for their ideals; many never came back. I was astonished by their courage and sacrifice, and I thought that their story would make a wonderful subject for a novel.”

THE ROOM OF LOST STEPS is a remarkable story of belief and disillusionment, of hope and loss, and what is left of a man when his ideals are stripped away; it’s historical fiction at its best.

Barcelona 1936. Theo helps the Anarchist workers defeat the army that is trying to overthrow the democratically elected government, and he is reunited with his true love, Maria. But all too soon, his joy turns to terror as the Anarchists turn on him, led by a rival for Maria’s affection.

Lucky to escape with his life, Theo returns to England to study at Oxford. But his heart is in Spain, now torn apart by a bloody civil war, and he is quick to abandon his new life when his old schoolmate Esmond offers him the chance to fight the Fascists. He is unprepared for the nightmare of war that crushes his spirit and his hope until, back in Barcelona, Theo is confronted with a final terrible choice that will define his life forever.

As Theo’s tumultuous coming-of-age journey reaches its end, can his dream to change the world―so far from home―still hold true?

With a careful eye for historical detail and masterful storytelling, Tolkien completes the stunning and immersive coming of age story of Theo Sterling with THE ROOM OF LOST STEPS.

To celebrate the release of THE ROOM OF LOST STEPS, we are hosting a virtual book tour starting in September through the beginning of October featuring this outstanding list of book influencers. Follow along for features, reviews, excerpts, and GIVEAWAYS!

Tuesday, September 2 Books and Coffee MX

Wednesday, September 3 Dive Into A Good Book

Thursday, September 4 Love My Books 2020

Friday, September 5 Nissa The Bookworm

Monday, September 8 Cassie’s Book Reviews

Monday, September 8 What Is That Book About

Tuesday, September 9 The Maddie Hatter

Wednesday, September 10 Lexijava

Thursday, September 11 Gwnedalyn Books

Friday, September 12 Book Girl Brown Reviews

Sunday, September 14 Subakka Bookstuff

Monday, September 15 Armed With A Book

Tuesday, September 16 Enjoying Books Again

Wednesday, September 17 Sarah’s Bookish Reviews

Thursday, September 18 Suzy Approved Book Reviews

Friday, September 19 Linda’s Book Obsession

Monday, September 22 Athena Noone Asked You

Tuesday, September 23 Gloriana Wong

Wednesday, September 24 Danish Mustard Reads

Thursday, September 25 WBTB Book Reviews

Friday, September 26 Karen’s Library

Monday, September 29 Rebekah Dolmat

Tuesday, September 30 Kim Reads And Reads

Wednesday, October 1 Books and Biewers

Thursday, October 2 Book Notions

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June Virtual Tour for THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA by Simon Tolkien!

 

A young man comes of age and crosses continents in search of an identity—and a cause—at the dawn of the Spanish Civil War in a thrilling, timely, and emotional historical saga.

“In epic fashion worthy of his namesake, Tolkien crafts a remarkable novel of an American boy swept up by love and circumstance and cast into the crucible of the Spanish Civil War. Intense, vivid, and moving.” ―Mark Sullivan, bestselling author of Beneath a Scarlet Sky and All the Glimmering Stars

Critically acclaimed author Simon Tolkien, grandson of literary legend J.R.R. Tolkien, will captivate readers with the release of his new historical saga, THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA (Lake Union | June 1, 2025). The first installment in a two-part series, the novel introduces us to Theo Sterling, a young man who comes of age and crosses continents in search of an identity―and a cause―at the dawn of the Spanish Civil War. As Theo engages with political and religious beliefs, including Capitalism, Communism, Anarchism, Fascism, and Catholicism, this sweeping novel examines the effect they have on him and his ultimate disillusionment with their promises. Rich in details and beautifully told by the talented Simon Tolkien, THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA is historical fiction at its best.

Theo’s story continues with THE ROOM OF LOST STEPS, which will be released on September 16, 2025 (Lake Union).

“Through intense research over many years,” Tolkien explains, “I have tried to bring the vanished world of America, England and Spain in the 1930s to life – a time that shares many similarities with the troubled world we live in today. I believe in the value of historical fiction. The past is another country just as rich as ours, and I want to bring it to life.”

New York City, 1929. Young Theo Sterling’s world begins to unravel as the Great Depression exerts its icy grip. He finds it hard to relate to his parents: His father, a Jewish self-made businessman, refuses to give up on the American dream, and his mother, a refugee from religious persecution in Mexico, holds fast to her Catholic faith. When disaster strikes the family, Theo must learn who he is. A charismatic school friend and a firebrand girl inspire him to believe he can fight Fascism and change the world, but each rebellion comes at a higher price, forcing Theo to question these ideologies too.

From New York’s Lower East Side to an English boarding school to an Andalusian village in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Theo’s harrowing journey from boy to man is set against a backdrop of societies torn apart from within, teetering on the edge of a terrible war to which Theo is compulsively drawn like a moth to a flame.

With historical depth and compelling storytelling, Tolkien weaves a stunning tale about how hope, courage, loss and disillusionment affect the formation of one’s character. Fans of historical fiction and literary fiction will devour THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA.

To celebrate the publication of THE PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA, we are hosting a virtual book tour throughout the month of June featuring this fantastic group of book influencers that will feature reviews, spotlights, excerpts and giveaways!

Sunday, June 1 Purrfect Pages

Monday, June 2 Books Coffee MX

Tuesday, June 3 Dive Into A Good Book

Wednesday, June 4 Bookalong

Thursday, June 5 Suzy Approved Book Reviews

Friday, June 6 Wuthering Vines

Monday, June 9 We Love Big Books And We Cannot Lie

Tuesday, June 10 Cassie’s Book Reviews

Wednesday, June 11 Lexijava

Thursday, June 12 Subakka Bookstuff

Friday, June 13 Sarah’s Bookish Reviews

Monday, June 16 Gym Girl Reads

Tuesday, June 17 The Maddie Hatter

Wednesday, June 18 Dana Mustard Reads

Thursday, June 19 Briana and Her Books

Friday, June 20 What Is That Book About

Friday, June 20 Linda’s Book Obsession

Sunday, June 22 Nissa The Bookworm

Monday, June 23 Bailey’s Book Recs

Tuesday, June 24 Book Girl Brown Reviews

Wednesday, June 25 Rebekah Dolmat Reads

Thursday, June 26 Gloriana Wong

Friday, June 27 Kim Reads and Reads

Sunday, June 29 Karen’s Library

Monday, June 30 Enjoying Books Again

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May Virtual Book Tour *THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES by Shirley Russak Wachtel*

From the author of A Castle in Brooklyn comes an epic novel spanning decades about the broken bonds of family, memories of war, and redemption and hope in the face of heartbreaking loss.

Advance Praise for The Baker of Lost Memories:

“The Baker of Lost Memories is a compelling family drama, slow-boiling its way to redemption and second chances.” ―Foreword Reviews

“A poignant story of the power of memory and family, Wachtel’s narrative moves easily through time and from mother to daughter.” – Library Journal

Fans of generational stories by Lynda Cohen Loigman (The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, The Matchmaker’s Gift), Jennifer Rosner (The Yellow Bird Sings) and Georgia Hunter (We Are The Lucky Ones) will devour Shirley Russak Wachtel’s new moving family saga, THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES (June 1, 2025; Little A). Wachtel is the critically acclaimed author of A Castle In Brooklyn, and she is back with another unforgettable novel that explores generational trauma, the complex relationships between immigrant parents and American-born children, resilience and redemption. THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES is a beautifully written poignant historical novel set in Brooklyn in the 1960s and 70s.

“The stories I write are about families,” Wachtel explains. “When I wrote A Castle In Brooklyn, I wanted to explore the traumatic effects of the Holocaust on survivors trying to build a new life in the United States. With THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES, I focus on the quiet reverberations of loss in the second generation. Family is the nucleus of life’s experience.”

It can take a lifetime to turn painful memories of the past into hope for the future.

Growing up in 1960s Brooklyn, Lena wants to be a baker just like her mother was back in Poland prior to World War II. But questions about those days, and about a sister Lena never even knew, are ignored with solemn silence. It’s as if everything her parents left behind was a subject never to be broached.

The one person in whom Lena can confide is her best friend, Pearl. When she suddenly disappears from Lena’s life, Lena forges ahead: college, love and marriage with a wonderful man, the dream of owning a bakery becoming a reality, and the hope that someday Pearl will return to share in Lena’s happiness―and to be there for her during the unexpected losses to come.

Only when Lena discovers the depth of her parents’ anguish, and a startling truth about her own past, can they rebuild a family and overcome the heart-wrenching memories that have torn them apart.

To help celebrate the publication of THE BAKER OF LOST MEMORIES, we are hosting a prepub virtual book tour during the month of May with this stellar list of book influencers who will post reviews, features, and giveaways. We hope you will follow along!

Thursday, May 1 BOOKPHILE BELLE

Thursday, May 1 – WHAT IS THAT BOOK ABOUT

Friday, May 2 WE BREAK FOR BOOKS

Monday, May 5 WE LOVE BIG BOOKS AND WE CANNOT LIE

Tuesday, May 6 SUZY APPROVED BOOK REVIEWS

Tuesday, May 6 BOOKS WRITING AND MORE

Wednesday, May 7 KATIE NEEDS A BIGGER BOOKSHELF

Thursday, May 8 LIT BY LILLI

Thursday, May 8 MATZAH BOOK SOUP

Friday, May 9 SECRET READING LIFE

Saturday, May 10 CASSIE’S BOOK REVIEWS

Monday, May 12 NISSA THE BOOKWORM

Tuesday, May 13 CAROL DOSCHER READER

Wednesday, May 14 DANISH MUSTARD READS

Thursday, May 15 SUBAKKA BOOKSTUFF

Friday, May 16 WUTHERING VINES

Monday, May 19 NURSE BOOKIE

Tuesday, May 20 BOOKS AND COFFEE MX

Wednesday, May 21 LEXIJAVA

Wednesday, May 21 MELANN ROSENTHAL

Thursday, May 22 WBTB REVIEWS

Friday, May 23 LOVE MY BOOKS 2020

Tuesday, May 27 GLORIANA WONG

Tuesday, May 27 MEG’S BOOK CLUB

Wednesday, May 28 MY BURSTING BOOK BAG

Thursday, May 29 ANDREA C. LOWRY READS

Friday, May 30 BOOK OBSESSION’S LINDA

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July Virtual Tour For New Historical Fiction THE CURSE OF THE FLORES WOMEN by Angélica Lopes, Translated by Zoë Perry

In this haunting novel about the enduring bonds of womanhood, a young girl weaves together the truth behind her family history and the secrets that resonate through generations.

“With each page, Alice’s role as the guardian of an important piece of Brazilian folk art, itself a feminist symbol, becomes more clear. Lopes…makes it clear that sisterhood is integral to survival.” ―Booklist

Angélica Lopes is a celebrated script writer, journalist and YA author from Rio de Janeiro, who got her start writing Brazilian soap operas that attracted millions of viewers daily. THE CURSE OF THE FLORES WOMEN is her first adult novel, a beautifully written tale about women activists in the early 1910s in the fictional town of Bom Retiro, Brazil and in modern times in Rio de Janeiro. Foreign rights have already been sold to France, Italy, Poland, Turkey and Portugal, and now with the help of the talented translator, Zoë Perry, Amazon Crossing will publish it for the first time in English on July 1, 2024.

“I wanted to set the fictional story of the lacemakers in a period when the debate around women’s issues and their achievements was just beginning,” Angélica explains. “I also wanted to tell a story about the unity of women in the face of domestic violence. I wanted a story of women coming together, not in conflict or working against each other. I am overjoyed that it will now reach an English speaking audience.”

Eighteen-year-old Alice Ribeiro is constantly fighting―against the status quo, female oppression in Brazil, and even her own mother. But when a family veil is passed down to her, and she discovers it hides a secret coded tale of domestic violence that happened 100 years before, she is compelled to uncover the hidden history of the women in her family while also fighting for the rights of all womankind.

Seven generations ago, the small town of Bom Retiro shunned the Flores women because of a “curse” that rendered them unlucky in love. With no men on the horizon to take care of them, the women learned the art of lacemaking to build lives of their own. But their peace was soon threatened by forces beyond any woman’s control.

As Alice begins piecing together the tapestry that is her history, she discovers revelations about the past, connections to the present, and a resilience in her blood that will carry her toward the future her ancestors strove for. Filled with an eclectic cast of female characters, a colorful setting marked by feuding families and a ruling oligarch, and generational secrets, THE CURSE OF THE FLORES WOMEN is historical fiction at its best.

To celebrate the publication of this new release, we are hosting a virtual book tour with this fantastic lineup of book influencers. We hope you will follow along:

Monday, July 1 – Dive Into A Good Book AND Lauren’s Book Vibes

Tuesday, July 2 – Tomes And Textiles AND Jess N Books

Wednesday, July 3 – Amber Shelf

Thursday, July 4 – Kera’s Always Reading

Friday, July 5 – Linda’s Book Obsession AND Mabel Journals

Sunday, July 7 – Booking With Janelle AND Lit Wit Wine Dine

Monday, July 8 – Armed With a Book

Tuesday, July 9 – Sarah And Her Bookshelves

Wednesday, July 10 – Reading With Nicole

Thursday, July 11 – What’s Better Than A Book

Friday, July 12 – Books With Bethany

Saturday, July 13 – Books and Coffee MX AND Marisol Reads Books

Sunday, July 14 – Purrfect Pages

Monday, July 15 – Angela Reads Books

Tuesday, July 16 – Bathtub Bookworm

Wednesday, July 17 – We Love Big Books And We Cannot Lie

Thursday, July 18 – Spookish Mommy

Friday, July 19 – Sue The Bookie

Saturday, July 20 – Melann Rosenthal AND Meg’s Book Club

Sunday, July 21 – Subakka Bookstuff

Monday, July 22 – Love My Books 2020

Tuesday, July 23 – Paperbacks N Frybread

Wednesday, July 24 – Bookalong

Thursday, July 25 – Bookapotamus

Friday, July 26 – Suzy Approved Book Reviews AND What Is That Book About

Saturday, July 27 – Bookish Spren

Sunday, July 28 – Secret Reading Life

Monday, July 29 – Book Things With Brit

Tuesday, July 30 – Gloriana Wong

Wednesday, July 31 – We Break For Books

WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET IN TOUCH?

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