Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More


Jul 15

9

Book Tour & Giveaway: Doctor Margaret in Delhi by Waheed Rabbani

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on July 9, 2015
Posted in Book Tours • My Past Giveaways  | Tagged With: , , | 5 Comments

02_Doctor Margaret in Delhi_CoverPublication Date: May 5, 2015
Historical Novels Publishing
Formats: eBook, Paperback
308 Pages

Series: The Azadi Trilogy
Genre: Historical Fiction

READ AN EXCERPT.

Doctor Margaret in Delhi is Book 2 of The Azadi Series and a sequel to, Book 1: Doctor Margaret’s Sea Chest. This historical fiction novel continues with Margaret’s journey from the time she and her Canadian husband participated in the 1854 Crimean War.

Doctor Margaret travels alone to India to be with her parents at the American Presbyterian Mission at Futtehgurh, and then on to her posting at a hospital in Delhi. There she has to not only overcome work pressures, but also deal with her intimidators and intrigues of the Mughals, at the Delhi Red Fort.

Margaret’s tormenter since her childhood, Captain Albert, also joins a British regiment bound for service in India. The Russian, Captain Count Nicholai, whom Margaret had met in Crimea, also arrives in India under the guise of a French physician. The events leading up to the Indian Mutiny/Rebellion that breaks out in 1857 profoundly affect not only Margaret’s life, but also of those who love her and others’ who wish her harm. Also, mixed-up in the bedlam is one of the Delhi King, Shah Zafar’s, Red Fort’s Guards sepoys, Sharif Khan Bhadur, the grandfather of Doctor Wallidad, an American doctor.

The Azadi Series covers the exciting events and turmoil that enflamed India from 1857 to 1947, and led to her independence. Those incidences engulf the characters of this story at that time, and then later their descendant’s lives, again in the 1960s.

Praise for Doctor Margaret in Delhi by Waheed Rabbani


“Excellent historical fictional setting, voice and tone. Not my normal reading diet, but your voice is compelling. Overall impression: it seems to be a novel one may settle into and relax for a delightful journey–(Spoiler alert) with a cobra and lots of new Indian vocabulary in store. Interesting bit about Robert Clive and the East India Company. Seems it’s a story that should be told.” – J.T.Bleu

“I have both traveled extensively in India, as well as have researched both past- and present-day India. I found this novel to be not only entertaining, but quite accurate in its portrayal of a highly complex and constantly evolving country. Margaret is an impressive heroine who must navigate this landscape, and deal with men who don’t have her bests interests at heart. I would definitely recommend this well-written novel. I learned from it, and I enjoyed it.” – 5-star Amazon review by Read More Books

Doctor Margaret in Delhi by Waheed Rabbani Available at


Amazon
Smashwords
iTunes

About Waheed Rabbani03_Waheed Rabbani


Waheed Rabbani was born in India, close to Delhi, and was introduced to Victorian and other English novels, at a very young age, in his father’s library. Most of the large number of volumes had been purchased by his father at ‘garage sales’ held, by departing British civil service officers, in the last days of the Raj.

Waheed attended St. Patrick’s High School in Karachi, Pakistan. He graduated from Loughborough University, Leicestershire, England, and received a Master’s degree from Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. While an engineer by profession, Waheed’s other love is reading and writing English literature, which led him to obtain a Certificate in Creative Writing from McMaster University and start on his fiction writing journey.

Waheed and his wife, Alexandra, are now settled on the shores of Lake Ontario in the historic town of Grimsby. More information is available on his website.

You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Giveaway of Doctor Margaret in Delhi by Waheed Rabbani


This giveaway is for the choice of 1 print or ebook and is open internationally. This giveaway ends on July 27, 2015. Entries are only accepted via Rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Doctor Margaret in Delhi by Waheed Rabbani  Blog Tour Schedule


Monday, July 6
Spotlight at Genre Queen

Tuesday, July 7
Review at Book Nerd

Wednesday, July 8
Spotlight at What Is That Book About

Thursday, July 9
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Friday, July 10
Character Interview at Boom Baby Reviews

Wednesday, July 15
Spotlight at The Never-Ending Book

Thursday, July 16
Review at Just One More Chapter
Guest Post & Giveaway at Unshelfish

Friday, July 17
Interview at The Writing Desk

Sunday, July 19
Review at Carole’s Ramblings

Tuesday, July 21
Review at Diana’s Book Reviews

Wednesday, July 22
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Thursday, July 23
Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews

Tuesday, July 28
Spotlight at Layered Pages

Friday, July 31
Tour Wrap Up & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

04_Doctor Margaret in Delhi_Blog Tour Banner_FINAL

Mar 15

8

Review: Rebel Queen by Michelle Moran

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on March 8, 2015
Posted in Books Read in 2015 • Historical Fiction • India • Michelle Moran  | Tagged With: , , , , | 12 Comments

Michelle MoranBook Description:



When the British Empire sets its sights on India in the 1850s, it expects a quick and easy conquest. After all, India is not even a country, but a collection of kingdoms on the subcontinent. But when the British arrive in the Kingdom of Jhansi, expecting its queen to forfeit her crown, they are met with a surprise. Instead of surrendering, Queen Lakshmi raises two armies—one male, one female—and rides into battle like Joan of Arc. Although her soldiers are little match against superior British weaponry and training, Lakshmi fights against an empire determined to take away the land she loves.

Told from the perspective of Sita, one of the guards in Lakshmi’s all-female army and the queen’s most trusted warrior, The Last Queen of India traces the astonishing tale of a fearless ruler making her way in a world dominated by men. In the tradition of her bestselling novel Nefertiti, which Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series, called “a heroic story with a very human heart,” Michelle Moran once again brings a time and place rarely explored in historical fiction to rich, vibrant life.

My Thoughts:



Michelle Moran did it again, she brought history back to life!

In 1850’s India, Sita’s mother dies in childbirth.  The baby is save but it’s another girl.  Sita’s grandmother sneaks Sita off to the temple to negotiate a price for them to buy Sita for prostitution but her father finds out the plan and puts a stop to it.  He says that since they can’t afford to marry her off, he will train her be in the female guard, called Durga Dal for the Rani (Queen).

This is very tough to get into but her father, along with their friend and neighbor, trained Sita and she learned fast.  Against incredible odds, gets accepted into the Durga Dal.  When Sita joined the guard, she learns quickly that not all is what it seems and she can trust no one.  As we Sita grow into the position we also see the shift into the British empire and their eventual rule of India.

Michelle Moran sucked me into the story from page one and never let me go.  I will be thinking about the book, Sita, and the Rani for a long time.  She captured the landscape of place and time beautifully.  The characters were well developed and it is evident that the history was well researched.  This is a must read for historical fiction fans!  If you are like me and have been a fan or Michelle Moran’s books, she does not disappoint! 

5/5

I received the ebook for my honest review.

About Michelle Moran:Michelle Moran



Michelle Moran is the international bestselling author of six historical novels, including Madame Tussaud, which was optioned for a mini-series in 2011. Her books have been translated into more than twenty languages.

A native of southern California, Michelle attended Pomona College, then earned a Masters Degree from the Claremont Graduate University. During her six years as a public high school teacher, she used her summers to travel around the world, and it was her experiences as a volunteer on archaeological digs that inspired her to write historical fiction. 

In 2012 Michelle was married in India, inspiring her seventh book, Rebel Queen, which is set in the East. Her hobbies include hiking, traveling, and archaeology. She is also fascinated by archaeogenetics, particularly since her children’s heritages are so mixed. But above all these things, Michelle is passionate about reading, and can often be found with her nose in a good book. A frequent traveler, she currently resides with her husband, son, and daughter in the US.