The Witch of Painted Sorrows by M.J. Rose

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

  My Review
I am a big fan of MJ Rose's books and especially of those which follow Jaq L'Etoile, but also of her other books. I was very excited to get the chance to read this book, part of a new intriguing sounding series- Daughters of La Lune. As usual, I was sucked into the story from the very first page. 
Sandrine runs from her husband in New York to Paris and her grandmother, a famous and well respected courtesan. Her home, which she visited at the age of fifteen holds a special place in her heart and she is eager to return to it. However, Maison de la Lune is closed up and her grandmother fears that if Sandrine enters it will change her forever.
This book is full of intrigue, mystery and magic. The Witch of Painted Sorrows is set at the beginning of the Belle Epoque, when many of Paris's inhabitants were interested in the macabre and supernatural forces. Paris at this time is a wonderful backdrop to the story of Sandrine and la Lune.  
READ AN EXCERPT
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 époque 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)
"A haunting tale of possession."(Publishers Weekly)

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.î (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 mythicalÖwhat 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)
ìHas just about everything a thriller fan could wish for.î (Philadelphia Inquirer)
ìFull of well-researched history, the paranormal, and modern intrigue, this atmospheric tale of suspense is fully engrossing to those willing to suspend their disbelief.î (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)
ìProvocativeÖa sweeping sense of romance [and] history.î (Cleveland Plain-Dealer)

Buy the Book

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About the Author

New York Times Bestseller, 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 believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice... books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it. 

Please visit her blog, Museum of Mysteries at http://www.mjrose.com/blog/

Her photo was taken by Judith Pushett utilizing an old relic: a turn-of-the-century 11 x 14 inch wood camera.

Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

Her most recent novel THE COLLECTOR OF DYING BREATHS (Atria/S&S) was chosen as an Indie Next Pick and her next novel, THE WITCH OF PAINTED SORROWS will be released March 2015.

Rose's work has appeared in many magazines including Oprah Magazine and she has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, WSJ, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com

The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Reincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and currently serves, with Lee Child, as the organization's co-president..

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.

Click on the banner for the tour schedule.

Happy Reading! _________________________________________
 FTC Disclosure: Clicking on book title and/or image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Review: The Collector of Dying Breaths by M.J. Rose

The Collector of Dying Breaths by M.J. Rose 384 pages, Hardcover Atria Books, April 2014
Source: Provided by publisher/NetGalley in exchange for review
Jaq is back! This time a little more open to the possibility that she has lived past lives. She is dealing with a great loss but is determined to finish the work of her brother. In a strange home with strange people and only one friend to depend on, Jaq delves into the past and the power of perfume once again. 
Absolutely loved this new chapter in Rose's Reincarnationist series. Jaq seems stronger and more open to what she doesn't understand. The history of Rene, the perfumer of Catherine of Aragon, was engrossing and Griffin is back on the scene. Rene's story and his pursuit for the "elixir of life" using the last breaths of the dying was my favorite part of the book. It is a time period I am really interested in so it made for a very enjoyable read. 
For more information on the book and author visit her WEBSITE.
Happy Reading! _________________________________________
 FTC Disclosure: Clicking on book title and/or image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

New Kindle Deal

The Kindle Deals are heating up with LIP SERVICE, the titillating novel by International Bestselling Author M.J. Rose, available for just 99 cents on Amazon!

This is a great alternative to Fifty Shades of Gray. You can check out my review here. 

This is a great deal! Click on the book and go get yourself a copy.


Happy Reading! _________________________________________  
 FTC Disclosure: Clicking on book title and/or image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Guest Post by M.J. Rose

Please welcome MJ Rose to the blog, author of Seduction, which was published on May 7th.

The quote is a little more explicit than what I usually post on the blog so be forewarned.

Enjoy!

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“When love has fused and mingled two beings in a sacred and angelic unity, the secret of life has been discovered so far as they are concerned; they are no longer anything more than the two boundaries of the same destiny; they are no longer anything but the two wings of the same spirit. Love, soar.”
― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

Excerpt from SEDUCTION - From Chapter 14

I imagined you were dreaming your own dream, oblivious that I was even there. And that increased my desire for you. Often the wanting is more satisfying that the fulfillment. I have come to prefer anticipation to satiation. Longing can make one feel alive in more profound way. You see everything through champagne bubbles. Your senses are alert. You imagine how your lover’s lips will feel, how her skin will taste. What it will be like to unbutton her chemise, slip it off her shoulders, press your mouth to her skin, cup her breasts in your palms and feel her excitement harden her nipples. You picture her leaning into you. Showing you just enough of her want ignites yours.

You can find my review of Seduction here. 

Happy Reading! _________________________________________
 FTC Disclosure: Clicking on book title and/or image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Review: Seduction by M.J.Rose

Seduction by M.J. Rose

"From the author of The Book of Lost Fragrances comes a haunting novel about a grieving woman who discovers the lost journal of novelist Victor Hugo, awakening a mystery that spans centuries. 

In 1843, novelist Victor Hugo’s beloved nineteen-year-old daughter drowned. Ten years later, Hugo began participating in hundreds of séances to reestablish contact with her. In the process, he claimed to have communed with the likes of Plato, Galileo, Shakespeare, Dante, Jesus—and even the Devil himself. Hugo’s transcriptions of these conversations have all been published. Or so it was believed. 

Recovering from her own losses, mythologist Jac L’Etoile arrives on the Isle of Jersey—where Hugo conducted the séances—hoping to uncover a secret about the island’s Celtic roots. But the man who’s invited her there, a troubled soul named Theo Gaspard, has hopes she’ll help him discover something quite different—Hugo’s lost conversations with someone called the Shadow of the Sepulcher. 

What follows is an intricately plotted and atmospheric tale of suspense with a spellbinding ghost story at its heart, by one of America’s most gifted and imaginative novelists."

My first introduction to M.J. Rose was The Book of Lost Fragrances.  As with that book, I enjoyed the characters and the mix of history, romance and suspense of Seduction. I was happily surprised to find the same characters and a kind of continuation of their storylines. I know this is supposed to be a stand alone but I do feel that I may have been a little lost/confused had I not read the previous book. But I do think you could enjoy this without having read it. 
Learning about Jac and her relationship with Theo was what I really enjoyed. I was intrigued by her childhood and her time spent at the Pheonix Foundation. I would have enjoyed learning more about this earlier time to better understand why she is so trusting of its founder, her therapist and friend, Malachai.
I found Hugo's story interesting and the connection to Jac and Robbie a nice twist. The strange conversations and affects of the Shadow of the Sepulcher seemed unnecessary at first, though. Perhaps a little more explanation at the beginning that it was the same "spirits" telling the priest to sacrifice his son. I really didn't get that right away, so was a little leery of the inclusion of the devil into this story of reincarnation.  I really enjoyed this book, and as stated previously, after reading The Book of Lost Fragrances, I really need to read the books in her Reincarnationist series. I am a fan.  Source: publicist. Thanks, Amy. _________________________________

M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio.  Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Mus eum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com.  The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype.  She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.

Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Happy Reading! _________________________________________  

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on book title and/or image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

The Book of Lost Fragrances out in Paperback

 
Paperback Publication Date: March 13, 2013

Publisher:  Atria Books

Paperback; 384p

ISBN-10: 1451621485 

The Book of Lost Fragrances is being rereleased this spring in paperback with an all new beautiful cover. I read and reviewed it last spring and thoroughly enjoyed the mix of history, suspense and fantasy. Read on for more information about the book and author. 

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SYNOPSIS: A Secret Worth Dying For.

Jac L’Etoile is plunged into a world she thought she’d left behind when her brother, coheir to their father’s storied French perfumery, makes an earthshattering discovery in the family archives, and then suddenly goes missing— leaving a dead body in his wake. In Paris to investigate his disappearance, Jac becomes haunted by the legend of the House of L’Etoile. If there is an ancient perfume developed in Cleopatra’s time that holds the power to unlock memories of past lives, possessing it is not only worth living for . . . it’s worth killing for, too.

Fusing history, passion and suspense in an intoxicating web that moves from Cleopatra’s Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet’s battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris, this marvelous, spellbinding novel comes to life as richly as our most wildly imagined dreams.

Read an EXCERPT.

Buy Links:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound

Praise for THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES

Selected by Indie Booksellers for the March 2012 Indie Next List

Selected by Publishers Weekly as one of the Top Ten Mystery/Thrillers Spring 2012

"Compelling... suspenseful tale. Once you catch a whiff, you will be enchanted". —Associated Press

"Rose has entered another realm and written what is bound to be one of this year's best books." —Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"From 18th-century Egypt and France to present-day Paris, New York, and China, Rose's deliciously sensual novel of paranormal suspense smoothly melds a perfume-scented quest to protect an ancient artifact with an ages-spanning romance. Rose imbues her characters with rich internal lives in a complex plot that races to a satisfying finish." —Publishers Weekly, Starred and Boxed Review

"Amazing... utterly engrossing. Elegantly written, with unforgettable characters. Will keep you up all night—and leave you with powerful feelings of revelation, wonder, and the infinitude of human possibility." —New York Times best selling author Douglas Preston

"A simmering brew that mingles the erotic sensuality of Patrick Suskind's Perfume with the dark and timeless obsessions of Rider Haggard's classic, She." —New York Times best selling author Katherine Neville

About the Author

M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio.  Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com.  The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype.  She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.

Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Happy Reading! _________________________________________
  FTC Disclosure: Clicking on book title and/or image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Book Review: Lip Service by M.J. Rose

Lip Service by M.J. Rose Paperback, 326 pages Published by Atria Books , 1999
I was expecting another Fifty Shades of Grey with this one but was really pleasantly surprised to have liked this story so much more.  This is more about making a passive woman, who has lost a part of herself, stronger. Yes, there is a bit of explicit sexual situations but they are there for a purpose, not just to fill up space. There is a good story here.
Julia is married to a psychiatrist who treats her more like a patient rather than a wife. He keeps her medicated, tells her what to do and how to act to keep up his appearances. She is stifled from being herself. She gets the opportunity to write a book, for a sex therapist she meets at one of her husband's events, documenting his success with a new therapy-phone sex. She decides to get trained as a "therapist" for research and starts taking phone calls. 
Through these calls, she rediscovers a lost part of herself and realizes what is missing from her marriage-intimacy, love, respect and trust. Not that she gets these from the calls, but the fact that she is doing them, enjoying it and beginning to come out of her shell all without the consent and knowledge of her husband. 
There is also a bit of suspense thrown in.  Enjoy.
Source: Publisher for review
Author's website: www.mjrose.com


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Virtual Book Tour: Guest Post by M.J. Rose

Help me in welcoming M.J. Rose to MariReads. She is the author of The Book of Lost Fragrances and is currently on a blog tour with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I posted my review last week here. You can find her other stops on the tour here.

Enjoy!

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M.J. Rose:  I've been fascinated with lost fragrances since long before I started writing The Book of Lost Fragrances... since I found a bottle of perfume on my great grandmother's dresser that had belonged to her mother in Russia. Here is one of those lost fragrances that stirs the senses and the imagination... (researched and described with the help of the perfume writer  Dimitrios Dimitriadis)

 GODET - PETITE FLEUR BLEUEJulien-Joseph Godet founded Parfums Godet in 1907 and produced perfumes which epitomized the Art Deco age. Petite Fleur Bleue was a whimsical floral scent opening with shimmering citrus and delicate forget-me-nots. This hushed composition tippy-toes through a flowerbed of lightly spiced carnations, and evolves further with a lip-smacking vanilla/marzipan facet. Such a chaste and maidenly name belied a deliciously carnal drydown of resins, mosses and musk. A tantalizing composition the likes of which are seldom seen today.

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M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her next novel THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES (Atria/S&S) will be published in March 2012. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com. The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype. She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com. Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka. 

 For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE. 

You can also find her on Facebook.

_________________________________________Current GIVEAWAY: $15 to spend at GoneReading.com. Enter here.

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Book Review: The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose

The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose

BOOK INFO:

Atria Books(S&S)
384 pages
Published March 13, 2012


REVIEW:

I have always been amazed at the power of smells- How a certain scent can trigger memories from childhood or cause a very physical reaction such as sadness or anger. For me, it is the smell of China Rain oils. Reminds me of being a teen, vacationing with family on the Central Coast of California. Because of this, I was very excited to read The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose.
In the book, the author introduces a fragrance that can bring back the memories of past lives! So cool.

The House of E'toile is a perfume company in danger of going under, but a discovery of broken Egyptian pottery in the cellar of their father's home give brother and sister, Jaq and Robbie, a chance to save their family's legacy and unlock the mysteries of reincarnation. Unfortunately for them, some people, such as the Chinese government, are not as excited by this discovery. The Book of Lost Fragrances is a love story, suspense and mystery novel, and a bit of history all rolled up in to one great and interesting story.

I really enjoyed the storytelling and pace of this book. The suspense grows throughout which kept me reading wanting to find out what was going to happen next. The characters are interesting and likable, as well, which also made me want to know how it was all going to end for them.

This was my first time reading anything by M.J. Rose and am now a fan. Can't wait to get my hands on her other books. Really looking forward to reading her Reincarnationist Series.

4/5
Source: Author/Publisher for review

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her next novel THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES (Atria/S&S) will be published in March 2012. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com. The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype. She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

 For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE.
You can also find her on Facebook.

Current Read and a Teaser: The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose

I have been reading The Book of Lost Fragrances by MJ Rose this past week getting ready to participate in her Virtual Book Tour.  I have been enjoying it and thought I would share a little teaser with all of you.

"Even though many modern labs have stopped using these organs, for me there's no better way to work. Perfume is about the past…about memories…It's about dreams." pg 78

Come back and check out my review on Friday, April 6th and MJ Rose's guest post on Tuesday, April 10th.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page (I am usually not so random)
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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GIVEAWAY: $15 to spend at GoneReading.com. US residents only. Open for entries until April 22nd. Enter here.

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

A sweet smelling offer

I will be a part of the blog tour for MJ Rose's The Book of Lost Fragrances in April. In perpetration, here is a great offer available to you...

M.J. Rose is asking if you've ever smelled a story?

“He struggled to separate out the notes he recognized from the ones he didn’t, searching for the ingredients that gave the blend its promise of hope, of long nights and voluptuous dreams, of invitation and embrace. Of an everlasting covenant ripe with possibility. Of lost souls reunited.” —The Book of Lost Fragrances

Discover the perfume inspired by The Book of Lost Fragrances

Pre-order The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose and we'll send you a free sample of Âmes Soeurs, the Scent of Soulmates. This exclusive fragrance, inspired by the novel, was created by Joya Studios and is not yet for sale. Joya’s Âmes Sœurs hints of Frankincense, Myrrh, Orange Blossom and Jasmine. It’s smoky uncommon finish suggests the past and the future, and lost souls reunited.


Just use one of the links at http://mjrose.com/fragrances/scent.asp and follow the directions there.

Offer ends March 1, but pre-order now since we have a limited number of supplies! US and Canada only.