Publication Date: June 25, 2019
The Cameo Press Ltd
eBook & Paperback; 496 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction/Time Travel
Outlander meets Birdsong is this haunting debut timeslip novel, where a strange twist of fate connects a British soldier fighting in the First World War and a young woman living in modern-day England a century later.
*Shortlisted for the Eharmony/Orion Write Your Own Love Story Prize 2018/19
In 1916 1st Lieutenant Robert Lovett is a patient at Coldbrook Hall military hospital in Sussex, England. A gifted artist, he’s been wounded fighting in the Great War. Shell shocked and suffering from hysterical blindness he can no longer see his own face, let alone paint, and life seems increasingly hopeless.
A century later in 2017, medical student Louisa Casson has just lost her beloved grandmother – her only family. Heartbroken, she drowns her sorrows in alcohol on the South Downs cliffs – only to fall accidentally part-way down. Doctors fear she may have attempted suicide, and Louisa finds herself involuntarily admitted to Coldbrook Hall – now a psychiatric hospital, an unfriendly and chaotic place.
Then one day, while secretly exploring the old Victorian hospital’s ruined, abandoned wing, Louisa hears a voice calling for help, and stumbles across a dark, old-fashioned hospital room. Inside, lying on the floor, is a mysterious, sightless young man, who tells her he was hurt at the Battle of the Somme, a WW1 battle a century ago. And that his name is Lieutenant Robert Lovett…
Two people, two battles: one against the invading Germans on the battlefields of 1916 France, the other against a substandard, uncaring mental health facility in modern-day England. Two journeys begun a century apart, but somehow destined to coincide - and become one desperate struggle to be together.
Part WW1 historical fiction, part timeslip love story - and at the same time a meditation on the themes of war, mental illness, identity and art - Beyond The Moon sweeps the reader on an unforgettable journey through time. An intelligent read, perfect for book clubs.
For fans of Diana Gabaldon, Amy Harmon, Beatriz Williams, Kate Quinn, Kristin Hannah, Kate Morton, Susanna Kearsley and Paullina Simons.
"A poignant and stirring love story... Taylor’s accomplished, genre-bending book succeeds as a WW1 historical novel and a beguiling, time travel romance... The sharply written narrative deftly moves back and forth between the past and present." — Kirkus Reviews
"A time travel romance, yet so much more than that. It is also an unflinching portrait of the horrors of war, and a look at the torturous extremes a human soul can endure. It is a sonnet to the transformative power of love, even as it is also a criticism of the futility and pointless destructiveness of war." — Shaylin Gandhi, author of By The Light of Embers
Amazon | IndieBound
Review: When I started reading historical novels, time travel was always one of my favorite genres.
Its a WWI story and a hugely emotional read.
Robert and Louisa are just a fabulous couple. In some ways the timeslip of this story reminded me of an episode of Torchwood that I loved back when that show was super cool.
But here are a few things you should know before reading it.
Clear off some time from your calendar. You won't want to put it dow.
Tissues...
You will need them.
A bottle of wine...
Probably a good idea.
Just be prepared to get hit hard in the "feels"
OK, the book starts out as a time slip, but really it was more past lives and reincarnation. So if you enjoy M.J. Rose's novels, you'll like this. You'll probably love this really.
The subject matter gives a lot of the story a graphic feel from mental illness to the horrors of war. I'm not sure which one really made me more squeamish, but the author did pay attention to detail and well, WWI was in no way a pretty war. However the treatment of mental health patients made me angry. So many times I found myself asking, "Can this really happen to someone?" And much to my amazement the answer was yes.
This book was totally amazing and not to be missed!
Rating: 5 flowers (hell, this one deserves a whole bouquet)
About the AuthorCatherine Taylor was born and grew up on the island of Guernsey in the British Channel Islands. She is a former journalist, most recently for Dow Jones News and The Wall Street Journal in London. Beyond The Moon is her first novel. She lives in Ealing, London with her husband and two children.
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Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, December 9
Review at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, December 10
Review at @bookishbellee
Review at Gwendalyn's Books
Feature at I'm All About Books
Feature at Books In Their Natural Habitat
Review & Guest Post at Jackie & Angela's Book Reviews
Wednesday, December 11
Review at 100 Pages a Day
Instagram Feature at Just a Girl and Her Books
Thursday, December 12
Review at @thisbibliolife
Interview at Jathan & Heather
Friday, December 13
Review at Reading is My Remedy
Saturday, December 14
Review at Books and Zebras
Feature at What Is That Book About
Sunday, December 15
Review at Rose is Reading
Review at Carole Rae's Random Ramblings
Monday, December 16
Review at @ya.its.lit
Interview at Liberty's Literary Loves
Tuesday, December 17
Excerpt at Let Them Read Books
Review & Guest Post at Tales from the Book Dragon
Wednesday, December 18
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Review & Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads
Thursday, December 19
Review at Pencils & Pages
Review at Impressions In Ink
Friday, December 20
Review at A Darn Good Read
Review at Red Headed Book Lady
Excerpt at Historical Fiction with Spirit
Giveaway
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away two paperback copies of Beyond the Moon by Catherine Taylor! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on December 20th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Paperback giveaway is open to the US only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen.
Beyond the Moon
1 comments:
So glad you enjoyed Beyond the Moon! Thanks for hosting the tour!
Amy
HF Virtual Book Tours
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