Madwoman in the Attic #7 Elizabeth Dorothea Cobbe

Elizabeth Lady Tuite was born in Dublin in 1764, the daughter of Colonel Thomas Cobbe and Lady Eliza Beresford. She married Sir Henry Tuite the 8th Baronet in November 1784. She was a poet and a writer for children. She was the great aunt of Frances Power Cobbe and was said to have been a great influence on her. Lady Tuite's husband died in 1805 and she spent much of the rest of her life living in Bath. Lady Tuite's poetry was considered to be in the romantic style. She was one of the set who attended the literary salon of Elizabeth Rawdon; Countess of Moira who was also a relative. Her poetry was included in an anthology "What Sappho would have Said " by Emma Donoghue. She died in 1850.
Further information can be found in A Dictionary of British and American Women Writers 1660-1800 by Janet Todd and The Cambridge Companion to women's Writing in the Romantic Period by Devoney Looser. 

In The Postbox

It's been a while since I posted up photos of books I have recently received and in the last few weeks I have received quite a few especially since becoming books editor for mumstown.ie. So here are a few of the lovely things that came in the post.

I was lucky enough to win these two lovely books Black Diamond by Jennifer Loiske is a YA fantasy which I won from http://jerasjamboree.com a fab website which features great reviews, interviews and giveaways. The Perfume Garden by Kate Lord Brown has a gorgeous cover with a shiny embossed title which I couldn't stop looking at, this photo doesn't do it justice and I won this from http://www.novelicious.com/ which is the website for women's fiction whether you love to read it or you want to write it. I am looking forward to reading both of them but in particular The Perfume Garden as the plot sounds like a Kate Morton or Victoria Hislop so it's perfect for me. It'll be some time before I can indulge though as I have a number of books to review.

The next book I'll be reading is this one After Flodden by Rosemary Goring which I am reviewing for lovereading.co.uk its set in Sixteenth Century Scotland and I can't wait to get stuck in.

After that I have an appointment with some medieval assassin nuns, that's right it's the second book in Robin LaFevers wonderful His Fair Assassin series and Anderson Press have kindly sent me a debut YA novel which they are publishing this May which they are billing as a cross between Chaos Walking and Stand by Me so that sounds irresistible.

Having seen the author's whirlwind tour of Britain and Ireland in which she managed to do interviews with BBC Breakfast, Ireland AM, RTE Radio 1 and Newstalk and sign books for Eason and Dubray I was intrigued by this title which is a fictional examination of the treatment of Mary Mallon known in popular history as "Typhoid Mary" who was locked away for carrying the deadly fever. Mary Beth Keane has been named by America's National Book Foundation as one of the "5 under 35" so hers is a career to watch. Thanks to Gill Hess for sending this out to me.

Some more lovely historical fiction has arrived from the lovely Frances and Madeleine at Little Brown The Painter's Apprentice by Charlotte Betts. The author's first novel The Apothecary's Daughter won the Historical Romantic Novel category of The RNA awards in February that book is still in TBR pile but I will read both of them soon I promise. Also a proof of the new Elizabeth Chadwick The Summer Queen is the first in a trilogy about Eleanor of Aquitaine I have been a fan of Elizabeth's for a long time so it's exciting to read this as publication is not until June.

Here are some gorgeous kids books which I shall be reviewing shortly. I have reviewed Dolores Keaveney before and she was kind enough to send me her most recent books. I love her vivid , exuberant style. Poolbeg have sent me The Salmon of Knowledge from their In a Nutshell collection and lastly The History Press have sent the adorable Dolls' Hospital Diaries a gorgeous book full of photos which I can't wait to tell you about and which my eight year old daughter is loving. 

Next up some great Irish fiction and poetry. My Father's House by Bethany Dawson is published by Liberties Press a great Irish publisher who publish the very talented Joe Murphy and I am looking forward to finding out more about this one while Love is the Easy Bit is also a debut from Mary Grehan. Penguin Ireland kindly sent this out and as it deals with the motherhood and post natal depression it is a story I am bound to connect with. Dedalus Press have sent me The Bee Loud Glade and anthology of Irish poetry on CD and Máighréad Medbh's Savage Solitude which i am finding fascinating. 

This pile is a mixture of books that were sent to me to review on the blog, that I picked up at work in Waterstones and that I bought myself. If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch was kindly sent to me by Nina at Indigo/Orion and is a YA debut publishing in May. Dead Silence also YA and publishing tomorrow was sent by the lovely Sam at Headline. The Hidden Gift by Ian Somers was sent by Clare from O'Brien Press and Calling me Home by Julie Kibler is a book I'm very excited about it was sent to by Sophie Orme at Pan Macmillan. I am aslo delighted to have been sent The Rook by Daniel O'Malley and Penelope by Rebecca Harrington. I also hope to read How to be a Good Wife, Tigers in Red Weather and Ten things I've Learned about Love asap.

That's about it for now but do stay tuned for new reviews and giveaways coming soon.

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan

This is an intriguing and highly unusual novel written entirely in verse. It is quite unlike anything else being published for teenagers at the moment. The book tells the story of Kasienka who has arrived with her mother from Poland in search of her father. He has left their home and travelled to England for a new life. Through the poems we are given an insight into how Kasienka perceives her mother's depression and obsession with finding her husband as they wear their boots out searching Coventry for Tata (Father). We also learn of Kasienka's problems adjusting to life in an English school as she encounters prejudice, bullying and finally friendship. Through a friendly neighbour Tata is found and Kasienka learns that she has a stepmother and a baby half-sister. She is now torn between two families. Swimming becomes her refuge and not only is it fun she is also very good at it and winning gives her a new found confidence. The book's greatest strength is as a poignant portrait of the loneliness of a child who has reached puberty and feels not only the weight of her own worries but all the responsibility for her parent’s happiness. Sarah Crossan is a talented author who has already completed her second novel for teens Breathe which is the first of a dystopian trilogy. The Weight of Water is enjoyable and unique and will appeal to children aged eleven and over especially fans of Sita Brahmachari and Annabel Pitcher.

Earth Angels are Everywhere Are You One? By Dolores Keaveney Reviewed by Lisa Redmond

Earth Angels are Everywhere Are You One? is a beautiful little book which is so hard to categorise. It is a picture book for both adults and children and would make an ideal Christmas gift. The book features illustrations, poems and quotations which celebrate the people all around us in our everyday lives who through their work, their actions and their kindness become earth angels. With different poems  and illustrations for the various different earth angels such as teachers, nurses, doctors, carers, parents, counsellors and many more.  This gift book celebrates all those who bring joy into our lives through small acts of kindness. The message is a simple one; that we can be angels here on earth by just putting more thought into our everyday acts. The book is deeply spiritual but it speaks to people of all different faiths celebrating our humanity not highlighting difference. Dolores has illustrated the book herself and the subtle watercolour paintings in various soft and pastel shades are undoubtedly influenced by her training as a healer with each angel in a different shade representing a different energy.  I would recommend this book to young and old and it would make a lovely gift for a teacher, caregiver or any earth angel in you life.