Category: Italy Book Tours

Eternally Artemisia Book Review

Italy Book Tours

In a journey that arcs back to biblical days and moves forward in time, Maddie encounters artists, dukes, designers, and movie stars as well as baser and ignoble men with Artemisia never far from her side, we follow Maddie’s journey.

About Eternally Artemisia

Maddie, an art therapist, who wrestles with the “peculiar feeling” she has lived previous lives and is being called to Italy by voices that have left imprints on her soul, this idea is intriguing. Despite her best efforts, however, proof of this has always eluded her. That is, until one illuminating summer in Italy when Maddie’s previous existences start to bleed through into her current reality. When she is introduced to the Crociani family—a noble clan with ties to the seventeenth-century Medici court that boasts of ancestors with colorful pasts—she finally meets the loves of her life. One is a romantic love, and another is a special kind of passion that only women share, strong amongst those who have suffered greatly yet have triumphed despite it.

As Maddie’s relationship develops with Artemisia Gentileschi—an artist who in a time when it was unheard of to denounce a man for the crime of rape, did just that—Maddie discovers a kindred spirit and a role model, and just what women are capable of when united together.

In a journey that arcs back to biblical days and moves forward in time, Maddie encounters artists, dukes, designers, and movie stars as well as baser and ignoble men. With Artemisia never far from her side, she proves that when we dare to take control of our lives and find the “thing” we are most passionate about, we are limitless and can touch the stars.

My Thoughts

It is hard to put into words how incredible this story is. I loved every moment of this well laid out and written novel.

The story centers around two incredibly brave and strong women, Maddie and Artemisia. Maddie is an art therapist who is drawn to Italy by voices that tie her to its artistic and at times violent past. Artemisia is a female painter who was a strong woman that stood up for female rights at a great cost. She was raped, faced a trial against her accused where she was tortured and then faced being an outcast because she was no longer pure. Both women found release and freedom in the arts (which I love since I also love the arts!) where they forced others to come face to face with the way women were treated.

I loved the idea of time travel and how Maddie was tied to women from the past and her love, Matteo, that she finds each century. I fell in love with Venice when I traveled there as a teen, nothing has ever felt more like home. I felt like I had walked those streets before, seen those sights and smells. So for me, I could definitely appreciate the idea of time not being linear and a soul being tied to a certain time, person and love.

I also loved the focus of how strong these women were. They faced great trials and humiliation but through it all they remained strong and defiant. They showed that society could try to beat them down but they would not remain down. This is such an important, positive message for young women today. We are not our past and we should never let it define us.

This novel is a definite must read, you will not want to put it down.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Melissa Muldoon is the author of three novels set in Italy: “Dreaming Sophia,” “Waking Isabella,” and “Eternally Artemisia.” All three books tell the stories of American women and their journeys of self-discovery to find love, uncover hidden truths, and follow their destinies to shape a better future in Italy.

Melissa is also the author of the Studentessa Matta website, where she promotes the study of Italian language and culture through her dual-language blog written in Italian and English (studentessamatta.com). Studentessa Matta means the “crazy linguist” and has grown to include a podcast, Tutti Matti per l’Italiano and the Studentessa Matta YouTube channel, Facebook page and Instagram feed. Melissa also created Matta Italian Language Immersion Programs, which she co-leads with Italian schools in Italy to learn Italian in Italy. Through her website, she also offers the opportunities to live and study in Italy through Homestay programs. Melissa has a B.A. in fine arts, art history and European history from Knox College, a liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, as well as a master’s degree in art history from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

She has also studied painting and art history in Florence. She is an artist, designer, and illustrated the cover art for all three of her books. Melissa is also the managing director of Matta Press. As a student, Melissa lived in Florence with an Italian family. She studied art history and painting and took beginner Italian classes. When she returned home, she threw away her Italian dictionary, assuming she’d never need it again, but after launching a successful design career and starting a family, she realized something was missing in her life. That “thing” was the connection she had made with Italy and the friends who live there. Living in Florence was indeed a life-changing event. Wanting to reconnect with Italy, she decided to start learning the language again from scratch. As if indeed possessed by an Italian muse, she bought a new Italian dictionary and began her journey to fluency—a path that has led her back to Italy many times and enriched her life in countless ways. Now, many dictionaries and grammar books later, she dedicates her time to promoting Italian language studies, further travels in Italy, and sharing her stories and insights about Italy with others. Melissa designed and illustrated the cover art for Eternally Artemisia, Waking Isabella, and Dreaming Sophia.

She also curates the Dreaming Sophia Art History blog site and Pinterest site: The Art of Loving Italy, where you will find companion pictures for all three books. Visit MelissaMuldoon.com for more information about immersion trips to learn the language with Melissa in Italy, as well as the Studentessa Matta blog for practice and tips to learn the Italian language.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Continue Reading

Made in Italy Spotlight Tour

Italy Book Tours

MADE IN ITALY takes you on a complete tour of the dazzling artisanal legacy of Italy, uncovering off-the-beaten-path destinations and one-of-a-kind, hidden workshops where everything from leather bags to gilded frames are turned out completely by hand,
piece by piece.

About Made in Italy

Richly painted maiolica ceramics from Tuscany. Supple Florentine leather. The cameos of Naples and the Amalfi Coast. Parmigiano-Reggiano, the king of cheeses. Jaw-dropping glass from the island of Murano.

MADE IN ITALY takes you on a complete tour of the dazzling artisanal legacy of Italy, uncovering off-the-beaten-path destinations and one-of-a-kind, hidden workshops where everything from leather bags to gilded frames are turned out completely by hand, piece by piece.

This book includes instructions for getting a free copy of the companion guide, ARTISANS OF ITALY, with complete, continually updated listings of Laura’s personally recommended shops and artisans across Italy.

Laura Morelli, art historian and trusted guide in the world of cultural travel and authentic shopping, leads you behind the tourist traps to discover some of Italy’s most traditional arts.

Laura holds a Ph.D. in art history from Yale University and shares how, what, and where to buy; hints on recognizing quality and authenticity; and tips for bringing home the artisanal treasures of Italy in your suitcase.

You can purchase a copy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the author’s website.

Enter to win a signed copy of Made in Italy here.

About the Author

LAURA MORELLI holds a Ph.D. in art history from Yale University, has taught college students in the U.S. and in Italy, and currently produces art history lessons for TED-Ed. She authored a column for National Geographic Traveler called “The Genuine Article” and has contributed pieces about art and authentic travel to CNN Radio, The Frommers Travel Show, and in USA TODAY, Departures, and other media.

Laura is the author of the Authentic Arts guidebook series that includes the popular book Made in Italy. Her fiction brings the stories of art history to life. Her debut novel, The Gondola Maker, won an IPPY for Best Historical Fiction and a Benjamin Franklin Award.

Connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Continue Reading

The Love Fool Spotlight Tour

Italy Book Tours

Italy’s modern culture and enchanting sights set the backdrop to this Rome-antic comedy, The Love Fool.

The Love Fool Spotlight Tour

About The Love Fool

Set in Rome. Follow the whirlwind antics of a publicist as he struggles to manage his first TV chef client, his new life, and an unexpected visit from his ex-girlfriend.

Alex recently moved to Italy for an opportunity at a PR firm in Rome. His first client is the beautiful Danish chef Pernille Bjørn, a popular model, TV personality, and cookbook author just entering the booming televised cooking show market in Italy.

Alex’s single-minded career focus is soon thwarted by Emily, an ex-girlfriend he hasn’t heard from in almost a decade.

Italy’s modern culture and enchanting sights set the backdrop to this Rome-antic comedy.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound and Chapters.

Book Trailer

About the Author

Lorenzo Petruzziello holds an MBA in global marketing from Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts. His background includes publicity and marketing for many of public television’s popular cooking and travel shows. He lives in Massachusetts focusing on his writing. THE LOVE FOOL is his first novel.

The Love Fool Book Spotlight

Connect with him on his website, Twitter, Facebook and blog.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Continue Reading

Bitten Book Review

Italy Book Tours

Nature has lost patience with humans. Unless something is done immediately to reverse the destruction of the ecosystem, Nature will retaliate by deploying the terrifying forces at her command. And as a first step in wreaking her revenge, she instigates a reign of terror by the deadliest creature on Earth.

Bitten Book Review

About Bitten

In the not-too-distant future, Italy is in disarray. It has voted to leave the EU in an attempt to regain control of its laws, finances and commerce. Even so, the country’s economy is shrinking and its national debt rising. There is a marked escalation, too, in unemployment, bank loans and immigration. Production and service companies are in difficulty. The only thriving business areas are the black market and organised crime. There is discontent and protest on all sides.

In Florence, the local Mafia boss, more accustomed to gunrunning and trading in plutonium, is involved in organising a silent auction for the sale of one of the world’s most valuable lost paintings – a sixteenth-century masterpiece, which was appropriated in World War II by Stalin’s Trophy Brigade. A British art expert is set to buy the picture on behalf of his client, a South American billionaire – yet surprisingly two Italian undercover intelligence agents, acting as antique dealers, submit the winning bid.

All the while, human beings continue to harm the Earth by destroying land, sea, air, animals and trees. Global climate change, polluting the atmosphere, depleting the ozone layer: these are some of man’s crimes against Nature. But time is running out. Nature has lost patience with humans. Unless something is done immediately to reverse the destruction of the ecosystem, Nature will retaliate by deploying the terrifying forces at her command. And as a first step in wreaking her revenge, she instigates a reign of terror by the deadliest creature on Earth.

My Thoughts

An excellent novel that really pushes you to open your mind and examine your own actions with how you treat the environment and the limited power have as humans versus Mother Nature.

The novel starts off examining politics in Italy with a focus on finances, job unemployment and general dissatisfaction with the government. At first, I did not understand how this would tie into the novel but as you keep reading everything comes full circle. At the heart of the story is Mother Nature and her power to keep humans in check. As humans, we think we are the greatest species. We build remarkable architecture, make great discoveries all at the same time ignoring the signs of Mother Nature that she is not happy with how we are treating her. No matter how strong we think we are, we are truly at the mercy of Mother Nature and yet we do not fully respect her power. We make rash decisions based on cause and effect without thinking about the longer affects these decisions could make.

Claudia is an intelligent young woman who is investigating the evolution of the mosquito and their spread into Europe and for the purpose of this book, Italy. Mosquitos have evolved to be bigger, stronger and hungrier than ever, while carrying even more deadly diseases then before. After the mosquitoes begin to fight back with deadly attacks on citizens throughout Italy (even playing a role in the devastation of Venice) Claudia valiantly tries to make her co-workers and others understand that you can’t just deal with the problem by eradicating mosquitoes as this in turn causes even greater problems. This is a significant idea throughout the novel but people continue to ignore it thus causing even greater problems. This is all in the backdrop of art smuggling, narcotics, politics and murder! Claudia is one of the best characters I have had the pleasure of reading about – she is strong, intelligent and passionate about her work, the environment.

This novel is thrilling, suspenseful but full of important messages for all. It is a great read for older young adults and adults alike. A definite must read that does not disappoint!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Born in Surbiton, Surrey in 1944, Alan Moore lives in Barnes, SW London, with his wife, Amber. They have two daughters and a son, who between them have two boys and two girls with another boy expected in May. Alan was educated at Oundle School in Northamptonshire and at London University, where, as an external student, he obtained a BA degree in English. Thereafter, for 25 years, he single-handedly ran his own book publishing company, which at one stage was producing up to 20 titles a year. Now, at the age of 74, he has self-published his first novel.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Continue Reading

All the Way to Italy Book Review

Italy Book Tours

All the Way to Italy is a tale for those in search of a balance between wanderlust and the necessity to come home, a reminder that although we may be fragments, we are never a lost cause.

All the Way to Italy Book Spotlight

About All the Way to Italy

Until her dad died, Little considered herself a Californian. Now, thanks to half a letter, a symbol she can’t quite remember, and writer’s block, she finds herself back in Italy, the country of her birth. In a headlong rush to return to her beloved San Francisco, Little will journey throughout Italy, hoping to find the answers she needs to move on with her life so she need never look back. She’ll enlist the help of the woman who raised her, Sira, her father’s sister; but Sira has secrets she’s kept for decades, and Little underestimates the power of the country she fled years before.

In this powerful story of mixed cultures in a world trying to globalize, one girl’s struggle to leave her home behind will lead her back to the women in her family and the memories each of them has safeguarded through the generations. From war-torn Italy to the belpaese of today, All the Way to Italy is a tale for those in search of a balance between wanderlust and the necessity to come home, a reminder that although we may be fragments, we are never a lost cause.

My Thoughts

A beautiful story of finding yourself when you feel torn between two very different cultures. Little born in Italy, grew up in America due to family conflict. She has always identified as an American and embraced the culture and language with open arms. Her aunt who cared for her in Italy became the Mother and Father that she did not know, despite her Father being alive in Italy.

It is the death of her Father and her aunt’s plea to return to Italy, that sets Little off on her journey of self-discovery. What Little thinks will be a trip to close the door on her Father’s death, actually opens more doors to her past. She learns more about her Father and discovers they shared a lot in common and that he loved her more than she could even begin to imagine. She falls in love again with the slower culture, the beauty of the history and surroundings but also learns how the changing economy has affected the people more than she could have ever imagined. I loved how we are given glimpses of her past growing up with her Father and her favourite places to visit.

I felt instantly connected to Little who is torn between two worlds and at times between two people. She becomes your best friend who you want to reach out and hold, to journey with her and to help her throughout her journey. Her Aunt is the Mother who never left her and my heart broke for her that she never knew her Mother (although she never lacked for love or family). There were a few difficult moments in the novel that made my heart sore for her but she continued to move forward, growing and forgiving. I loved learning about her family history through the war and you may even be able to draw similarities to your own family who lived through those times.

This is an excellent novel that I could not  put down. You will fall in love with Little’s spirit and journey of self-discovery. A must read that you will love from start to finish!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Born just outside of Rome, Flavia Brunetti grew up bouncing back and forth between Italy and California, eventually moving back to the Eternal City and confirming her lifelong commitment to real gelato. Flavia holds a Master of Arts degree in Government and Politics from St. John’s University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from John Cabot University. Today she travels the world working for an international humanitarian organization and spends her free time writing and wandering around her beloved Roma in constant search of bookstores and the perfect espresso. You can find her city blog on Rome at whichwaytorome.com and her portfolio of published writing at flaviinrome.com.

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Continue Reading