Author: cvegnad

February 2, 2021

The Secret Life of Sofonisba Anguissola Book Review

Set in the sixteenth-century, The Secret Life of Sofonisba Anguissola tells the story of a woman’s passion for painting and adventure.

About The Secret Life of Sofonisba Anguissola

Set in the sixteenth-century, The Secret Life of Sofonisba Anguissola tells the story of a woman’s passion for painting and adventure. In a world where women painters had little to no acknowledgment, she was singled out by Michelangelo and Vasari who recognized and praised her talent. Gaining the Milanese elite’s acclaim, she went on to become court painter to Spanish King Philip II and taught his queen to paint. One can’t live such an extraordinary life without having stories to tell, and tell them Sofonisba does to Sir Anthony Van Dyke, who comes to visit her toward the end of her life. During their meeting, she agrees to reveal her secrets but first challenges the younger painter to find the one lie hidden in her tale. In a saga filled with intrigue, jealousy, buried treasure, unrequited love, espionage, and murder, Sofonisba’s story is played out against the backdrop of Italy, Spain, and Sicily. Throughout her life, she encounters talented artists, authoritative dukes, mad princes, religious kings, spying queens, vivacious viscounts, and dashing sea captains—even a Barbary pirate. But of all the people who fell in love with Sofonisba, only one captured her heart. The painter may have many secrets but the truth of her life is crystal clear from the beginning. Always a strong, passionate woman with a dream, she was an intelligent artist who knew her self-worth and in the end, as Michelangelo had done for her, Sofonisba passed her brush to a new generation.

My Thoughts

Sofonisba is a painter and a master story creator. This novel paints a vibrant story of an incredible, strong, independent woman as she navigates a male dominated field and time.

Sofonisba was born in the 1500s to a noble family who were rich in love, family and the belief of the power of a woman. Sofonisba and her sisters were each born with different gifts – hers being the gift of art and painting. Her portraits and paintings come to life with the way she captures the spirit of the moment and the individual. Her parents supported her love of art and ensured that she studied under the greats, both locally and in Rome. She quickly captures the eyes of some powerful people and she travels to the Spanish court, where her life takes some ups and downs. She led a life of passion, love and no regrets, full of adventure and danger.

Her story is one of mystery, adventure and inspiration. She was born during a time when women were not encouraged to paint and express themselves, and although she faced discrimination (she was not allowed to further her studies and paint bodies in the nude) she excelled in her paintings. She threw concepts of marriage and motherhood out the window – she decided who and when to love, although ultimately she ended in an arranged marriage at the ago of 40! She kept us on our toes throughout the novel with her sharp wit, sense of humour and adventure. She was and still is, an inspiration to female artists, she knew exactly what her self-worth was and did not accept any less from others around her. This is a definite must read novel, full of passion, history and mystery.

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

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Melissa Muldoon is the author of four novels set in Italy: Dreaming Sophia, Waking Isabella, Eternally Artemisia, and The Secret Life of Sofonisba Anguissola. All four books tell the stories of women and their journeys of self-discovery to find love, uncover hidden truths, and follow their destinies to shape a better future for themselves. 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 four of her books. Melissa is the managing director of Matta Press

You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

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

February 1, 2021

The Secret Diaries Of Juan Luis Vives Book Review

The Secret Diaries Of Juan Luis Vives chronicles the epoch-making adventures of Spanish humanist Juan Luis Vives.

About The Secret Diaries Of Juan Luis Vives

The Secret Diaries Of Juan Luis Vives chronicles the epoch-making adventures of Spanish humanist Juan Luis Vives. The novel begins as Vives writes in self-imposed exile in Bruges, Spanish Netherlands in 1522. He is on the run from the Spanish Inquisition which has devastated his Jewish family in Valencia. Later, Thomas More invites Vives to the English court to tutor princess Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. The plot reaches its climax as Vives navigates the murky world of English politics during the reign of King Henry VIII, ever trying to negotiate an escape from Spain for his family, and for the Jewish people. The early modern period in Europe was a time of incredible instability. Economic depressions were the norm in Northern Italy, the Holy Roman Empire, and large swaths of England and France. Wars were endemic, with power politics and religion playing leading roles in massive bloodletting. Despite the darkness, great men and women of courage and intellectual curiosity also defined the age as one of scientific discovery, humanism, and scholarship. One of the great titans of the early modern period was Spanish scholar Juan Luis Vives. In the novel, Vives is the embodiment of the cosmopolitanism of the intellectual elite during the Renaissance. As a secret follower of Judaism, and thus a major outlaw according to the thinking of his own Catholic monarch, Vives walks a swaying tightrope. He was a genius and a philosopher who had a lot to say (he has since been dubbed ‘The Godfather of Psychoanalysis,’ Zilboorg 1941, and the ‘Father of Psychology,’ Watson, 1915), however, if he speaks too loudly not only his survival but that of his entire people hangs in the balance. Along the way, the reader is given close up and intimate and unique views of well-known figures such as Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Sir Thomas More and his devoted daughter, Margaret Roper.

My Thoughts

I love historical novels that encourages me to research and learn more and that tells an important story. This book was all of that and more.

This book follows the scholar Juan Luis Vives, whom when I looked up he has been noted as the father of modern psychology and was one of the first to shed light on key psychology ideas. He was born to a family that had converted from Judaism to Christianity and this has impacted his whole life. I never fully appreciated how persecuted those of Jewish faith were in this time until after this novel and looking further into this. They were forced to convert to Christianity, forced out of their homes and even executed (this is just a small picture of their history and I would strongly recommend researching it as many of the history courses I have taken at school have never covered these topics). Reading his account of the horrors his family faced – his father’s murder and his mother being exhumed and ‘murdered twice’, was horrifying and you could feel the pain from the writings.

What I loved the most was his fight for his people, and those who lived in poverty. He wanted to find a place for his people to find freedom from the fear of persecution and from the burnings. He felt strongly that the state should provide relief for those living in poverty, which was not being done – the poor were constantly punished for being poor and looking for hunger relief. Several times in the story, we encounter the murder of a criminal who in fact was an individual living in poverty looking for food.

This novel is a wonderful and powerful story, that is well written. I could not stop turning the pages, I had to know what was next in this man’s life. Would he be able to see his dreams envisioned? Will he be captured and killed for his beliefs? What would the fate of his people be? This novel does not disappoint you – a definite must read!

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

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Tim Darcy Ellis (BA BSc, MHSc) is a writer, physiotherapy business owner and formerly a professional archaeologist. Tim studied Archaeology at the University of York (BA Hons 1988) and as a professional archaeologist, worked on sites throughout England and Wales. He held posts at the Museum of London and the British Museum’s medieval galleries. Tim is currently Managing Director and Principal Physiotherapist of Excel Physiotherapy and Wellness. He qualified as a physiotherapist at the University of East London in 1998. He moved to Sydney in 2000 where he completed his master’s degree in 2002. Tim is chief writer of Excel Life magazine: writing and teaching extensively on health and wellness and specializing in the treatment of complex hip and pelvic pain.

You can connect with him on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

February 1, 2021

Mickey on the Move Book Review

In Mickey on the Move, a young boy with deafness in his ears is aided by his mother and teachers in navigating new school experiences.

About Mickey on the Move

In this bighearted book, the real story of a young boy with deafness in his ears is aided by his mother and teachers in navigating new school experiences. Mickey is just like everyone else, except he wears cochlear implants and has to do things just a little differently than most. This charming tale reminds us that we can all find happiness if we lean on and support each other.

Our Thoughts

The start of the school year brings challenges for all students – the unknown, new classmates, new classrooms, new teachers and so much more. While this can be tough for anyone, Mickey faces a different challenge. Mickey looks like any other child in this story but when he was born, he could not hear and he had bilateral cochlear implant surgery to help him. He is supported at school with a few modifications to ensure that he can succeed and enjoy school like his classmates.

In this book, we explore Mickey’s world at school and the small changes that are made that help Mickey thrive at school. I loved learning about the ways that the school and teachers adjusted to help Mickey (small microphone worn by the teacher and moving to a quieter classroom for some times for focused learning). While it may have been easier to identify the supports he would need before he entered the school, it was something that was hard to plan for that caused Mickey to not be spending time with his friends in the cafeteria. I loved seeing how quickly they managed to come up and implement a new solution to support Mickey.

This was a wonderful story about a young boy who is deaf as he navigates the educational system. It is a beautiful story of friendship and support – he is supported by his Mother, his friends and his teachers as they look at ways to support his learning and social engagement. I loved how his team of supporters came together to brainstorm a solution for Mickey. This is a great book for young readers to educate, and to inspire other children just like Mickey. It was easy to read and the illustrations were lovely.

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

About the Author

Born and raised in Chicago, Michelle Wagner was always a very positive and outgoing woman. Her energetic love for children and zest for life was admired by everyone who knew her. Michelle is a realtor whose career background involved restaurants and always helping other people. She has dedicated time and support to charities and events to help other children with hearing loss and assist families as they work through the different approaches to raising a special needs child in a typical environment.

You can connect with her on her website and Instagram.

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

February 1, 2021

The Amazing Adventures of Jimmy Crikey: Worlds Beneath and Above the Stars

Do you want to know a secret? Beneath the very ground on which you walk and beyond the stars above your head, are more worlds than you could ever dream of.

About The Amazing Adventures of Jimmy Crikey: Worlds Beneath and Above the Stars

Do you want to know a secret? Beneath the very ground on which you walk and beyond the stars above your head, are more worlds than you could ever dream of. There are monsters. Be afraid. Magic, wielded by witches and sorcerers. Epic adventures in worlds far across the ocean. And fearsome weapons which threaten to destroy everything. Jimmy Crikey is a brave soul who faces some pretty scary challenges. Solving mysteries and averting mayhem, his incredible courage allows him to free up his abilities to shine and rise above every challenge in his path, on his way to discovering why he looks so very strange. With a bright red mop of unruly hair, big blue eyes, a small snub nose, pointed ears and enormous feet, poor Jimmy is ridiculed by the neighborhood children and runs away in search of a world where he fits in. Following a midnight flight through the forest, he stumbles into a lost, underground world called Roombelow and magic, adventure, danger and excitement await. From the little lady who lives at the bottom of a well, a starship that wants to take him home, trolls, little people, traders and diamonite stealers to water sprites, witches, helpful dolphins, and interplanetary warfare, Jimmy learns the biggest lessons of his life.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

My formative years were experienced in and around Durham City. Married in 1964 to a girl I first met at the age of eleven, Pat and I spent many happy years in the North East before employment almost took us off to emigrate to Jo’berg, South Africa but plans were changed in the final weeks and instead the company moved me to Sussex.After more than twenty years in Sussex, then Hampshire, employment was again responsible for the move to beautiful rural Lancashire. Jimmy Crikey was born one rainy day, many years ago, during a family holiday in Great Yarmouth, to entertain my son and his new found friends for an hour or so. The story expanded over the following wet afternoons in the cramped confines of a beach tent, and more and more adventures were required to keep the children entertained. Many years later I decided to commit to the written word. Now retired I look forward to sharing The Amazing Adventures of Jimmy Crikey with a wider audience. These began as several short, twenty minute duration, stories but after an encouraging review from a major Publisher I brought them together in this offering and hope they will bring a sense of wonder and enjoyment to another generation.

You can connect with him on his website.

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Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour, I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.

January 27, 2021

Beat the Winter Blues with Rummikub Premium Edition

It has been almost one month since we have been in lockdown in Ontario and the weather is cold, grey and miserable. We have been spending a lot of time indoors and are constantly looking for something new and fun to play. The catch? It has to be something that we all can play and would enjoy playing together.

Rummikub Premium Edition

Rummikub Premium Edition is a new spin on a fun game that you may or may not have heard of before. For me, this was a brand new game and it took me a few tries to understand the rules. I had to read the instructions over several times and walk through it slowly with my kids.

The game is designed to be played with 2 to 4 players. The game starts by dumping all of the tiles out and players choose fourteen tiles. Each player then takes turns to create a ‘group’ or ‘run’, with the main objective to get rid of all of your tiles onto the table. This person becomes the winner of the game.

This game was a lot of fun and I loved the sleek design and attention to details (the tiles are gorgeous!). I did have to have the instructions out the first two times we played (and we likely played incorrectly) but we still had a lot of fun.

The game is designed for children eight years of age and older, and I think this is appropriate as it did take a bit longer to learn (although if you have played similar games in the past this one will be easy). We really enjoyed that this game kept you on your toes and made you think. You never quite know who is going to win, as it is a surprise right up to the end. I also appreciated that it includes some great educational concepts for younger learners, including patterns.

I found this helpful tutorial on the Pressman website, which I would definitely recommend watching before playing if you are new to the game:

Rummikub Premium Edition will make family game night fun and exciting. The game can be purchased online on Amazon and Walmart.

Disclosure: I received this game in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.