Category: book review

March 24, 2021

The Moonlight School Book Review

About The Moonlight School

Born in those hills, Cora knows the plague of illiteracy. So does Brother Wyatt, a singing schoolmaster who travels through the hills. Involving Lucy and Wyatt, Cora hatches a plan to open the schoolhouses to adults on moonlit nights. The best way to combat poverty, she believes, is to eliminate illiteracy. But will the people come?

As Lucy emerges from a life in the shadows, she finds purpose; or maybe purpose finds her. With purpose comes answers to her questions, and something else she hadn’t expected: love.

Inspired by the true events of the Moonlight Schools, this standalone novel from bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher brings to life the story that shocked the nation into taking adult literacy seriously. You’ll finish the last page of this enthralling story with deep gratitude for the gift of reading.

My Thoughts

The Moonlight School is a powerful tale that I could not put down. I am very passionate about reading and love to share this with others. Reading and education is a gift that can open doors for us. This book highlights the importance of literacy and it came as a shock to me that is was inspired by true events.

Lucy is a young, bright woman who has let her past cast a shadow on her life. She is timid and not really sure of herself, living only in her bubble with her Father and their wealth. When she travels to rural Rowan County to help her cousin, she is not prepared for the task ahead of her but she shows true strength and compassion. Her cousin, Cora, is in charge of the education and operation of many schools in her area that are plagued with poverty and beliefs that many urban dwellers do not understand. But Cora sees how special these people are – their kindness, strength, determination and love for others shines through. When we are exposed to how they have been taken advantage of because of their illiteracy, we understand why Cora is fighting so hard for them.

Following several events in the novel, Cora hatches an idea to help the adult community in their rural town – by providing schooling at nights for them (hence the name Moonlight Schools). While the idea is an excellent one, Cora and Lucy hold many fears for the schools. Will the adults in the community come? Will they have enough teachers? Can they overcome those in power who want to keep them illiterate?

The novel is well written and does the history behind the schools justice. It tells a powerful story of how these schools came to be and the importance. We see compassion, kindness, strength and forgiveness throughout the story. You hold the characters in this story close to your heart, my personal favourite being Lucy. I loved watching her evolve and grow in her personal strength throughout the novel as she was gently guided by Cora and Brother Wyatt. This is an excellent novel selection for all of us who love historical novels – a definite must read.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 30 books, including On a Summer Tide and On a Coastal Breeze, as well as the Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop’s Family, The Deacon’s Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, among other novels. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

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

March 8, 2021

It Happened in Tuscany

From the multiple-award-winning author of To Tuscany with Love comes a captivating story of the epic tug of war between honor and duty, the irrepressible power of love, and the concept of family.

About It Happened in Tuscany

From the multiple-award-winning author of To Tuscany with Love comes a captivating story of the epic tug of war between honor and duty, the irrepressible power of love, and the concept of family.

In 1945, Will Mills and his fellow soldiers in the 10th Mountain Division scaled Italy’s treacherous Riva Ridge in the frigid night to break through the nearly impenetrable German line of defense. Severely wounded, Will was rescued by Italian partisans and one, a beautiful girl, tended his injuries until he had the strength to rejoin the U.S. troops.

Tormented and haunted by his decisions and actions during wartime, Will knows he has unfinished missions in Italy to complete. The passage of time and years of carrying this unfulfilled need have molded Will into a bitter, angry man.

Seventy-five years later, Will’s spunky thirty-two-year-old neighbor, Sophie Sparke, faces disaster in her life. Everything is going wrong—her job, her love life, even her dog. Part of the problem is that confident and fiercely independent Sophie lets her quick mouth get her into trouble.

Grouchy, mean-spirited Will finagles Sophie into traveling with him to Tuscany to find the partisan who saved his life. Will also secretly hopes to confront the demons his wartime actions created. Sophie and Will comb enchanting Tuscan hill towns on an improbable and unfolding mission with few clues to aid them. Will’s passionate tenacity drives their quest and in the process exposes their darkest secrets. The journey alters the course of their lives, and Will and Sophie find more than they had imagined in the hills of Tuscany.

My Thoughts

A beautiful story from start to finish, It Happened in Tuscany made me laugh and cry and I did not want to put the novel down.

Will fought in Italy during WWII and was rescued by the incredible Francesca. Like so many fellow soldiers, Will carried guilt, regret and many more emotions from the time he spent during the war in Italy. Like so many individuals his age, he guards his secrets well. He lets Sophie in but only a little at a time. After the death of his wife, and likely facing the end of his of his own life, he wants to write the wrongs he did and find the love of his life. He enlists the help of Sophie, although she was reluctant at first. Why would she want to help her angry and grumpy neighbour? But as Sophie begins to get to know Will a bit better, she begins to grow fond of this soft man with a hard shell and all of the secrets he holds close to his heart.

Together the two of them undertake quite the journey – to find his lost love in Italy after seventy five years! What a journey this becomes – a journey that seems almost doomed from the start. But on their way, the pair make friends, make peace with their past and their future, something that Will so desperately needed. We watch the pair struggle, become lost and their despair and frustration. You are on their side cheering them on, hoping and praying that they find the lost Francesca. The rich plot brings to life Italy and their search for love.

It Happened in Tuscany is a beautiful and rich story, full of hope, faith and forgiveness. The characters hold a special place in your heart, their story will bring tears to your eyes and you will not want to put the story down as you have to know what happens. It is a beautiful story of forgiveness, healing, hope and love. This is a definite must read novel!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Audible, B&N and Indiebound.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Gail Mencini is the acclaimed author of It Happened in Tuscany and To Tuscany with Love, both of which are Denver Post #1 bestsellers and award winners. Gail grew up in DeWitt, Nebraska, graduated from Wartburg College with a BA in Accounting and Economics, and earned a master of taxation degree from the University of Denver. A frequent visitor to Tuscany and a homegrown gourmet cook, Gail has toured Italy by car, train, bus, Vespa, and foot. She lives in Colorado with her husband.

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

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book, all opinions expressed are my own.

March 1, 2021

Marvellous Macey, The Delightful Days

Can you va va voom? Do you light up the room? Marvellous Macey does!

About Marvellous Macey, The Delightful Days

Can you va va voom? Do you light up the room? Marvellous Macey does! She may not quite fit the mould, but she is living delightful days. Embrace Macey’s world of imagination and ability to love and accept everyone. Life may not be perfect and some things might be hard, but Macey shows us how to live in the moment and find the delight! Be inspired by Macey to make everyday the BEST day.

Our Thoughts

Marvellous Macey is a wonderful, feel good story about Macey. Macey is full of joy and light and loves sharing her happiness with the world. From the simple things like saying please and thank you, to spreading kindness and love and even having an incredible memory of people and names. She is full of happiness and love, ready to share it with the world. But her happiness does not mean that she has not dealt with her share of sadness and struggles. We do learn that she has had some difficulties at school and has had her own battles to fight. But this has not taken away from the love and joy she shares with others.

This was a beautiful story from start to finish, with great attention to detail. I love the font and the illustrations and the way it matched the wording and flow of the story. It helped to bring Macey to life for us. Macey has a very important message for young children (and some adults too!) about the importance of sharing our joy and happiness with others. It is important for us to live each day to the fullest and to bring joy to others. I would have loved to learn a little bit more about Macey’s struggles but it does not take away from the story as the focus is on living in the moment. Marvellous Macey is a feel good, inspirational book for young children that you will enjoy reading together.

You can purchase a copy of this book on the author’s website and Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Caitlin Bangsund is the author of Marvellous Macey, The Delightful Days. It is the first in a series based on true life. Caitlin knows the trial and trauma of childhood cancer, childhood disability, and the fear of almost losing her daughter — the star of the series — Macey. She encourages readers to look for the treasures that hide in the rubble and gloom. Life is beautiful chaos and her message is to press on and conquer. Read her stories and help create a world that is full of kindness and acceptance.

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

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

You have to make the most of that time, so make her laugh, tell funny stories, ask https://vibragame.net/en/private-sex-webcast.html what she has been up to, and make her think you think she is special. She should feel that you are the person to talk to. In general, these conversations should make her want to see you even more.

February 24, 2021

Eternally Artemisia Book Review

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.

About Eternally Artemisia

They say some loves travel through time and are fated to meet over and over again. For 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.

Book Trailer

My Thoughts

“This painting…is for myself, for you- for my daughter- for all the women who are vulnerable and powerless. It is for those who haven’t had their voices heard…I create an alterative and promising world in which women take control” – Eternally Artemisia

Eternally Artemisia is a powerful story of the power of women, love, healing and the strength in standing up for oneself. Artemisia is an incredibly gifted painter but one whom many will never know of simply as she was a woman born in a time when woman were viewed as nothing more than a wife and vessel to bear children. She was full of light but held her own pain and struggles after being raped and forced to go through a humiliating trial to convict her rapist.

Maddie loves her art and finds healing in her work, something I can relate to. There is nothing more releasing and healing than becoming lost in your art – whether sketching, doodling, painting and even creating collages. We find ourselves in these moments, learning more about ourselves and allowing ourselves to truly show how we feeling. Maddie has always felt a tug to the past, and I loved how through this novel we see her ties to not only Artemisia but also to Matteo.

The story is full of love and healing – both the bond and love between women but also the enduring love between a husband and wife. I loved how the story tied together characters that were born centuries apart and how the love between Matteo and Maddie was eternal. Their souls finding each other centuries apart, a love that is born of respect, strength and honesty which makes your heart swell with hope and love.

Eternally Artemisia is a rich, well written novel full of history, art, strength, love and so much more. It is a novel that you cannot put down as you need to know more about not only the artist but Maddie and her own ties to her. It is a novel of hope and strength, that shows the power of a woman – that she can conquer anything set in her path and when she puts her mind to it, she can reach the stars. It is a definite must read novel.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Audible, 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.

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.

February 16, 2021

Love Book Review

“Love connects us, no matter how far apart we are.” – Love

About Love

Everyone loves everyone in Tess’s house. When Tess has to leave for school for the very first time, she is worried that her family’s love might not stretch that far. Her Mom explains that love is like a string, that it connects people together even when they are far away. At school Tess notices that all the children have strings. Some are new, some are old, some stretch a long way, and some even stretch right up into the sky! But what happens when a string breaks?

Our Thoughts

We fell in love with this beautiful story about relationships and the power of love between families, friends and even teachers. Big events can be scary for children, especially when they have spent their lives surrounded only by their immediate family and loved ones. The thought of being separated from this love and comfort zone is scary for children. This book did an amazing job of showing children that we are still connected to our family and loved ones through a very special bond (in this story a string) that stretches and bends over long distances but no matter what is always there. All of us have strings to our loved ones and each string is just a little bit different. Tess learns about these strings and how they are connected with a big new adventure for her – school!

This book does an incredible job of making a tough topic easy to understand, full of compassion, and understanding. It made my heart melt as we read the story together. The words flow nicely and have a great rhythm to them. The illustrations feel soft and tender, matching the tone of the story and help pull the story together. Love is a beautiful story for young children as they set out for preschool and school for the first time (and even for older children as they deal with separation and anxiety). It helps to tackle those big feelings in a way that young children can break down and understand.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author and Illustrator

Corrinne Averiss is the author of My Pet Star, winner of the Sainsbury’s Children’s Book of the Year, the Stockport Children’s Book Awards and in over 450,000 homes as part of Booktrust’s Pyjamarama campaign. Her first book, A Dot in the Snow, illustrated by Fiona Woodcock, was shortlisted for the CILIP Greenaway award, featured on CBeebies’ Bedtime Stories and in The Sunday Times’ Books of the Year. She is the author of Joy, Hope, Sorrel and the Sleepover, The Boy on the Bench, and Floss the Playground Boss. She is drawn to themes of identity and belonging in her books and aims to deliver big feelings with humour and tenderness.

Kirsti Beautyman works from her studio in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, using a range of mediums to build layers of texture and detail which are combined digitally to create her illustrations. She finds inspiration within mundane observations and is often staring vacantly into the distance thinking up narratives and ideas. Kirsti won Picture Hooks Illustrator of the Year Award in 2017.

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