Category: book review

June 3, 2019

Eternally Artemisia Book Review

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!

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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.

May 28, 2019

Smitten by the Brit

An English professeor starts a new chapter in her life and is swept up in a Jane Austen-esque romance with a modern day duke.

About Smitten by the Brit

English professor Bonnie Blythe expects her life to play out like her favorite novels, especially now that her long-term boyfriend has finally proposed. So when a shocking discovery leads Bonnie to end her engagement, she decides to close the book on love. But the plot thickens when a brand-new character enters the scene—and quickens Bonnie’s heart.

With his brilliant blue eyes, sexy accent, and irresistible charm, Theo Wharton is like a romantic hero straight out of a Jane Austen novel. When fate places Bonnie in England for a summer—conveniently close to Theo—she realizes a hot friends-with-benefits fling is exactly what she needs to start a fresh chapter. Just as Bonnie begins to believe she’s falling in love, an eye-opening revelation into Theo’s life makes Bonnie feel like she’s wandered into one of her favorite books. Will Bonnie have the courage to risk her heart and turn the page with the dashing Brit to find her true happy ending after all?

My Thoughts

I loved every moment of this romantic, funny, laugh out loud novel. We have two irresistible main characters, one a handsome Brit (who is a bit more than he makes out to be!) and the lovable Bonnie, a true romantic and historian at heart.

The novel starts off a bit dramatically in a way that breaks my heart for Bonnie. She is such a sweet, kind and compassionate person that the actions that lead up to the break up of her engagement hurts. But this is the turning point for Bonnie. She decides to take life by the horns and do things that she wasn’t doing for herself – including traveling to England to teach! I was so proud of her independence and challenging herself, especially when you so easily fall to depression. She even throws in a fling, something that is way out of character for her.

Theo is the perfect counterpart for Bonnie, while he has always been there for her as a friend, you can tell that he definitely feels a lot more for her. He is just a kind, good person with some serious charm, the type of person that you would love to have in your life whether as a friend or as a partner. But he comes with his own surprise and Bonnie isn’t too sure if she can handle it (or whether she is good enough maybe?). It definitely threw me through a loop!

This is a definite must read novel this summer. You will not want to put it down, it is well written, sexy, funny and perfect from start to finish.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

After earning her Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude from Loyola University Chicago, Melonie Johnson―aka #thewritinglush―taught high school English and Theatre for several years. An award winning author and a two-time RWA Golden Heart® finalist, she writes smart and funny contemporary romance and moonlights as an audiobook narrator under the pseudonym, Evelyn Eibhlin. She lives happily ever after with her husband, two redheaded daughters, a dog that’s more like a small horse, and a pair of hermit crabs. She is the author of the Sometimes in Love series which includes Getting Hot with the Scot and Smitten by the Brit.

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

May 28, 2019

The Earl Next Door

What does an independent young widow really want? One determined suitor is about to find out!

About The Earl Next Door

When Adeline, Dowager Countess of Wake, learns of her husband’s sudden death, she realizes she’s free. At last, she can do, go, and be as she pleases. Finally, she can have the life she has always dreamed of. She doesn’t need, or want, to remarry. Especially not the supremely dashing future Marquis of Marksworth, who makes Adeline yearn for his desire.

Lord Lyonwood, son of a philandering marquis, will not be like his father. He wants to run his estates and watch them flourish—and find a wife who brings love to his life. When he meets spirited and self-reliant Adeline in a case of near-scandalous mistaken identity, Lyon feels he’s met his match. But Adeline isn’t interested in a marriage proposal. She will only accept becoming his lover—and Lyon finds it hard to refuse. Unless the fire of his passion can melt Adeline’s resolve.

My Thoughts

This story features an extremely strong, independent, fierce female character who knows what she wants and goes for it. This can be contrary to the type of female leads we see during this time period. Adeline had a rough past in her first marriage and when her husband died, she realizes she is free and she will never let anyone hold her down again. While this is fantastic in so many ways, it may also hold her back as we soon come to find out. Despite this, I loved her character to bits.

Enter Lyon – the handsome, funny and determined young man from next door. While they get off on the wrong foot, he can’t help but be swept away by Adeline. While she may not have been what he had been looking for, her spirit is what hooks him. He loves her independence and willingness to stand up for what is right and for herself.

This was a sweet story of learning to let go of our past and not let it define our future. Adeline was so stuck in her past, that she was losing out on something potentially so amazing. You kept wanting to give her a little shake and some common sense in the right direction. Can they move past their history? Can they build a future together? Or is her past too much for her to bury? This novel is sweet, funny romance that will be perfect for the upcoming summer months.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author AMELIA GREY read her first romance book when she was thirteen and she’s been a devoted reader of love stories ever since. Her awards include the Booksellers Best, Aspen Gold, and the Golden Quill. Writing as Gloria Dale Skinner, she won the coveted Romantic Times Award for Love and Laughter and the prestigious Maggie Award. Her books have sold to many countries in Europe, Indonesia, Turkey, Russia, and most recently to Japan. Several of her books have also been featured in Doubleday and Rhapsody Book Clubs. Amelia is the author of over twenty-five books. She’s been happily married to her high school sweetheart for over thirty-five years and she lives on the beautiful gulf coast of Northwest Florida.

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

May 27, 2019

Velvalee Dickinson: The “Doll Woman” Spy

Velvalee Dickinson: The “Doll Woman” Spy is a carefully researched glimpse into the “Doll Woman’s” life as a collector of dolls, and as the highest paid American woman who spied for the Imperial Japanese Government during World War II.

About Velvalee Dickinson: The “Doll Woman” Spy

Velvalee Dickinson was born in Sacramento, California, graduated from Stanford University, married three times, and then in the early 1930s moved to New York City where she eventually opened her own exclusive doll shop on the prestigious Madison Avenue. It was there that she built her reputation as an expert in rare, antique, and foreign dolls. She traveled extensively around the country lecturing and exhibiting her dolls while building a wealthy clientele that included Hollywood stars, members of high society, politicians, and other collectors.

When medical bills started to accumulate because of her husband’s poor health and business started to fail with the onset of World War II, she accepted the role as a spy for the Imperial Japanese Government. By hiding coded messages in her correspondence about dolls, she was able to pass on to her Japanese contacts critical military information about the US warships. After surveilling Velvalee for over a year, the FBI arrested her and charged her with espionage and violation of censorship laws. She became the first American woman to face the death penalty on charges of spying for a wartime enemy.

My Thoughts

This book intrigued me right from the start – I had never heard of Velvalee Dickinson and even the idea of using dolls to put through messages!

This is an incredibly informative story that is not overwhelming, heavy on too many facts or too lengthy. She gives you an incredible look into the life of Velvalee – how she started in the doll business and what turned her to spying. She is a woman who really made quite something of herself, while even committing such a grave crime, she gained quite the reputation as someone who had extensive knowledge in her area of expertise and held herself with grace. At times, I almost felt bad for her but then at other times when she tried to blame her deceased husband, you almost get a different look at this woman. You never really know is she truly innocent and forced to commit the crime, did she do it for her husband or did she do it for selfish reasons?

I loved that while it is a biography on her life, the way Barbara writes it almost feels like a story as well. You want to keep reading to see what happens next with the way that she describes her, the situations and the way the plot unfolds. She did a fantastic job of putting this story together and readers will appreciate this.

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

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Barbara Casey is the author of several award-winning novels for both adults and young adults, as well as book-length works of nonfiction, and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Her nonfiction true crime book, Kathryn Kelly: The Moll behind Machine Gun Kelly, has been optioned for a major film and television series. Her nonfiction book, Assata Shakur: A 20th Century Escaped Slave, is under contract for a major film. In addition to her own writing, she is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency.

Established in 1995, she represents authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. In 2018 Barbara received the prestigious Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and Top Professional Award for her extensive experience and notable accomplishments in the field of publishing and other areas. Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with her husband, and three pets who adopted her: Benton, a hound-mix; Reese, a black cat; and Earl Gray, a gray cat and Reese’s best friend.

The Giveaway

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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.

May 8, 2019

The 5-Minute Recharge Book Review

We know the formula for living a good life but why are we still struggling? Learn techniques to help improve, inspire and refresh with The 5-Minute Recharge.

About The 5-Minute Recharge

Researchers have discovered the formula for living a good life, so why is depression still the world’s leading disability and anxiety the most common mental health disorder in North America? Most people don’t know what will truly make them happy, and far too few make proven wellness practices a part of their lives.

To cope with all the stresses we encounter, we need to actively care for ourselves, which includes heeding our ancient programming that demands that we move our bodies, connect face-to-face and get enough sleep. Science has proven that you have the power, through your habitual ways of thinking and behaving, to renovate the space inside your head, making it brighter, more resilient, and a more enjoyable place to hang out.

The 5-Minute Recharge contains 31 proven techniques to help you thrive at work and in life. They are backed by research and include additional resources to enrich your understanding of wellness and inspire you to care for yourself.

My Thoughts

I think we can all admit that many times we feel overwhelmed, overworked and overstimulated. Life is so busy that it can be hard to unwind, relax our minds and emotions. This has so many negative consequences for our physical, mental and social well being. We know that in order to be happy we need to find that balance but we become lost somewhere in achieving this.

I loved how thoughtful and intimate this book was. It wasn’t a book that pointed out your failures, made you feel shameful and not too sure if you want to try the changes. Instead it uses humour, quotes, experiences to give you that personal connection in order to better your personal wellness. They encourage you to become a part of the journey instead of being a passive reader, you should do each of the exercises included in the chapters – they will really get you thinking and focusing on you. The book is not overbearing or difficult to read which everyone can appreciate. That being said – take your time reading each section, participate fully and allow the time for you to reconnect with you.

I know we can feel a lot of guilt around taking time to care for ourselves but with the evidence presented in this book, the easy exercises and healthy, manageable behaviours presented – you can take care of yourself, you will not feel guilty about doing so and it will make you a better person for doing so. At the end of the day, in order for us to function fully and be the best version we can be, we need to feel happy and balanced. This book helps us accomplish this in easy, manageable steps. A fantastic resource for all adults feeling overwhelmed and looking for better balance.

You can purchase a copy of this book here.

About the Authors

Lynne Everatt is a recovering MBA, LinkedIn Top Voice in management and culture, and nominee for the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour for her first book, E-Mails from the Edge, a novel with the theme of workplace mental health. E-mails also appeared in The Globe and Mail as a Careers column. An ardent advocate for mental health through physical fitness, Lynne is a certified personal trainer who has completed two sweaty half-marathons and a marathon six minutes and twenty-three seconds of stand-up at the Absolute Comedy Club. She served for three years as President of the Board of Directors of the women’s shelter Interim Place where she met and became friends with co-author Addie Greco-Sanchez.

Addie Greco-Sanchez is the founder and President of AGS Rehab, a leader in disability management and assessment services since 1999 that has grown into a successful company with a head office in the Greater Toronto Area and a large network of professionals across Canada. Selected as one of PROFIT/Chatelaine’s top 100 Female Entrepreneurs, Addie is a passionate and expert advocate for mental health in the workplace, and frequent speaker on the topic of how companies can safeguard employees’ psychological health.

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