Dreaming Sophia-Book Spotlight with Giveaway

Book Spotlight (provided by ItalyBookTourshttp://www.italybooktours.com/)

Dreaming Sophia is a magical look into Italy, language, art, and culture. It is a story about turning dreams into reality and learning to walk the fine line between fact and fantasy. When tragedy strikes, Sophia finds herself alone in the world, without direction and fearful of loving again. With only her vivid imagination to guide her, she begins a journey that will take her from the vineyards in Sonoma, California to a grad school in Philadelphia and, eventually, to Italy: Florence, Lucca, Rome, Verona, Venice, and Val d’Orcia.

​Through dreamlike encounters, Sophia meets Italian personalities—princes, poets, duchesses, artists, and film stars— who give her advice to help put her life back together. Following a path that takes her from grief to joy, she discovers the source of her creativity and learns to love again, turning her dreams into reality.

Available:

Amazon – print

Amazon / Kindle – ebook

Create Space

I-tunes – Apple Store-ebook

Barnes & Noble – ebook

Inktera-ebook

About the author:

Melissa Muldoon is the Studentessa Matta-the crazy linguist! In Italian, "matta" means "crazy" or "impassioned". 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.

Melissa promotes the study of Italian language and culture through her dual-language blog, Studentessa Matta (studentessamatta.com). Melissa began the Matta blog to improve her command of the language and to connect with other language learners. It has since grown to include a podcast, "Tutti Matti per l'Italiano" and the Studentessa Matta YouTube channel. Melissa also created Matta Italian Language Immersion Tours, which she co-leads with Italian partners in Italy.

Dreaming Sophia is Melissa's first novel. It is a fanciful look at art history and Italian language and culture, but it is also the culmination of personal stories and insights resulting from her experiences living in Italy, as well as her involvement and familiarity with the Italian language, painting, and art history.

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. When Melissa is not traveling in Italy, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is married and has three boys and two beagles.

Melissa designed and illustrated the cover art for Dreaming Sophia. She also designed the Dreaming Sophia website and created the character illustrations that can be found in the book and on the Dreaming Sophia websites.

Giveaway
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Mail Order Bride-Book Series-Spotlight

                           
About the series . . . 
Silver River is a little town full of strong men who followed the trail West to Montana hoping to get rich from the Silver Rush that gave this picturesque valley it's name. Many of them are lonely, but their pioneering spirit means they make their own luck. As the town begins to expand, its inhabitants are getting restless, looking for love and adventure.

About the author. . .
Karla Gracey was born with a very creative imagination and a love for creating stories that will inspire and warm people's hearts. She has always been attracted to historical romance including mail order bride stories with strong willed women. Her characters are easy to relate to and you feel as if you know them personally. Whether you enjoy action, adventure, romance, mystery, suspense or drama- she makes sure there is something for everyone in her historical romance stories!

Visit the author here. There is currently an offer for a free  novella.

Where to buy. . . Amazon

Miss Kane's Christmas -A Novella Review

                                                
About. . . 

With Christmas only three days away, Carol Claus agrees to her father’s request that she leave the North Pole on a mission to help save Christmas. Joining single father Ben Hanson and his children for the holidays seems an easy enough task until Santa informs her that Ben is the man behind the disturbing new book ‘Beyond Bah Humbug: Why Lying to Your Children about Santa Claus is a Bad Idea’.

Posing as Miss Kane, the children’s new nanny, Carol pulls out all the stops to show Ben how fun Christmas can be, all the while struggling to understand how one man could hate the holidays so much. How could she, Santa’s only daughter, be so attracted to a man who refuses to believe her father exists?

What I Thought. . . 
A delightful whimsical read.  This fun little novella will have you believing in Santa Claus,Christmas and romance. 
I enjoyed reading and look forward to reading more.  

This a great read for those quiet nights you want to cozy up and enjoy the holidays.

I read the novella on my phone using the Kobo app. I was not asked to write a review.

Available . . . 

Amazon  Barnes and Noble

From the author. . . 

The idea of writing 70 words about myself is far more daunting than the idea of writing 70,000 words made up out of thin air about characters I’ve never met. It’s funny how that works, isn’t it? I won’t bombard you with details about my life, suffice it to say that it’s been full of blessings with much laughter along the way. However, there is one thing I’d really like you to know about me…I sincerely appreciate each and every reader who has chosen to spend time reading one of my books. Readers, like books, make the world a wonderful place to live in!

Have a question or comment? Drop me a line at caroline@carolinemickelson.com.

And if you haven’t yet done so, please consider joining my VIP Reader Newsletter list here to receive a FREE Christmas novella as well as updates on new releases.

On My Book Shelf

I have a few titles just waiting to be read - reviewed- or featured.
                                    
First up what I'm reading now . . . 

I really didn't know what to expect.  I got an offer and just said 
'Yes' without even reading the description.  Sometimes that's not too smart.  But in this case I don't think I'll be disappointed.  
Here's what its about...(provided by IRead Tours)
“He had an itchy feeling, something he had seen that his memory had recorded but that he wasn’t paying attention to…”

When a man has everything, he can afford to be generous. Lawyer, philanderer, and horseman Grant Wodehouse is generous to a fault—until he’s stabbed to death with a pitchfork in his barn. The killer could be anyone—his lover’s husband, his troubled son, the homeless guy he lets sleep in his barn, his unscrupulous partner or even his wife.

​Methodical Detective Sam Lagarde doesn’t miss a clue as he questions an ever-growing list of suspects, only to discover the killer has been hiding in plain sight the entire time. Always one step behind the killer, finally Lagarde’s only recourse is one he never wanted to take.
                                    
And waiting . . . 

About the book (provided by the author)

With compassion and encouragement, Amelia Rhodes offers Bible verses and prayer prompts, organized topically for every letter of the alphabet. There are five topics per letter–three prayers of petition asking God to work in a certain area of need, and two more prayers of praise to reflect gratitude for God’s presence in the daily issues and relationships of life. Through petition and praise, your specific, focused communion with God will lighten your heart as you place the heaviness of those prayer requests where they belong–on His strong shoulders.

Whether you are praying for a friend’s adoption journey, a neighbor’s bankruptcy, or a family member’s cancer, this book will give you Bible verses, prayer prompts, and prayer starts to guide you through praying for even the most difficult issues that affect the people you know and love. Perfect for either individual or group prayer,Pray A-Z will help you experience the peace that comes from communicating with God.

                                             

   About the book                          Provided by IRead Book Tours                                               Dreaming Sophia is a magical look into Italy, language, art, and culture. It is a story about turning dreams into reality and learning to walk the fine line between fact and fantasy. When tragedy strikes, Sophia finds herself alone in the world, without direction and fearful of loving again. With only her vivid imagination to guide her, she begins a journey that will take her from the vineyards in Sonoma, California to a grad school in Philadelphia and, eventually, to Italy: Florence, Lucca, Rome, Verona, Venice, and Val d’Orcia.

Through dreamlike encounters, Sophia meets Italian personalities—princes, poets, duchesses, artists, and film stars— who give her advice to help put her life back together. Following a path that takes her from grief to joy, she discovers the source of her creativity and learns to love again, turning her dreams into reality.

Have you started your Christmas shopping?  Need ideas? Come over to the 1st Annual Reviewers Suggestions for Christmas!  The party begins Thanksgiving Day at noon over Here.  

Linking with Sunday Post , Mailbox Monday and Create With Joy,
It's Monday What Are You Reading?

Trust My Heart-Carol J. Post- Litfuse-Book Review

About the book (provided by Litfuse)

Grant McAllister arrives in Murphy, North Carolina, with one aim: to sell his inherited property and leave as quickly as possible.

The big-city lawyer has no interest in his late, estranged grandparents or the dilapidated mansion he just acquired. After his high-profile divorce, he should be avoiding perky reporters, too. But Jami Carlisle is honest, funny, and undeniably appealing.

After breaking up with her safe-but-smothering boyfriend, Jami is determined to ace her first big assignment. A story about the McAllister estate is too intriguing to ignore—much like its handsome, commitment-phobic heir. Thanks to her digging, the pieces of Grant’s fraught family history are gradually fitting into place, but also upending all his old beliefs.

The two draw closer as they share their dreams, until misread signals and misunderstandings begin to test their trust. But in the unspoiled beauty of the Smoky Mountains, there’s healing and forgiveness to be found. And for Grant, this unplanned detour may be just what’s needed to finally guide him home…

Buy Here: Amazon   ~   Barnes and Noble

Visit the author and read an excerpt here

What I thought . . . 
I had mixed feelings about this book.  I struggled a bit to finish it. 
By the time I was over 3/4's through it I began to really be interested.  

It is filled with interesting and quirky characters that tend to 'make' the story.  

This is a typical romance.  Boy meets girl.  Boy doesn't want to 
get involved etc., etc., etc.  Finally they get involved then something causes them to split., etc., etc., etc.  

Predictable.  Yes.  

But fun and a bit humorous.

 It also has a great message.

As I finished reading I honestly realized I really did like this story.  

I wasn't too attracted to Grant the main man.  I frankly thought he just needed to 'give it up' and move on.  After a broken marriage he struggles to 'move on'.  

Until he meets Jami in the small town where his parents grew up.

Jami's character is sweet 'a bit' quirky and honestly good.   

She has some baggage and hidden dreams that come out.   

Grant encourages Jami to strive to fulfill her dreams.  She encourages him too.

Both their dreams are fulfilled by the end which is good.  But I was left wanting more.  

Although the author; I admit did a great job of tying the romance and the subplots together into a fun story I would have enjoyed the book alot more if there had been an Epilogue where the couples dreams come to fruition.  Their dreams were a huge part of their stories and their characters.

I would love to see a series.  I was captured more by the sub characters than the main characters.  

I enjoyed reading Trust My Heart and would read more if there was a series.  

I visited the authors page after writing this review.  I was thrilled to see that Trust My Heart is indeed book one of  the Murphy Series.  I wish that there had been some indication in the book that there will be a series.

I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse.

This review will be posted at My Journey Back. 

This review will be posted at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, CBC,

and Good reads. 

Giveaway

Click Here to enter

Kit Kat & Lucy-Lonnie Hull duPont-Book Spotlight

               
About The Book
"Genuinely moving, poignant, hilarious (cue a mouse dropping from the ceiling), and ultimately compelling as Lonnie Hull DuPont experiences the sustaining power of love in furry form."--Susy Flory, author or coauthor of eleven books, including Thunder Dog, a New York Times bestseller


After years of vibrant city life in San Francisco, Lonnie Hull DuPont reluctantly trades her three-room apartment on Telegraph Hill for a farmhouse in Michigan. She immediately misses the rhythm and the pace of the city, and the isolation of country living has her longing for something more.

Enter Kit Kat, an obsessive-compulsive tortoiseshell, and Lucy, a playful Russian Blue who can nail a bat right out of the air. These stray cats arrive a year apart and each ask to move into the farmhouse--and ultimately DuPont's heart. From the hysterical process of getting two strange cats to like each other to the exciting years of watching those cats thrive--and inspire DuPont in the process--this book is the heartwarming story of how one woman's world would never be the same.
About the author 
Lonnie Hull DuPont is an award-winning poet, book editor, and writer. She is the author of several books, including five compilations of animal stories under the pseudonym of Callie Smith Grant. A member of the Cat Writers Association, she lives in rural Michigan with her husband and their cats.


Endorsements
 "This memoir is like a good, honest friend who compels you to listen to the wisdom and wit she has to share. From the first page, I was hooked. Through this tender love story between the author, her husband, and their fur-babies, I was touched by Kit Kat's love for her family, Lucy's zest for life, and Lonnie and Joe's unending willingness to learn what's best for their kitties. DuPont weaves in poignant memories from her childhood, humor, and practical insights about cats. I couldn't stop reading and, by the end, felt like I had a new best friend."

Susan Logan-McCracken, former editor of Cat Fancy magazine and award-winning author

"A beautifully written memoir about two cats who suddenly show up, move in, and set up housekeeping. As human and feline lives slowly intertwine, it's ultimately unclear who is nurturing whom as they slowly become a family. The story of Kit Kat and Lucy is genuinely moving, poignant, hilarious  (a mouse dropping from the ceiling), and ultimately compelling as Lonnie Hull DuPont experiences the sustaining power of love in furry form."

Susy Flory, author or coauthor of eleven books, including Thunder Dog, a New York Times bestseller

And I thought. . .  I received a complimentary copy. As an animal love I was very excited to get the opportunity to read this book. 
I'm not sure that Kit Kit & Lucy turned out to be what I expected.   
I was expecting an interesting novel.  What I received was a 
very well written and a little humorous memoir.  
Although I made an attempt to 'get into' the book so that I could write a review I was not able to finish. 
I am leaving this book on my book shelf and if I get a chance 
I'll pick it up again and give it another try. 

This review will be posted on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and CBC.  Visit these retailers to read other reviews.
This review will be posted on Good Reads and 
will appear on My Journey Back.  

The Perfect Tear-Book Spotlight/Giveaway

About the book

Eleanor, a timid orphan, has no clue to her real purpose, but she also has no desire to become a subservient old maid, like the miserable nuns she is forced to with. Eleanor believes Edward, whom she loves, will save her from being forced to take vows. She knows Mother Superior has no intention of letting her leave–her songs are the only thing keeping the grey mist at bay. Her devastation is complete when she discovers Edward is a prince and heir to the throne, but it is the impetus she needs to leave the safety of the abbey and go in search of her long lost father.

She doesn’t get far before discovering her true destiny. With only her instincts to protect her, she must match wits with a powerful being intent on the destruction of her world. If she does not find The Perfect Tear and release its healing power into the land, she will become an accomplice in the destruction of all she loves.

Buy the book
 Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble

Read about the author below this fabulous Giveaway...




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Corporate Citizen-Book Review

About the book (provided by Italy Book Tours)

A call for help from an old friend lands Bianca and the crew back in Boston. On a timeout with Dante, due to revelation as in the aftermath of the showdown in Naples, Bianca is drawn to a mysterious new ally who understands the traumas of her past, and has some very real trauma of his own. Murder, designer drugs, and a hacker named Magician challenge our team, and Bianca learns that leaving Rendition behind might be much harder  than she thinks.

And I thought . . .I love suspense this series does not disappoint. 
As with the earlier books in the series Corporate Citizen is suspenseful and fast paced.  Another on the edge of your seat story.  
Book 5 of the series included a few new characters along with the 
regulars.  The author rounds out the story with a little humor along the way.
This is a series that I would suggest the reader begin with book 1.
Although each book stands alone it is much easier to get into the story starting at the beginning.  There are a lot of characters to get to know.    I look forward to Book 6.  Book 5 ends in a cliff hanger.

I received a complimentary copy from Italy Book Tours.
A giveaway follows.  
This review is posted at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and 
Good Reads.  
This review will also appear on My Journey Back

About the series

ROMA, UNDERGROUND (Book #1)

Savvy forensic accountant Alabaster Black is hiding in Rome from her former employer, covert U.S. organization “Rendition.” While there under an assumed name she meets Dante, an investigator, erstwhile explorer and member of the Roma Underground, a band of amateur archaeologists who map the city beneath Rome. With Italian artifacts disappearing at an alarming rate, Alabaster and Dante search for answers and create a trap for the thieves. Through a mysterious online contact Alabaster learns she is being followed, and with her safety at risk she is forced to rethink her chosen alliances and discover hidden truths about herself.

My review is here

WASP’S NEST (Book #2)

In the highly anticipated sequel to Roma, Underground, Bianca returns to the U.S. for her former employer, the covert organization Rendition, to investigate Cyril Sargent and Nasonia Pharmaceutical. Although ambivalent about the assignment and uneasy about her online “friend,” Loki, she is enticed into researching what Sargent is doing with insect genetics that might upset the world of cancer research and treatment. Old friends Farrugia and Gennaro uncover a twisted conspiracy from their past and join Bianca in Boston where they will experience conflicted loyalties, question allies, and confront uncertain enemies, as they’re drawn into the wasp’s nest.

“Again, Valjan successfully conflates multiple sophisticated narratives that bring the past and present together, which the archaeological theme of the last novel also helps accomplish . . . Black is back and just as entertaining as ever.”

—Kirkus Book Reviews

“…a compelling reading, action-packed and with intriguing characters. The plot had plenty of twists and turns, some surprising secrets, and it kept me on the edge of my seat, guessing until the very end.”

—The Book Junkie

My Review is here

THREADING THE NEEDLE (Book #3)

Milan. Bianca’s curiosity gets a young university student murdered, but not before he gives her a file that details a secret weapon under development with defense contractor Adastra. Guilt may drive her to find justice for the slain Charlie Brooks, but she is warned by the mysterious Loki to stay away from this case that runs deep with conspiracy. Bianca must find a way to uncover government secrets and corporate alliances without returning Italy to one of its darkest hours, the decades of daily terrorism known as the “Years of Lead.”

“It is even more to Gabriel Valjan’s credit that with Threading the Needle he, as an American, was nonetheless capable of unusual insight into the Misteri Italiani, the Italian Mysteries, without taking any prejudicial standpoint, one way or the other, or putting the blame on anyone, but rather inviting readers to judge for themselves.”

—Claudio Ferrara, Italian journalist and translator

“But after the first few pages, I knew I was committed to the end of the book ... and would be reading the two earlier books…Characters, plot, ideas, background: In Threading the Needle, Valjan weaves it all into an international crime novel worth the read.”

—Beth Kannell of Kingdom Books, a specialty mystery bookshop in northeastern Vermont.

My Review is here

TURNING TO STONE (Book #4)

Forensic accountant Alabaster Black has always been steps ahead of her former employer, Rendition, a clandestine and apparently lethal organization. Once the star investigator of financial crimes, she fled from the United States to Italy, under a new name: Bianca Nerini. She carries on her work with a group of trusted friends, although a mysterious contact by the name of Loki reaches out to her on occasion. In this fourth installment, Bianca is in Naples against the Camorra, a crime syndicate unlike the American or Sicilian mafia.

My Review is here

Available at:   Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble

Giveaway



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Corporate Citizen-Book Review

About the book (provided by Italy Book Tours)

A call for help from an old friend lands Bianca and the crew back in Boston. On a timeout with Dante, due to revelation as in the aftermath of the showdown in Naples, Bianca is drawn to a mysterious new ally who understands the traumas of her past, and has some very real trauma of his own. Murder, designer drugs, and a hacker named Magician challenge our team, and Bianca learns that leaving Rendition behind might be much harder  than she thinks.

And I thought . . .I love suspense this series does not disappoint. 
As with the earlier books in the series Corporate Citizen is suspenseful and fast paced.  Another on the edge of your seat story.  
Book 5 of the series included a few new characters along with the 
regulars.  The author rounds out the story with a little humor along the way.
This is a series that I would suggest the reader begin with book 1.
Although each book stands alone it is much easier to get into the story starting at the beginning.  There are a lot of characters to get to know.    I look forward to Book 6.  Book 5 ends in a cliff hanger.

I received a complimentary copy from Italy Book Tours.
A giveaway follows.  
This review is posted at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and 
Good Reads.  
This review will also appear on My Journey Back

About the series

ROMA, UNDERGROUND (Book #1)

Savvy forensic accountant Alabaster Black is hiding in Rome from her former employer, covert U.S. organization “Rendition.” While there under an assumed name she meets Dante, an investigator, erstwhile explorer and member of the Roma Underground, a band of amateur archaeologists who map the city beneath Rome. With Italian artifacts disappearing at an alarming rate, Alabaster and Dante search for answers and create a trap for the thieves. Through a mysterious online contact Alabaster learns she is being followed, and with her safety at risk she is forced to rethink her chosen alliances and discover hidden truths about herself.

My review is here

WASP’S NEST (Book #2)

In the highly anticipated sequel to Roma, Underground, Bianca returns to the U.S. for her former employer, the covert organization Rendition, to investigate Cyril Sargent and Nasonia Pharmaceutical. Although ambivalent about the assignment and uneasy about her online “friend,” Loki, she is enticed into researching what Sargent is doing with insect genetics that might upset the world of cancer research and treatment. Old friends Farrugia and Gennaro uncover a twisted conspiracy from their past and join Bianca in Boston where they will experience conflicted loyalties, question allies, and confront uncertain enemies, as they’re drawn into the wasp’s nest.

“Again, Valjan successfully conflates multiple sophisticated narratives that bring the past and present together, which the archaeological theme of the last novel also helps accomplish . . . Black is back and just as entertaining as ever.”

—Kirkus Book Reviews

“…a compelling reading, action-packed and with intriguing characters. The plot had plenty of twists and turns, some surprising secrets, and it kept me on the edge of my seat, guessing until the very end.”

—The Book Junkie

My Review is here

THREADING THE NEEDLE (Book #3)

Milan. Bianca’s curiosity gets a young university student murdered, but not before he gives her a file that details a secret weapon under development with defense contractor Adastra. Guilt may drive her to find justice for the slain Charlie Brooks, but she is warned by the mysterious Loki to stay away from this case that runs deep with conspiracy. Bianca must find a way to uncover government secrets and corporate alliances without returning Italy to one of its darkest hours, the decades of daily terrorism known as the “Years of Lead.”

“It is even more to Gabriel Valjan’s credit that with Threading the Needle he, as an American, was nonetheless capable of unusual insight into the Misteri Italiani, the Italian Mysteries, without taking any prejudicial standpoint, one way or the other, or putting the blame on anyone, but rather inviting readers to judge for themselves.”

—Claudio Ferrara, Italian journalist and translator

“But after the first few pages, I knew I was committed to the end of the book ... and would be reading the two earlier books…Characters, plot, ideas, background: In Threading the Needle, Valjan weaves it all into an international crime novel worth the read.”

—Beth Kannell of Kingdom Books, a specialty mystery bookshop in northeastern Vermont.

My Review is here

TURNING TO STONE (Book #4)

Forensic accountant Alabaster Black has always been steps ahead of her former employer, Rendition, a clandestine and apparently lethal organization. Once the star investigator of financial crimes, she fled from the United States to Italy, under a new name: Bianca Nerini. She carries on her work with a group of trusted friends, although a mysterious contact by the name of Loki reaches out to her on occasion. In this fourth installment, Bianca is in Naples against the Camorra, a crime syndicate unlike the American or Sicilian mafia.

My Review is here

Available at:   Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble

Giveaway



a Rafflecopter giveaway