Book Details:
Book Title: Waking Isabella: Because beauty can't sleep forever by Melissa Muldoon
Category: Adult Fiction, 250 pages
Genre: General Fiction
Publisher: Matta Press
Release date: December 2017
Format available for review: print & ebook (mobi, ePub, PDF)
Will send print books out: internationally
Tour dates: Feb 19 to March 23, 2018
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (The story begins with violent rape and murder scene, touches on themes of miscarriage, murder, Nazi violence during war, adultery)
Book Description:
Waking Isabella is a story about uncovering hidden beauty that, over time, has been lost, erased, or suppressed. It also weaves together several love stories as well as a few mysteries. Nora, an assistant researcher, is a catalyst for resolving the puzzle of a painting that has been missing for decades. Set in Arezzo, a small Tuscan town, the plot unfolds against the backdrop of the city’s antique trade and the fanfare and pageantry of its medieval jousting festival. While filming a documentary about Isabella de’ Medici—the Renaissance princess who was murdered by her husband—Nora begins to connect with the lives of two remarkable women from the past. Unraveling the stories of Isabella, the daughter of a fifteenth-century Tuscan duke, and Margherita, a young girl trying to survive the war in Nazi-occupied Italy, Nora begins to question the choices that have shaped her own life up to this point. As she does, hidden beauty is awakened deep inside of her, and she discovers the keys to her creativity and happiness. It is a story of love and deceit, forgeries and masterpieces—all held together by the allure and intrigue of a beautiful Tuscan ghost.
Book Title: Waking Isabella: Because beauty can't sleep forever by Melissa Muldoon
Category: Adult Fiction, 250 pages
Genre: General Fiction
Publisher: Matta Press
Release date: December 2017
Format available for review: print & ebook (mobi, ePub, PDF)
Will send print books out: internationally
Tour dates: Feb 19 to March 23, 2018
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (The story begins with violent rape and murder scene, touches on themes of miscarriage, murder, Nazi violence during war, adultery)
Book Description:
Waking Isabella is a story about uncovering hidden beauty that, over time, has been lost, erased, or suppressed. It also weaves together several love stories as well as a few mysteries. Nora, an assistant researcher, is a catalyst for resolving the puzzle of a painting that has been missing for decades. Set in Arezzo, a small Tuscan town, the plot unfolds against the backdrop of the city’s antique trade and the fanfare and pageantry of its medieval jousting festival. While filming a documentary about Isabella de’ Medici—the Renaissance princess who was murdered by her husband—Nora begins to connect with the lives of two remarkable women from the past. Unraveling the stories of Isabella, the daughter of a fifteenth-century Tuscan duke, and Margherita, a young girl trying to survive the war in Nazi-occupied Italy, Nora begins to question the choices that have shaped her own life up to this point. As she does, hidden beauty is awakened deep inside of her, and she discovers the keys to her creativity and happiness. It is a story of love and deceit, forgeries and masterpieces—all held together by the allure and intrigue of a beautiful Tuscan ghost.
My review:-
Absolutely beautiful and a rich and lush description . I waa swept along Nora's journey to discover more about Isabella . A little paranormal, a pinch of love and a spoonful of intrigue. A perfect blend to keep you reading untill the last page. I can't wait to read more from this fantastic author.
Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Kobo ~ Barnes & Noble,
Book Depository, Books a Million, IndieBound, Indigo
Add to Goodreads
Watch the Trailer:
Amazon ~ Kobo ~ Barnes & Noble,
Book Depository, Books a Million, IndieBound, Indigo
Add to Goodreads
Watch the Trailer:
Meet 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.
Waking Isabella is Melissa’s second novel and follows Dreaming Sophia, published in 2016. In this new novel about Italy, the reader is taken on another art history adventure, inspired by Melissa’s experiences living and traveling in Italy, specifically Arezzo, as well as her familiarity with the language and art. For more information about Waking Isabella and links to Melissa’s blogs and social media sites, visit www.MelissaMuldoon.com.
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.
Melissa designed and illustrated the cover art for Waking Isabella and Dreaming Sophia. She also curates the Dreaming Sophia blog and Pinterest site: The Art of Loving Italy. Please visit the Pinterest page for pictures of Arezzo, the Giostra del Saracino, and all the places we go in Italy in both 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.
Connect with Melissa:Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~Youtube
BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE:
Feb 19 - Working Mommy Journal - review / giveaway
Feb 19 - The Book Drealms - book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 19 - Essentially Italian - book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 20 - Paulette's Papers - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Feb 20 - Just Reviews - review
Feb 21 - Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author - book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 22 - Library of Clean Reads - review / giveaway
Feb 22 - Elgee Writes - review / giveaway
Feb 22 - T's Stuff - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 23 - Monica Cesarato - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 26 - Martha's Italy - review
Feb 27 - Olio by Marilyn - review / author interview / giveaway
March 1 - Writers and Authors - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
March 2 - Jayne’s Books - review
March 2 - A L' Ouest - review
March 5 - BookLove - review / guest post / giveaway
March 6 - Two Points of Interest - review / giveaway
March 7 - What Cathy Read Next - review / giveaway
March 8 - Literary Flits - review / giveaway
March 9 - Cheryl's Book Nook - review / giveaway
March 12 - Svetlana's Reads and Views - review
March 13 - #redhead.with.book - review / giveaway
March 14 - StoreyBook Reviews - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
March 14 - Italophilia - review
March 15 - Bookworm for Kids - review / giveaway
March 15 - Lovely Loveday - review
March 16 - Books Direct - review / giveaway
March 19 - Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews - review / giveaway
March 20 - JBronder Book Reviews - review / guest post
March 21 - The Pen and Muse - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
March 21 - Tower of Babel (Torre de Babel) - review
March 22 - The Booksnake Etc - review
March 23 - TFaulc Book Reviews - review / author interview
March 23 - Jessica Cassidy - review / giveaway
TBD - Books and Tea - review / author interview / giveaway
Enter the Giveaway!
Ends March 31
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.
Waking Isabella is Melissa’s second novel and follows Dreaming Sophia, published in 2016. In this new novel about Italy, the reader is taken on another art history adventure, inspired by Melissa’s experiences living and traveling in Italy, specifically Arezzo, as well as her familiarity with the language and art. For more information about Waking Isabella and links to Melissa’s blogs and social media sites, visit www.MelissaMuldoon.com.
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.
Melissa designed and illustrated the cover art for Waking Isabella and Dreaming Sophia. She also curates the Dreaming Sophia blog and Pinterest site: The Art of Loving Italy. Please visit the Pinterest page for pictures of Arezzo, the Giostra del Saracino, and all the places we go in Italy in both 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.
Connect with Melissa:Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~Youtube
BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE:
Feb 19 - Working Mommy Journal - review / giveaway
Feb 19 - The Book Drealms - book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 19 - Essentially Italian - book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 20 - Paulette's Papers - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Feb 20 - Just Reviews - review
Feb 21 - Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author - book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 22 - Library of Clean Reads - review / giveaway
Feb 22 - Elgee Writes - review / giveaway
Feb 22 - T's Stuff - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 23 - Monica Cesarato - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Feb 26 - Martha's Italy - review
Feb 27 - Olio by Marilyn - review / author interview / giveaway
March 1 - Writers and Authors - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
March 2 - Jayne’s Books - review
March 2 - A L' Ouest - review
March 5 - BookLove - review / guest post / giveaway
March 6 - Two Points of Interest - review / giveaway
March 7 - What Cathy Read Next - review / giveaway
March 8 - Literary Flits - review / giveaway
March 9 - Cheryl's Book Nook - review / giveaway
March 12 - Svetlana's Reads and Views - review
March 13 - #redhead.with.book - review / giveaway
March 14 - StoreyBook Reviews - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
March 14 - Italophilia - review
March 15 - Bookworm for Kids - review / giveaway
March 15 - Lovely Loveday - review
March 16 - Books Direct - review / giveaway
March 19 - Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews - review / giveaway
March 20 - JBronder Book Reviews - review / guest post
March 21 - The Pen and Muse - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
March 21 - Tower of Babel (Torre de Babel) - review
March 22 - The Booksnake Etc - review
March 23 - TFaulc Book Reviews - review / author interview
March 23 - Jessica Cassidy - review / giveaway
TBD - Books and Tea - review / author interview / giveaway
Enter the Giveaway!
Ends March 31
:
Ciao! thank you for featuring “Waking Isabella” on your website and for your lovely and thoughtful review. I'm so glad you enjoyed the story and the writing. Un abbraccio! Melissa Muldoon
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