January 20, 2019

January 20, 2019January 20, 2019

BOOK REVIEW: 1997 (90s Flashback Series Part 2)

This was a nice sequel to 1996. It wrapped up loose ends and had a few surprises along the way. There is a very funny speed dating incident in the present (I figured that one out) and Anna returns to the 90s a few times. I didn’t much care for how the author used Ed; it seemed to be only an opportunity to get back to the 90s as his experience didn’t really seem to factor in the big picture. I also felt that the explanation of the serum was a throwaway, like it wasn’t that big of a deal (which it obviously was). All in all, the whole end seemed a little disjointed compared to the rest of this book (and the first one). That being said, it was still fun to follow Anna and Kurt to see how things ended, and I was satisfied with the ending itself. Thank you to the author and Hidden Gems for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

January 20, 2019January 20, 2019

BOOK REVIEW: 1996 (90s Flashback Series Book 1)

I really, really liked this book! In fact, the only way it could have been better is if it had been 1986 (because that is more my era). I thought the whole premise was interesting. I really liked that Anna was very self-aware and recognized how events shaped her life. I also like that she was strong and confronted her issue with Ed instead of being wishy washy and letting life just go on. If I had to nitpick anything, I would have liked to have had more vivid descriptions of 1996 when Anna was in that time – just a few more details to take that walk down memory lane. But I loved her assessment of social media and her realization that a simpler time is something to cherish. Anna has some unfinished business, so I can’t wait to read the next book to see what happens. Thank you to the author and Hidden Gems for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

January 20, 2019January 20, 2019

BOOK REVIEW: The Painter of Time

I really loved this book! The author was extremely knowledgeable about art and the many facets discussed throughout the novel, to the practices of the Old Masters, to the processes of restoration used at the Cloisters. It was educational, but in a very “novel” way, a fascinating way to learn art history, actually. I would have liked a little more exploration of the ties between Mackenzie and Anthony, because that was an interesting twist that could have impacted her life more. And I thought that the case her dad was working on was a throwaway that was referenced in passing but didn’t contribute to the story overall. It was interesting, however, to try to piece together Anthony’s motivations before everything was revealed. If you have even a passing interest in art, or the Medici family for that matter, I would highly recommend this book. Intriguing, informative, and very entertaining. Thank you to the author and Hidden Gems for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

January 20, 2019January 20, 2019

About Book Reviews

I made the announcement last year, but I want to remind everyone that I have joined the Amazon Associates Program. When I post a book review, I will also post the cover. The cover will be a link to Amazon. In addition, there will be a link at the bottom that will have Amazon’s current price for the book listed. Unless otherwise noted, the link will be for the Kindle version.

If you are considering purchasing the book (especially when they are 99 cents!), please consider using my link to get to Amazon to complete the purchase. You would be helping me out a whole heck of a lot, and it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

January 20, 2019January 20, 2019

Happy Belated New Year!

I am so sorry I have been neglecting you, dear friends. Once the holidays hit, everything else just went super crazy with our schedule. I could barely keep up with work assignments and soccer, much less this blog. But 2019 is a new year, with new beginnings and new priorities!

During our cruise a couple of weeks ago, I finally had the opportunity to do some thinking about where I wanted to focus this upcoming year. I have come to the conclusion that this will be mainly a writing/book/book review blog. Not that I wrote a lot of personal stuff to begin with, but honestly…who really cares about the latest soccer practice? I want to actively expand this blog and its companion FB page, and I feel that taking the personal family posts out will help me do that.

I will still share any big news or events that I feel strongly about, but otherwise, will make this my place to talk about authors, books, and writing.

Thank you all for sticking with me. If you have friends who would like to receive this blog for book recommendations and reviews, please feel free to share it. And be prepared for a slew of book reviews coming your way over the next couple of days. (Three day weekends are made for catching up!)