Falise

If travel and reading are two entries on your top ten list of favorites, then this is the book for you. NOVELS DESTINATIONS is a travel guide for literary related destinations. On page after page in this guide you will uncover homes, places, museums and other points of interest related to your favorite author or literary great. Literary festivals are included in part one of this book as well.

Part two of the book provides an in depth look into five authors and their famous works. By visiting the locales that shaped the lives of these authors you get a much deeper connection to the books they have authored.

Jane Austen is one of the five author highlighted in part two and I could barely control myself as she is one of my favs. I have to go back to Bath, England as soon as possible with her six works in hand so I can walk the streets and read with a new appreciation for both.

While I had some issues at the start with the format, I was glad that did not stop me. Once you start reading, you will be immediately pulled into these gifted storytelling spell of Rendon and McKenna Schmidt. There is a handy index that makes referencing specific authors, places or destinations very user friendly.

The girls covered so many destinations, there is something for everyone. You can jump in your car, get on a train or board and plane and in a short time you will be referencing your book as you visit a spot or two from NOVEL DESTINATIONS. Even if travel is not in the cards you can still enjoy the narrative, history and good writing that accompany each entry from the comfy chair in your living room.

McKenna Schmidt and Rendon have captured the spirit of 24/8 in this travel guide. When you read NOVEL DESTINATIONS you are magically transported to another place and/or time and feel the stress of your day and life just slip away as you read. Where do I purchase the advanced copy of NOVEL DESTINATIONS Volume two?

JoAnne

As Paul Harvey says,”now you know the rest of the story.” Or, for those under thirty, think of Novel Destinations as the backstory. A clever backstory. If you ever wondered about the who, what and why of your favorite authors or favorite character, this will be your go to source.

Novel Destinations is a book that you will read and treasure on so many levels. Visually, the cover sets you up for great adventures, reminiscent of the Grand Tour of the early 20’s. As you start to examine the book, keep the highlighter close by, because you will be starting your own personal Grand Tour list.

And Lists are what Shannon McKenna Schmidt, and Joni Rendon do best. They tantalize and romance us with lists; lists of authors, lists of trips, lists of houses, lists of tours, lists of food, lists of countries, wonderful lists. These two savvy writers and book marketers have given us the perfect reference book for the inner bookie in all of us.

Indulge and read ND all at once, or sip it, landmark by landmark. I sampled the content/menu, and immediately ordered up the page for the murder and mayhem. Sleuthing like Sam Spade, gave me the name of Sam’s favorite eatery in Union Square, and On the Trail of Agatha Christie, let me in a secret about the Orient Express. What could be better for a summer travel log.

This isn’t just novel, it’s matchless.