[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars If you’re visiting Madrid, this is an ideal travel companion. It will certainly help any visitor to make the most of their stay, with invaluable information about the places of interest and some incredible places to eat. With such a vast selection of restaurants and bars, it’s always difficult as a stranger to know which to choose. My aunt lives in Madrid, right in the middle of the golden triangle and I mentioned some of the establishments to her. She was familiar with most of them and endorsed the author’s selection. The book is well laid out, so it’s easy to plan a visit and navigate an area using this guide. It’s packed with photos of buildings and areas of cultural interest and more than that, there’s a lot of information about the city of Madrid, how it developed and its significance in Spanish history. It’s more than a guide, packed with information and as an armchair visitor, with the colour plates, I felt as if I’d actually spent.. Read more
NetGalley, Anita Wallas

[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars The Godfather Lover's Guide to Sicily by Mediterranean archaeologist Karen M. Spence swiftly pulled me in. All it took was the title as Sicily has a special place in my heart. I am no expert about the film The Godfather but enjoyed watching it, especially as I know many of the settings and locations on the island and mainland Italy. Seeing these places contextually brings the bustle and rich history, food, culture, traditions, architecture, arches, churches, roads, seascape and festivals to life. Sicily is as vibrant as it seems...and more! The 100 photographs include F. F. Cuppola directing actors, beautiful sets, acting scenes, gorgeous buildings, side trips, scenery and food. One of the most striking in ways is the Addiopizzo logo which is a reminder who does and does not rule that shop. Concepts such as vendetta and historical bits such as the founding of Savoca, dessication seats, sugared almond tradition, 'cucina povera', eyes and ears on castle turrets.. Read more
NetGalley, Brenda Carleton

The concept and the information are wonderful. If you are like me, and your favourite art pieces are mainly in Amsterdam, Madrid and London, and your favourite painters happen to be Dutch, you will love this book. It works like a reminder and a guide for your future travels.
NetGalley, Didem Durak Akser

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"All in all, Dickens and Travel offers a rich and entertaining overview of Dickens as a traveler and travel writer. It will please any readers interested in that lesser-known aspect of Dickens’s writing. From end to end, this book gives us the impression of travelling with Dickens to the numerous places he visited during his life. And we get a real feel of what it was like to travel and sojourn in Britain and abroad in the Victorian period."
Dickens Quarterly - March 2024 issue