Tag: travel book series

Hello, I Am Here (Back in a Year Series Book 3) by Candace MacPhie Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author Candace MacPhie returns to her Back in a Year series to find herself as she travels the world in the book “Hello, I Am Here.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

I have an around-the-world airline ticket and plans to conquer the Middle East. So why am I hanging around Prague, waiting for a guy who told me to my face that he doesn’t love me? Because I can’t escape kryptonite, that’s why. The two of us travel through the Czech Republic and Germany, eating way too many peanut butter sandwiches and dancing around our feelings—until we don’t.

Once I do get my butt on a plane and reunite with my Australian friends, each step through the blistering heat in the Middle East spins up a slew of new challenges. My trials traveling around Europe have nothing on this place.

We haggle and dodge bedbugs and camel spit from Amman to Cairo. The girls and I take turns in the front seat of the taxi. Bus drivers rearrange passengers so we sit apart from locals. And an unexpected hairy nemesis barges in on my long-awaited felucca trip down the Nile.

But maybe, just maybe, out here in the sweaty, dusty chaos, I’ll find what I’ve been missing. And it’s not a peanut butter sandwich. It’s me.

_____________________________________

Grab your backpack and get ready for an adventure in the ’90s when the Internet was scarce but laughs weren’t. Hello, I Am Here is book three in the five-part Back in a Year series, a true story of a young woman traveling around the world. Each book can be read independently, but it’s more fun to take the full trip.

Content Warning:

Profanity, consensual sexual content, sexual assault, sexual harassment, parental grief, alcohol, religious situations, smoking, and drug use.

Holiday Bundles

The Review

As with the other entries in this series, I loved this book. The author writes with such passion and zeal for life, and moves beyond the typical travelogue format into much more personal territory. The blend of romantic adventures, new experiences, and new cultures being experienced, and the transformative nature long-term travel can have on a person was so perfectly illustrated in the author’s work, and conveys a sense of both adventure and bravery for both the author and the reader who becomes inspired by the author’s stories.

The heart of this story is in the author’s personal exploration. From the return of an old flame that is fiery yet not without its troubles, to a new journey into the Middle East that is so adventurous and nostalgic for those who yearn for those 90s era travel stories, and so much more, this story holds a lot of heart that will resonate with readers powerfully. Beyond the issues with lodgings, meeting new friends, and initiating dialogue despite a significant language barrier, the book delves more deeply into that inner journey, confronting grief and loss head-on and, in the process, the emotional struggle to find oneself and love all at once. 

The Verdict

Memorable, heartfelt, and engaging, author Candace MacPhie’s “Hello, I Am Here” is a must-read travel-based nonfiction work that reads like a memoir. The perfect entry in this series and a thoughtful approach to travel nonfiction, the author expertly navigates the emotional inner conflict within herself during a time of great turmoil, writing with great humor, charm, wit, and heart to create a narrative readers will instantly connect with. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Born in Montreal, Quebec, I spent years backpacking and working around the world. I have a Bachelor of Commerce degree, an MBA, and worked for twenty years on four different continents and now call Calgary, Alberta home.

I got married, had kids, and things got busy. Time was moving by quickly, and my kids were growing up fast. I shifted gears and quit my job to spend time at home. During the COVID lockdown, I had time on my hands, decided to try writing, and started writing the Back in a Year series.

When I’m not at my computer yelling, “Just a few more pages, then I’ll make dinner,” I love hiking in the Rocky Mountains, hot yoga, reading romance novels, and making up new cake recipes. I especially like to laugh and spend time with my husband, the self-proclaimed grumpy motherf*%ker, and my three awesome kids.

Follow me on Instagram: @candacemacphie

Or on TikTok: @candacemacphie

And visit my website for trip photos: www.candacemacphie.com

https://amzn.to/4oUkzwa

Finding Color: A Hilarious and Messy Backpacking Adventure in the 90s (Back in a Year Series) by Candace MacPhie Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Candace MacPhie begins a journey to share her experiences leaving behind a life of stagnation in the wake of a major loss, and finds a new direction in life in the process in the book “Finding Color: A Hilarious and messy Backpacking Adventure in the 90s”, the first book in the Back in a Year series.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

I have a nice job, a nice one-bedroom apartment, and a few nice friends. My days are filled with drab meetings, subway commutes, and lonely nights watching must-see Thursday TV.

I used to be the life of the party but have led a lackluster existence since my mom’s death. I’m twenty-five, but I might as well be seventy-five.

Desperate for change, I take off for a three-week vacation to Greece in search of fun. And I meet him. He reignites my zest for living, and the thought of returning to my dull routine after getting a taste of sublime is soul-crushing.

So I don’t. I sell everything and leave for England to reunite with him for my grand escape—but there are no piña coladas. Instead, I get a roller-coaster relationship, lame temp jobs, and endless misunderstandings while sharing a flat with Aussies, Kiwis, and the sexcapade Spanish couple in a sketchy part of London. But as my delicious and cringeworthy moments collide, I discover a path that changes the course of my life forever.

About the Series

Grab your backpack and get ready for an adventure in the ’90s when the Internet was scarce but laughs weren’t. Finding Color is book one in the five-part Back in a Year series, the true story of a young woman traveling around the world. Each book can be read independently, but it’s more fun to take the full trip.

Smiley Campaign

The Review

This was a compelling and heartfelt read. The book does a fantastic job of balancing the warmth and heart that the author had and experienced with the humor and wit displayed in her interactions with people on her journey. The author captured the sense of adventure and wonder that travel can bring, setting the reader in an atmosphere of engaging travels that will inspire them.

I truly enjoyed the truthfulness and honesty with which the author shared her adventures. From the need to change up her life and find passionate love to find the details of travel and the reality of life in another country, each chapter helps the reader understand both the author and the travel lifestyle. The author also perfectly brings each location she travels and lives to life. 

Purlisse 2021

The Verdict

Adventurous, engaging, and thoughtfully curated author Candace MacPhie’s “Finding Color” is a must-read travel memoir. In the first part of a series, the book does an incredible job of drawing you in with its wonderful travel pieces and keeping you invested in the author’s personal experiences as well. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Born in Montreal, Quebec, I spent years backpacking and working around the world. I have a Bachelor of Commerce degree, an MBA, and worked for twenty years on four different continents and now call Calgary, Alberta home.

I got married, had kids, and things got busy. Time was moving by quickly, and my kids were growing up fast. I shifted gears and quit my job to spend time at home. During the COVID lockdown, I had time on my hands, decided to try writing, and started writing the Back in a Year series.

When I’m not at my computer yelling, “Just a few more pages, then I’ll make dinner,” I love hiking in the Rocky Mountains, hot yoga, reading romance novels, and making up new cake recipes. I especially like to laugh and spend time with my husband, the self-proclaimed grumpy motherf*%ker, and my three awesome kids.

Follow me on Instagram: @candacemacphie

Or on TikTok: @candacemacphie

And visit my website for trip photos: www.candacemacphie.com

Wanderlost 5: More Shots of Literary Tequila for the Restless Soul by Simon Williams Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

It’s the final chapter of this hilarious and personal series of travel novels for author Simon Williams with the release of Wanderlost 5: More Shots of Literary Tequila for the Restless Soul. Let’s take a look at the synopsis:

The Synopsis

From being stalked by muggers on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, to absent-mindedly insulting a FIFA World Footballer of the Year while at lunch, to almost getting a divorce over ordering an UBER to the airport, what else can go wrong on a trip?

These are one man’s riveting stories of wandering our planet that the staff at Lonely Planet doesn’t want you to know. Simon explains exactly what not to do when you find yourself in a sticky situation.

Nobody travels like this anymore. Maybe for good reason. Simon Williams doesn’t go looking for trouble in life, but when he finds it he never keeps his sarcastic mouth shut.

Travelling – it leaves you speechless then turns you into story tellers. Ibn Battuta 

The Review

From unexpectedly having to bribe your way into another country, to language barriers causing awkward situations at a religious retreat and having to manage himself and his various family members as they endure Hurricane Irma, author Simon Williams final chapter in the series brings the same level of sarcasm and wit into the amazing stories of his life. The vivid imagery presented throughout each story created the scenarios in the reader’s mind perfectly, making it seem as if they themselves lived these funny and unbelievable situations themselves.

The author does a wonderful job of blending his unique sense of humor with pop culture references, political jabs and a no nonsense attitude that is rare in travel books these days. It’s a fast paced read that doesn’t relent, and readers will absolutely love this final book in an amazing series.

The Verdict

Overall I love this book. It’s a great way to end a five book travel series filled with incredible adventures, unique interactions and so much more. If you read one travel series or book this year, let it be author Simon Williams and his novel Wanderlost 5: More Shots of Literary Tequila for the Restless Soul. Grab your copies today!

Rating: 8/10

https://www.amazon.com/Wanderlost-More-Shots-Literary-Tequila-ebook/dp/B07GN65ZNH/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1540269045&sr=1-1&keywords=9780463480243

About the Author

16480199

If sarcasm was your acceptable daily allowance of protein, then author Simon Williams would be a juicy 12-ounce steak sandwiched between two pieces of red meat. In a recent Facebook posting of the 37 things people regret when they die, there was only one item he hadn’t done. Let go of a grudge, but he doesn’t regret it.

Born in Townsville, Queensland Simon now lives in Miami, Florida. He always wanted to see the world and still harbours a strong desire to visit Cambodia, Ceylon, and Leningrad, but is buggered if he can find where they are on a map. He has spent half his life having to tell Americans that he grew up near Sydney, as most of them have no idea that Australia has another city.

He found out how much he enjoyed writing when his 10th grade English teacher told him that he was lazy, so he wrote a 25-page story for his next essay just to annoy him. That is coincidentally when he found out he liked to shit stir people. His sense of humor was developed over 8 years of boarding school. As a way of both evading having the crap between out of him, while also dealing with being a smart boy who sat at the back of the class but who couldn’t see the board because he refused to wear his glasses.

His favourite pastime is trolling his mates on Facebook and taking the piss out of them. He has only been unfriended twice, on both occasions by his wife.

Wanderlost 3: More Shots of Literary Tequila for the Restless Soul by Simon Williams Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Strap in and get ready for another hilarious, unbelievable journey into the life of author Simon Williams in the third book in his travel series, Wanderlost 3: More Shots of Literary Tequila for the Restless Soul. Here is the synopsis:

The Synopsis

From being dragged from an icy river on a white-water rafting trip in Nepal, to going headfirst over the handlebars of a moped in the Greek Isles, to struggling to understand the complexities of the bar fine system of a Thailand whorehouse, what else can go wrong on a trip? 

These are one man’s engrossing stories of wandering our planet that the editor at Frommer’s Guides doesn’t want you to know. Simon explains exactly what not to do when you find yourself in a tricky situation.

Nobody travels like this anymore. Maybe for good reason. Simon Williams doesn’t go looking for trouble in life, but when he finds it he never keeps his sarcastic mouth shut.

Travelling – it leaves you speechless then turns you into story tellers. Ibn Battuta

The Review

Author Simon Williams continues to dazzle and amuse readers with tales that seems impossible to be true. From an unplanned trip to the Taj Mahal that nearly drives the author over the edge to losing friends in Northern Ireland and even hilarious experiences watching passengers in airport terminals, this story has it all.

The author does a marvelous job painting a picture of the world through his eyes, bringing much needed humor and wit to normally stressful and awkward situations travelers have to endure around the world. The language and custom barrier between cultures can lead to unexpected outcomes when traveling abroad, and having a sense of humor about it can help ease the misunderstandings that are bound to happen. The author perfectly brings this imagery to life to showcase the situations one encounters during a life of travel.

The Verdict

Overall I loved this book. It continues an already exciting series of novels that explore one author’s journey in a funny and unique way. Filled with laughter, amazing looks from around the world and a steady dose of sarcasm and wit, this is the travel series you need to be reading now. If you haven’t yet be sure to grab your copy of Simon Williams Wanderlost 3: More Shots of Literary Tequila for the Restless Soul today!

Rating: 8/10

https://www.amazon.com/Wanderlost-Shots-Literary-Tequila-Restless-ebook/dp/B07GN19GZB/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1539657676&sr=1-1&keywords=9780463648001

About the Author

16480199

If sarcasm was your acceptable daily allowance of protein, then author Simon Williams would be a juicy 12-ounce steak sandwiched between two pieces of red meat. In a recent Facebook posting of the 37 things people regret when they die, there was only one item he hadn’t done. Let go of a grudge, but he doesn’t regret it.

Born in Townsville, Queensland Simon now lives in Miami, Florida. He always wanted to see the world and still harbours a strong desire to visit Cambodia, Ceylon, and Leningrad, but is buggered if he can find where they are on a map. He has spent half his life having to tell Americans that he grew up near Sydney, as most of them have no idea that Australia has another city.

He found out how much he enjoyed writing when his 10th grade English teacher told him that he was lazy, so he wrote a 25-page story for his next essay just to annoy him. That is coincidentally when he found out he liked to shit stir people. His sense of humor was developed over 8 years of boarding school. As a way of both evading having the crap between out of him, while also dealing with being a smart boy who sat at the back of the class but who couldn’t see the board because he refused to wear his glasses.

His favourite pastime is trolling his mates on Facebook and taking the piss out of them. He has only been unfriended twice, on both occasions by his wife.