Saturday, July 9, 2016

The Memory Painter: A Novel of Love and Reincarnation by Gwendolyn Womack

02_The Memory Painter PB CoverThe Memory Painter: A Novel of Love and Reincarnation
by Gwendolyn Womack

Publication Date: July 5, 2016
Picador USA
Paperback; 336 Pages
ISBN: 978-1250095770

Genre: Historical Fiction/Time Travel/Mystery/Romance

Finalist for the 2016 RWA Prism Awards for Best First Book & Best Time Travel/ Steampunk category.

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Two lovers who have travelled across time.

A team of scientists at the cutting edge of memory research.

A miracle drug that unlocks an ancient mystery.

At once a sweeping love story and a time-travelling adventure, Gwendolyn Womack's luminous debut novel, The Memory Painter, is perfect for readers of The Time Traveler's Wife, Life After Life and Winter's Tale.

Bryan Pierce is an internationally famous artist, whose paintings have dazzled the world. But there's a secret to Bryan's success: Every canvas is inspired by an unusually vivid dream. Bryan believes these dreams are really recollections―possibly even flashback from another life―and he has always hoped that his art will lead him to an answer. And when he meets Linz Jacobs, a neurogenticist who recognizes a recurring childhood nightmare in one Bryan's paintings, he is convinced she holds the key.

Their meeting triggers Bryan's most powerful dream yet―visions of a team of scientists who, on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer's, died in a lab explosion decades ago. As his visions intensify, Bryan and Linz start to discern a pattern. But a deadly enemy watches their every move, and he will stop at nothing to ensure that the past stays buried.

The Memory Painter is at once a taut thriller and a deeply original love story that transcends time and space, spanning six continents and 10,000 years of history.
“Gwendolyn Womack's tale dazzles.” ―US Weekly (Standout Spring Novels)
“…hang on for a wild and entertaining ride around the world and through the centuries back to ancient Egypt.” ~ Library Journal, starred review
“A sweeping, mesmerizing feat of absolute magic. . . . ~ M.J. Rose, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Witch of Painted Sorrows
“Layers of past and present form a rich pastry of a narrative, poignant and thoughtful, rich and suspenseful, filled with intrigue and dripping with meaning... ~ Charlie Lovett, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Bookman's Tale and First Impressions
My Review:
Four Stars
Copy  received from Historial Fiction Virtual Book Tours for an honest review
This is going to sound wrong but I don't mean it to be, I really enjoyed this book more than I anticipated.  I was intrigued by the storyline and the concept behind it. I wanted to see how the author would play it out. I personally think that fantasy/science fiction is difficult because sometimes it seems too farfetched.  That was not the case with "The Memory Painter." The first time I opened the book I paced myself at 10 pages when I realized it I was well into the book. First, there are some things that the author really did to pull me in.  One of those aspects were the characters.  I really liked both Bryan and Linz as characters. They were interesting to read about.  I also thought that the author really made their conflicts so real that I could believe that Bryan struggled with his special talents.  As a painter, Bryan creates beautiful masterpieces of paintings.  He has a good fan-base and is very well known in the art world.  However, few know that Bryan has a type of gift where real people from the past come to him, he has a sort of flashback where he feels like the characters-a type of memory reincarnation.  Bryan feels it’s his duty to bring these people’s story to life and he paints his dreams.  These dreams have a toll on Bryan. When he feels one coming up he has to find a way home so as not to fall into any danger since he loses consciousness. Linz was a great addition to this story. Unlike Bryan she doesn’t have the same special gift but she has had a reoccurring dream and is shocked to see it become reality when Bryan paints this dream.  As I mentioned before this was a fun story and I found myself falling into their world. I really enjoyed and recommend this story.

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About the Author

Originally from Houston, Texas, Gwendolyn Womack began writing theater plays in college at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. She went on to receive an MFA from California Institute of the Arts in Directing Theatre, Video & Cinema. Currently she resides in Los Angeles with her husband and son where she can be found at the keyboard working on her next novel. The Memory Painter is her first novel.

For more information visit Gwendolyn's website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Wednesday, July 6
Review at Creating Herstory

Thursday, July 7
Review & Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads
Excerpt at Diana's Book Reviews

Friday, July 8
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Review at Library Educated
Review at Just One More Chapter
Excerpt at What Is That Book About
Saturday, July 9
Interview at The Book Junkie Reads
Spotlight at Passages to the Past
Sunday, July 10
Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Monday, July 11
Review at Book Nerd
Review at Layered Pages
Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!

Tuesday, July 12
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Review at CelticLady's Reviews
Interview at History From a Woman's Perspective

Giveaway

To win a $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card & Vegvisir decal and Eye of Horus Necklace, please enter via the GLEAM form below.

Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on July 12th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US & Canada addresses only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

The Memory Painter Blog Tour


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