Wandering Wednesday

Tags

houseswap, italy, meme, nicky pellegrino, travel, Wandering Wednesdays

Wandering Wednesday is a bookish meme hosted by Hayley Reviews allowing Wanderlust and love of books that enhance that feeling. “There’s no real specific, I just want to create a meme that can get us wandering and sharing books and ideas etc. So post and #WanderingWednesday and please please link back to me.”

 

Under Italian Skies by Nicky Pellegrino

Published by Orion 2016

Stella has life under control – and that’s the way she likes it. For twenty-five years, she’s been trusted assistant to a legendary fashion designer, but after her boss dies suddenly, she’s left with nothing to do apart from clear the studio.

It seems as though the life she wanted has vanished. She is lost – until one day she finds a house swap website and sees a beautiful old villa in a southern Italian village. Could she really exchange her poky London flat for that?

But what was intended as just a break becomes much more, as Stella finds herself trying on a stranger’s life. As the villa begins to get under her skin, she can’t help but imagine the owner from the clues around her. She meets his friends, cooks the local food he recommends and follows suggestions to go to his favourite places. But can an idea of someone ever match up to the reality?

As Stella wonders if she can let go of the safety of her past, perhaps there’s a chance for her to find a way into her future…

I always feel like I’ve been to Italy whenever I read a book by Nicky Pellegrino and this book was no different. I remember feeling quite sad when I finished it, as I really enjoyed the story and of course the wonderful descriptions of the Italian food, making me want to be more adventurous with my cooking. I loved the friends she made and also the fact that they are characters I’ve met in previous novels by the author. Definitely recommend this if you need a bit of an escape from your routine life and need some Italian sunshine and delicious food.

 

May Wrap Up

Tags

favourites, italy

It’s been quite a good month of reading for me with 5, 4 and 3 star reads and only one DNF.

Here are the 5 stars a mix of historical and contemporary fiction:

 

Here are the 4 stars a mix of thrillers and historical fiction:

 

This is my 3 star a contemporary YA novel set in Rome with strong themes of grief, relationships and LGBTQ running thorough it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As planned I joined in with quite a few different memes this month:

Standalone Sunday, First Line Friday, Top Ten Tuesday, Waiting on Wednesday, WWW Wednesdays!, Tuesday Tuesday, Throwback Thursday, It’s Monday What Are You Reading Now? and Goodreads Monday. I also took part in the The Greek Gods Book Tag, and Down the TBR Hole tag both of which were great fun.

 

How was May for you?

I’d love to hear about your month in the comments.

 

 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR

Tags

Charton Minster Series, Germany, IMWAYR, italy, WW2

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at BookDate. It’s a weekly post sharing what you’ve recently finished reading, what you’re currently reading, and what you plan to read this week. don’t forget to link up on BookDate’s blog and check out what everyone’s been reading.

 

What I read recently:

I read this YA courtesy of Readers First. You can read my review here if you missed it the last week.

 

This was a DNF  and you can read my review here to find out why.

What I’m currently reading/listening to:

Another book (a lovely hardback copy) courtesy of Readers First. It a slow, thoughtful, fascinating read told from the perspective of  German women who lived through WW2.

 

I downloaded this from my library’s digital catalogue the other night. It’s such a lovely book with fantastic narration by Penelope Rawlins. A real feel good listen.

Up next:

 

Book Review: One Italian Summer by Keris Stainton

Tags

@bookblogger, book review, bookreview, family life, italy, readers first, sisters, travel

“It’s been a year since Milly, Elyse and Leonie’s dad died, and a year since their last trip to Rome. Summer’s here again, and once again they are heading with their mum to Italy – but what’s it going to be like going without Dad? Rome still holds its familiar charms – the sun is still as warm, the gelato as delicious, the people as welcoming. But nothing is quite as it once was …

With grief still raw for all of them, Milly is facing the additional awfulness of having to see Luke again – gorgeous, gorgeous Luke, who she had a fling with last year, and who she made a total fool of herself with – or so she thinks. What’s going to happen this time? What’s more, things between Milly, her sisters and their mum are rocky – Leonie is being tempestuous and unpredictable, Elyse is caught up with her new boyfriend, and Milly feels like she just doesn’t know how she fits in any more. Over one Italian summer, can Milly find a way back to the life she once had?”

 

This was a real change for me as I don’t normally read YA books, but once I got myself into Young Adult mode it made a nice change to read something fun and romantic.

The Rome setting really worked and characters felt real with all the sisters squabbling at times and then having fun together. I must admit I did a little bit confused with the sisters ages and couldn’t remember who was the oldest, middle and youngest.

I could sympathise with Milly’s wild imagination and wanting to keep everyone safe and also with their Mum keeping herself busy at work following the death of her husband.

I think it would make a great book group read especially for teenagers and families as there are themes of grief, relationships and LGBTQ running through it. It’s perfect for lovers of YA and romance.

Thanks to Reader’s First for my paperback copy which added to my reading experience.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR

Tags

IMWAYR, italy, New Zealand, Norway, spain, travel

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at BookDate. It’s a weekly post sharing what you’ve recently finished reading, what you’re currently reading, and what you plan to read this week. don’t forget to link up on BookDate’s blog and check out what everyone’s been reading.

 

What I read recently:

I finished listening to the audiobook of The Penny Bangle by Margaret James.  It’s the third book in the Charton Minster series and my favourite so far. I loved the main character Cassie, a city girl from Birmingham who comes down to Dorset to be a land girl on a farm. The narration by Patricia Gallimore was absolutely superb and really made the book come alive for me.

 

 

 

I’m  thoroughly enjoyed The Bird Tribunal by Agnes Ravatn a thriller set in Norway, my paperback was courtesy of TripFiction.

You can read my review here if you missed it the other day.

 

See You In September by Charity Norman, courtesy of Readers First, was a fantastic book about a girl who goes back packing and ends up in a cult in New Zealand. My review is  here if you missed it yesterday.

 

What I’m currently reading:

I’ve just started a YA courtesy of Readers First. I don’t normally read this genre so it’ll be an interesting experience.

 

I’m just about to listen to an audiobook for review from christianaudio.com. I haven’t listened to the first two books in the series so I’m hoping I won’t miss much starting at number three.

 

Up next:

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Tags

favourites, food, italy, meme, nicky pellegrino, paperback

Throwback Thursday meme is hosted by Renee@It’s Book Talk and is a way to share some of your old favourites as well as sharing books that you want to read that were published over a year ago. You know, the ones waiting patiently on your TBR list while you continue to pile more titles on top of them 🙂 These older books are usually much easier than new releases to get a hold of at libraries and elsewhere. If you have your own Throwback Thursday recommendation feel free to jump on board, you’re welcome to use Renee’s pic as well. If you’d just link back to her @ It’s Book Talk she’d so appreciate it.

My Pick this week is: The Italian Wedding by Nicky Pellegrino

 Published February 5th 2008

“Settled in London and with their own delicious slice of home in the form of Beppi’s restaurant, “Little Italy,” the Martinelli’s are a typical Italian family—fighting, eating, and loving in equal measure.Now, Pieta’s sister Addolorata is getting married. Since Pieta is a bridal designer it falls to her to make the wedding gown. But she is distracted by a series of family mysteries. Why is her father feuding with another Italian in the neighborhood? Why is her mother so faded and sad? And could the man she’s always held a torch for really be getting married to someone else? As Pieta stitches and beads her sister’s wedding gown she uncovers the secrets that have made her family what it is and that stand between her and happiness. The Italian Wedding is a feast of food and love. It’s about discovering who your family really are. And who you really want to be.”

This was a random library read from 2011 that I loved and thoroughly recommend if you enjoy family mysteries and mouth-watering descriptions of delicious Italian food.

 

Standalone Sunday

Tags

italy, meme, Robert Harris, Standalone Sunday, suspense, The Vatican

Standalone Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by  Megan@bookslayerreads. Standalone Sunday was created to let others know about all the standalone books you have loved, but maybe don’t get the attention they need. Megan created the banner as well and anyone joining in can use it too. Why not check out her blog too

I can’t believe I missed last week, but I’m back again with another standalone book that I really enjoyed,  Conclave by Robert Harris.

Here’s the blurb from Goodreads:

“The Pope is dead.

Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, one hundred and eighteen cardinals from all over the globe will cast their votes in the world’s most secretive election.

They are holy men. But they have ambition. And they have rivals.

Over the next seventy-two hours one of them will become the most powerful spiritual figure on earth.”

You wouldn’t really think that book about choosing the next Pope would be full of suspense and be a page turner would you? This was well crafted and intriguing with a great ending and I definitely didn’t see coming!

Blogging From A-Z Challenge – V

Tags

Blogging from A-Z Challenge 2017, favourites, historical fiction, italy, Lucretia Grindle, WW2

I’m taking part in the Blogging From A-Z Challenge April 2017 with the theme of books. I’ll be blogging about books on my Goodreads shelf that I’ve read or want to read.

 

Today’s letter is V and the book I’ve chosen is The Villa Trieste by Lucretia Grindle.   This is the second book in Inspector Pallioti trilogy set in Florence, Italy during World War Two and present day. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, so much so that I bought myself a copy on kindle and then a second hand paperback copy. If you enjoy historical fiction I definitely recommend this.

Here’s the blurb from Goodreads :

“Florence, 1943. Two sisters, Isabella and Caterina Cammaccio, find themselves surrounded by terror and death; and with Italy trapped under the heel of a brutal Nazi occupation, bands of Partisans rise up.

Soon Isabella and Caterina will test their wits and deepest beliefs as never before. As the winter grinds on, they will be forced to make the most important decisions of their lives. Their choices will reverberate for decades.

In the present day, Alessandro Pallioti, a senior policeman agrees to oversee a murder investigation, after it emerges the victim was once a Partisan hero. When the case begins to unravel, Pallioti finds himself working to uncover a crime lost in the twilight of war, the consequences of which are as deadly today as they were over sixty years ago.”

 

What do you think of my choice for the letter V?

What would you have chosen?

Blogging From A-Z Challenge – U

Tags

Blogging from A-Z Challenge 2017, challenges, house swap, italy, london, nicky pellegrino

I’m taking part in the Blogging From A-Z Challenge April 2017 with the theme of books. I’ll be blogging about books on my Goodreads shelf that I’ve read or want to read.

Today’s letter is U and the book I’ve chosen is Under Italian Skies by Nicky Pellegrino. It’s about a woman living in London who does a house swap with an Italian landscape gardener. I loved this and felt as if I’ve been to Triento with Stella, the main character. I definitely recommend this if you want to escape from your routine life and need some Italian sunshine and delicious food.

Here’s the Goodreads blurb:

“Stella has life under control – and that’s the way she likes it. For twenty-five years, she’s been trusted assistant to a legendary fashion designer, but after her boss dies suddenly, she’s left with nothing to do apart from clear the studio.

It seems as though the life she wanted has vanished. She is lost – until one day she finds a house swap website and sees a beautiful old villa in a southern Italian village. Could she really exchange her poky London flat for that?

But what was intended as just a break becomes much more, as Stella finds herself trying on a stranger’s life. As the villa begins to get under her skin, she can’t help but imagine the owner from the clues around her. She meets his friends, cooks the local food he recommends and follows suggestions to go to his favourite places. But can an idea of someone ever match up to the reality? As Stella wonders if she can let go of the safety of her past, perhaps there’s a chance for her to find a way into her future…”

What do you think of my choice for the letter U?

What would you have chosen?

Blogging from A-Z Challenge – R

Tags

Andrea Camilleri, Blogging from A-Z Challenge 2017, challenges, crime, favourites, italy, Montalbano

I’m taking part in the Blogging From A-Z Challenge April 2017 with the theme of books. I’ll be blogging about the books on my Goodreads shelf that I’ve read or want to read.

Today’s letter is R and the book I’ve chosen is Rounding the Mark by Andrea Camilleri, the seventh book in the Inspector Montalbano series. I really enjoyed these books they are very funny with good crime stories. If you haven’t tried these books and you love crime, check these out because you’re in for a treat.

Here’s the blurb from Goodreads:

“Rounding the Mark is the seventh darkly humorous novel in Andrea Camilleri’s Inspector Montalbano series.

He began swimming in slow, broad strokes. The sea smelled harsh, stinging his nostrils like champagne, and he nearly got drunk on it . . . In a fraction of a second, Montalbano realized he’d struck a human foot. Somebody else was floating right beside him, and he hadn’t noticed.”Excuse me,” he said hastily, flipping back onto his belly and looking over at the other.The person beside him didn’t answer, because he wasn’t doing the dead man’s float. He was actually dead. And, to judge from the way he looked, he’d been so for quite a while.

Increasingly disillusioned with his government and the world in general, Inspector Montalbano is considering retirement. He is starting to feel his age, and even his favourite restaurant has closed. But when he bumps into a dead body during a bracing swim, his detective instincts are aroused once more. Particularly when the most likely identity of the victim is a man already long buried . . .”

What do you think of my choice for the letter R?

What would you have chosen?