Tag Archives: Italy

Jan2

Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner- Review

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This is a follow up book from Bloomsbury Girls which I read and reviewed for Rosie’s Book Review team. I appreciate St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing an ARC copy of this book for me to read and review.

The story is set in the 1950s and is the continuation of the life of one of the women who worked at the bookstore in Bloomsbury, London. Vivien, in addition to working in the store, is also a playwright and chose to leave for Italy for a period of time when her success as a playwright was called into question. She took a job working at a film studio in Rome and worked on rewriting some of the screenplays being filmed there. Rome is still recovering from WWII and all the various issues that time period caused in Italy.

While there, she has to deal with the censorship of the Vatican as they have full control of what is acceptable or not in what film audiences are allowed to see.

Vivien also meets some interesting people and forms friendships with them. As well, she forms a romantic entanglement with an older man.

The story is richly layered with individual characters who are uniquely drawn and have multi-faceted personalities.

Vivien is a character we grew to admire in Bloomsbury Girls and this book finds this reader still rooting for her and hoping she gets resolution of a matter that has haunted her since the war. One of the young men she meets while working at the studio also has an interesting story line about events that happened to him during the war. Both of them were characters this reader grew attached to and hoped for the best outcome.

The author is very talented and the prose is beautifully written. The flow of the story is well done as well. This book does not have to be read after Bloomsbury Girls as the story is complete without it being necessary to know the events of the other book. Some of the characters are recurring, but it’s not vital to know those back stories. I do love how real life famous people are woven into the tale. Sophia Loren and Ava Gardner even make appearances. Such fun to addition to the story.

A lovely read.

Jan6

The Other Guest by Helen Cooper, a Review

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I got this book in a book swap at a book club meeting. I may not have otherwise discovered it so I’m glad the luck of the draw was with me that night.

A domestic suspense novel set partially in Italy and partially in Derby, UK. Chapters alternate between three women. Leah, Joanna, and Amy each tell their stories in turn and we root for each one.

The death of a young woman nine months before the story starts is integral to the book. A family torn apart by death, suspicion of a bartender who left Italy after the death and an aunt who wants answers mix together in Italy. A woman nursing a broken heart and beginning to recover from it in Derby is another mystery as the book opens. What she has to do with the family in Italy is one of the conundrums the reader is faced with in reading the tale. Figuring out her connection to a place far away where she’s never been is part of the initial fun of the read.

I liked the way the author alternated the story with present day Leah and Johanna and wove what they were going through separately eventually to the denouement. The flashbacks with Amy added a poignant element to the tale.

Both Joanna and Leah get into dangerous situations in the book, some due to their own making which ramped up the anxiety on their behalf. Some were due to their natural curiosity and helpful natures. Each of them acted in a way to endanger themselves on occasion. This reader enjoyed the anxiety for their safety in those scenes. The author did an excellent job crafting the suspenseful parts of the tale. The way she tied the diverse elements together was very satisfying.

I read this one in part of an evening and part of a morning. It was a quick read, yet packed with fully drawn characters, suspense and convincing action.

Nov30

Deadly Liaisons- Advanced Reader Copy

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I have my advance reader copies in PDF format for Deadly Liaisons.  I am offering an e-copy to the first five people who respond with their email address and agree to do an honest review in exchange.

To whet your appetite, here’s the first page:

October, 1938

Water ran over the top of Declan Cavanaugh’s shoes as he dashed across St. Mark’s Square in front of the Basilica. Two o’clock in the afternoon meant high tide this time of year in Venice. It wasn’t an ideal time to be chasing the flunky of a vampire through the streets to try to find the demon’s lair, but what was a man to do?

It was blind luck to stumble upon the short, gnomish creature in that Murano glass shop. Declan went in initially to purchase a new pen, but as soon as he laid eyes on the man he knew could lead him to his prey, all thoughts of a blue glass writing implement fled his mind. Making a lunge for the other man wasn’t the best plan, but Declan had been so stunned to see him, he hadn’t taken time to think through what he should do. He’d acted on instinct instead.

Declan regretted the loss of a portion of the shopkeeper’s inventory, but it couldn’t be helped. As soon as the smaller man noticed Declan, the wretched devil tossed a number of items at his pursuer to try to slow Declan’s progress. A few paperweights found their target. Declan’s head throbbed, but he kept moving. A bit of blood trickled down the side of his face. With each step, the pain in his cranium intensified. Thud, thud, thud.

When the flunky shoved the door open and ran into the street, Declan followed. Promising himself to return to the shop later to make things right with the owner, Declan kept up his pursuit.

At the rate the two men were running, staying on the boards the city’s fathers had devised to try to keep the citizens dry proved to be impossible.

Each time his foot slipped off the boards, splashes of water hit the hem of Declan’s pants and covered his brogans. Great, another pair of ruined shoes. A fleeting thought of gratitude for leaving the Italian suede shoes in his hotel room dashed across his brain. They were costly and the ones he wore would be easily replaced. A bright spot in the day for sure.

The gnome kept going. Declan wondered where the little man got his energy. For sure the shorter chap could move fast. Declan gasped for breath, but he couldn’t afford to slow down. He needed to find and capture Ambrose Schumacher.

 

Oct20

Christmas Angels Anthology

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Is out and available for purchase:  http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/christmas-angels/17972287

My story is called Christmas in Venice and is set in the here and now but has a time travel element. It’s a tribute to a beautiful city and the tour guide who escorted us through it.

 

Sep13

Another Short Story Anthology

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Last week, I heard that my story, Christmas in Venice, will be published by Whortleberry Press. I love this press and the editor in chief,  Jean Goldstrom, is a joy to work with. I’m thrilled to be in this next publication with the other great writers over there.

The theme of the anthology is Christmas Angels and the stories are all either sci-fi, horror or fantasy. Mine occurs in Venice, Italy and has a bit of a time travel element. It was a tough one to write. I tinkered and tinkered with it and finally got it to a semblance of something I could be proud of, but for a while, it was kicking my butt.  I hope the folks that read it end up liking it.

I’m not sure when it comes out, but I’ll post the cover as soon as it’s ready.

 

Aug13

Bizarreness

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I’ve been crazy busy since I got back from Italy and realized it’s been a month since I blogged here. In a bizarre twist, my visits are up in the last week by over a 100 a day. What the heck? Is it better for me to be silent? LOL!  Here’s an awesome picture I took in Italy. I just love the textures in this picture.

May19

Summer Travel Plans

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Rome

I’m taking the younger son to Italy. My older son went to Europe with a group of students between his junior and senior year of high school. When I suggested that to the younger one, he said he wanted me to take him as he didn’t want to travel with a bunch of nerds. So, I guess I’m cooler than a nerd. Although, that might not be saying much.

The spouse and the older son are hiking the Appalachian mountains the month before I head to Italy. Ugh. My idea of roughing it is to stay at a Motel Six instead of a Hilton. Who are these people?

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May22

Letters to Juliet

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Went to see Letters to Juliet yesterday after work.  I mostly wanted to see it because of the scenery of Italy.  Love Italy.  It was an ok movie. Not spectacular but a nice escape.  The best part of the whole thing was the inimitable Vanessa Redgrave and her real life husband, Franco Nero.  Their true love for each other shone through. It was lovely to see the way they look at each other, even after being together for so many years.

Poor Vanessa Redgrave has had such a hard year- first her daughter, Natasha, died and just recently she lost both her brother and sister. It did my heart good to see that she has a man beside her that clearly adores her. I’m sure he’s helping her though all her pain.

The younger male lead, Chris Egan, was a bit reminiscent of Heath Ledger- not in body type but in some of his facial expressions.  He is Australian, too. Hope to see him  in more. 

Amanda Seyfried did a nice job.  One thing that annoyed me though, was the director’s insistence  in showing her in close up, over and over, with a soulful look on her face.  Once was enough, already. 

So, overall, I recommend this one.  Enjoy for a quick escape.