Browsing Tag

italy

reviews February 19, 2019

The Chef’s Secret by Crystal King

The Chef’s Secret by Crystal King

When Bartolomeo Scappi dies in 1577, he leaves his vast estate—properties, money, and his position—to his nephew and apprentice Giovanni. He also gives Giovanni the keys to two strongboxes and strict instructions to burn their contents. Despite Scappi’s dire warning that the information concealed in those boxes could put Giovanni’s life and others at risk, Giovanni is compelled to learn his uncle’s secrets. He undertakes the arduous task of decoding Scappi’s journals and uncovers a history of deception, betrayal, and murder—all to protect an illicit love affair.

As Giovanni pieces together the details of Scappi’s past, he must contend with two rivals who have joined forces—his brother Cesare and Scappi’s former protégé, Domenico Romoli, who will do anything to get his hands on the late chef’s recipes.

With luscious prose that captures the full scale of the sumptuous feasts for which Scappi was known, The Chef’s Secret serves up power, intrigue, and passion, bringing Renaissance Italy to life in a delectable fashion. (publisher)

The book alternates between Bartolomeo in the past and Giovanni trying to discover his uncle’s past in the present day. There was a mystery, romance, and murder. The book wasn’t what I was expecting but I did enjoy it. It doesn’t concentrate on the food as much as I expected it to but for me, it was not a bad thing.
Giovanni is a likable character and I liked to learn him discovering family secrets.

This was my first book by the author and I’m looking forward to reading more.

3,5/5

Published: Atria Books (February 12, 2019)
Format: ebook
Source: Netgalley

reviews August 22, 2017

Casanova’s Secret Wife by Barbara Lynn-Davis

Casanova’s Secret Wife by Barbara Lynn-Davis

Set in eighteenth-century Venice and based on an actual account by Giacomo Casanovaóhere is a lush tale of desire and risk.

Caterina Capreta was an innocent girl of fourteen when she caught the attention of the worldís most infamous chronicler of seduction: Giacomo Casanova. Intoxicated by a fierce love, she wed Casanova in secret. But his shocking betrayal inspired her to commit an act that would mark her forever Ö

Now twenty years later on the island of Murano, the woman in possession of Caterinaís most devastating secret has appeared with a request she cannot refuse: to take in a noble-born girl whose scandalous love affair resembles her own. But the girlís presence stirs up unwelcome memories of Caterinaís turbulent past. Tested like never before, she reveals the story of the man she will never forget.

Bringing to life a fascinating chapter in the history of Venice, Casanovaís Secret Wife is a tour de force that charts one womanís journey through love and loss to redemption.

Almost everything I knew about Casanova before reading this was from Heath Ledger’s movie. So not much… I did know he has written books about his conquests.

Knowing that I was somewhat cynical about the romance between Caterina and Casanova and I just kept waiting for her to realize what kind of man he was. And he did love her but he fell in and out of love very quickly. But she was 14 years old and very naïve. Which was little surprising considering who her brother was and how he behaved…

I liked the older and wiser Caterina who agrees to take care of a young woman who reminds her of herself 20 years ago. The abbess who asks this favor is an old enemy of hers and we learn the story there. And another side of Caterina too.

I enjoyed the book despite some problems with the romance and I can’t wait for the author’s next book.

3,5/5

Published: Kensington Books (July 25, 2017)
Format: ebook
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

About the Author

Barbara Lynn-Davis graduated from Brown University with a degree in art history. She then worked at the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice and later spent a year there while completing her Ph.D. in Renaissance art at Princeton University.

She currently teaches art history and writing at Wellesley College, and lives outside Boston with her family.

For more information please visit Barbara Lynn-Davis’ website. You can also connect with her on Facebook and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

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reviews June 2, 2016

Portrait of a Conspiracy by Donna Russo Morin

02_The Portrait of ConspiracyPortrait of Conspiracy (Da Vinci’s Disciples 1)
by Donna Russo Morin

One murder ignites the powderkeg that threatens to consume the Medici’s Florence. Amidst the chaos, five women and one legendary artist weave together a plot that could bring peace, or get them all killed. Seeking to wrest power from the Medici family in 15th Century Florence, members of the Pazzi family drew their blades in a church and slew Giuliano. But Lorenzo de Medici survives, and seeks revenge on everyone involved, plunging the city into a murderous chaos that takes dozens of lives. Bodies are dragged through the streets, and no one is safe. Five women steal away to a church to ply their craft in secret. Viviana, Fiammetta, Isabetta, Natasia, and Mattea are painters, not allowed to be public with their skill, but freed from the restrictions in their lives by their art. When a sixth member of their group, Lapaccia, goes missing, and is rumored to have stolen a much sought after painting as she vanished, the women must venture out into the dangerous streets to find their friend and see her safe. They will have help from one of the most renowned painters of their era the peaceful and kind Leonardo Da Vinci. It is under his tutelage that they will flourish as artists, and with his access that they will infiltrate some of the highest, most secretive places in Florence, unraveling one conspiracy as they build another in its place. Historical fiction at its finest, Donna Russo Morin begins a series of Da Vinci’s disciples with a novel both vibrant and absorbing, perfect for the readers of Sarah Dunant.

“A riveting page-turner unlike any historical novel youíve read, weaving passion, adventure, artistic rebirth, and consequences of ambition into the first of a trilogy by a masterful writer at the peak of her craft.” -C. W. Gortner, author of The Confessions of Catherine deí Medici and The Vatican Princess

The book follows 5 women who want to be artists in a time when it was impossible. One of their friends goes missing and when Giuliano de Medici has been murdered the city goes into chaos. Then women get help from Leonardo Da Vinci, trying to find their friend.

I really loved this book and it was hard to put down. I just wanted to know what happens next!

The women all have different kind of lives with their secrets but their love of arts unites them. I loved that while Leonardo Da Vinci is there he’s still a minor character and the women have the center stage.
The book is told by various points of views but it was easy to follow.

I’m glad this is part of a series and I can’t wait for the next book and learn more about these women!

5/5

Published: Kensington (April 26, 2016)
Format: ebook
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

About the Author03_Donna Russo Morin

Donna Russo Morin is the award winning of author of historical fiction. A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, she lives near the shore with her two sons, Devon and Dylan, her greatest works in progress.

Donna enjoys meeting with book groups in person and via Skype chat. Visit her website at www.donnarussomorin.com; friend her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @DonnaRussoMorin.

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reviews August 9, 2013

The King’s Agent by Donna Russo Morin

The King’s Agent by Donna Russo Morin

As the cloistered ward of the Marquess of Mantua, Lady Aurelia is a woman with a profound duty, and a longing for adventure. In search of a relic intended for the King of France, Battista and Aurelia cross the breathtaking landscape of Renaissance Italy. Clues hide in great works of art, political forces collide, secret societies and enemies abound, and danger lurks in every challenge, those that mirror the passages of Dante’s Divine Comedy. It is an adventurous quest with undercurrents of the supernatural, powers that could change the balance of supremacy throughout Europe. (Goodreads)

Battista della Palla is an art collector, or a thief, for the king of France. His job is to collect valuable paintings and sculptures for the king. He is in a mission to find a mysterious sculpture which is believed to have special powers when he meets mysterious woman named Aurelia. Aurelia has been living as a ward of Marquess of Mantua and her life has been very sheltered but she is a woman with secrets.

Before I started this book I thought this would be straight-forward historical fiction and not so much a mystery book with the quest of finding the sculpture. I haven’t read much about Italy and I enjoyed learning more about the country. The book is a take of Dante’s Inferno and video game The Legend of Zelda and I’m not familiar with either of them and I felt like I was missing way too much stuff. Battista and Aurelia travels through “Hell”, “Purgatory” and “Heaven” finding clues within paintings and from Dante’s work. The stuff with Hell, Purgatory and Heaven went little too much religious side that I lost interest and I’m not good with this mystery thing anyway.

I loved seeing the relationship growing between Battista and Aurelia. Aurelia had been living very sheltered life and hadn’t know freedom and she grows so much with Battista’s crew and seeing the world. I also liked Battista’s crew and their friendship between them.

While the book was bit hard to get into at first, I still enjoyed it. I just wish I was more familiar with Dante so I could have understood more. But this made me even more curious about the author’s previous book To Serve a King which I’ve wanted to read.

3/5
Published: Kensington (2012)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 411
Source: author

reviews August 5, 2013

The Courtesan’s Lover by Gabrielle Kimm

The Courtesan’s Lover by Gabrielle Kimm

Francesca Felizzi, former mistress of the Duke of Ferrara, is now an aspiring courtesan. Astonishingly beautiful and ambitious, she revels in the power she wields over men. But when she is visited by an inexperienced young man, it becomes horribly clear to Francesca that despite her many admiring patrons, she has never truly been loved. Suddenly, her glittering and sumptuous life becomes a gaudy facade. And then another unexpected encounter brings with it devastating implications that plunge Francesca and her two young daughters into the sort of danger she has dreaded ever since she began to work the streets all those years ago. (Goodreads)

Francesca Felizzi works as a courtesan in Naples and is quite content with the life she is living. Then she has an inexperienced young man as a customer who turn out to be sweet and gentle. He makes Francesca to realize that she hasn’t never been truly loved, a thing that hasn’t bothered her before. But then she meets someone who turns her life upside down and makes her rethink her life.

The Courtesan’s Lover is kind of a sequel to her previous book His Last Duchess but I haven’t read the first book and it still worked well as stand alone.

I really enjoyed the book even if I have no idea which characters were real since I don’t know much about Italy’s history. I think I have to do some googling…

I liked Francesca and I loved how she wasn’t ashamed of who she was and still managed to stay as a good and caring person and she really loved her daughters. There were few sex scenes but they weren’t graphic despite the character being courtesan.

She had an interesting relationship with her castrato manservant Modesto. It wasn’t always easy for him and he had his own past to solve but it was nice that she had someone to trust and who really cared for him.

I’ve really wanted to read His Last Duchess and now I just have to get it! And can’t wait for her next book too.

4,5/5
Published: Sphere (2011)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 504
Source: publisher