Doppio Forno: cocci & dolci

I loved it! I read and loved a few books from Elizabeth Strout and Olive, Again was not a disappointment too.  I was not a big fan of short stories, but I started loving them with authors like Elizabeth Strout.  My dislike for short stories was because I felt often that short stories were missing something like a good description of characters or a good plot, or something amiss in the story.  This is not the case with Elizabeth Strout novels, and I must say the books I loved the most are this one and Anything is possible. She successfully describes the characters and they are so human! They are often not very lovable, but this make them real not just a character in a book. In this book you will find again Olive, but also other personages of previous Elizabeth Strout novels, it may be good reading her previous novel I think but it is not necessary! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review! Goodrea...

A troubled family goes on vacation in a small Greek island. Nice story; I ended up loving all the characters with their quirks are so human and loveable! It was a quick read and I am looking for the next story from Grant Ginder. Goodreads: Honestly, We Meant Well by Grant Ginder

It is my first book by Nicola Upson, and I was surprised by the story. I love historical fiction, and this is a very good book about the life of Sir Stanley Spencer (1891-1959). I must admit I didn’t know the work of Sir Stanley Spencer and this book gave me the opportunity to discover a painter and his works. It left me with the wish to I to go and visit the Sandham Memorial Chapel. I loved more the first part where it is well described the life and the relationship between Elsie, the Spencers’ housemaid and Stanley. It is a beautiful description of everyday family-life with its ups and downs. The second part of the book was interesting but, because it was a quite detailed description of the conjugal struggles and of Stanley relationship with Patricia Preece, I didn’t like much. I recommend this book to readers who loved “The Paris Wife” by Paula McLain because it describes the marriage life and troubles of an artist and to the readers who love to learn more about art...

Last night I could not put down the book I had to finish it and see what was going to happen to Peter and Kate! It is a beautiful story of two families, neighbors but never truly friends except for the Peter and Kate, the children, six months apart. It is a story spanning two generations, the characters well described, real, I felt close to them and I sympathized for them! Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review! Goodreads: Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane Expected publication: May 28th 2019 by Scribner

I started doing pottery in 2012, I mainly use the wheel, but I attended also some hand-building classes and I was happy to receive and advanced copy of The Complete Pottery Techniques: Design, Form, Throw, Decorate and More, with Workshops from Professional Makers. I think it  is a good book for beginner and intermediate potters. It is a good book because it explains almost all the different techniques for creating and decorating ceramics. There are chapters about wheel throwing, pinching, slabbing and coiling techniques. It is explained how to decorate with glazes, engobes, slip etc. There is also a chapter for the different firing techniques. Everything is written very clearly and with a lot of photos. In my opinion though I would consider this book as a good book for a beginner potter because it gives a very good panoramic of the different techniques and it gives the opportunity to learn the terminology. So, if you want to know more about pottery and if you are thinking to t...

I loved the story. It is a real page turner! Goodreads: The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian

A must read! It is a short read but I think everyone should read it. We all need more kindness! I hope you will enjoy as I did. Goodreads: Congratulations by the way: Some Thoughts on Kindness by George Sanders

I loved this book. First part is maybe a little slow but the story gets more and more interesting and it is a real page turner. I love Chris Bohjalian books, every time he surprise me, his stories are always different.  Goodreads: The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian

I loved the previous book "The Girl on the Train" so I decided to read this book and unfortunately I was disappointed. I think there are too many characters, the story move very slowly for the first 300 pages and then the end seems a little rushed. Goodreads: Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

I don’t usually read ghost stories, it is not my preferred genre but I love this author and I used to live in old house with a basement with dirt floor. I loved it; it starts slow but then the story speeds up. The only thing is I didn’t like the end but this is another story.   Goodreads: The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian

I liked the first book and I think I should have stopped with it. I finished this one only because I like Louisa personality/character, the story is nothing special and some of the other characters are too stereotypical.  Finally what I really didn't like the lack of research for example Lou get her green card as easy as buying a plane ticket (not true!).  Goodreads: Still Me by Jojo Moyes

I loved the book, it is beautiful, well written story about friendship and love. I may say it is a sad book, if you are depressed it is not for you but it is worth the read. It starts with the life of four classmates but then it concentrates with the life of two of them and I felt like the other two friend were "left aside". One the critiques I read in other reviews is the length of the book, yes it is a 725 pages book, it is a long book but I think every page was needed!  Goodreads: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara 

This book was recommended by Chris Bohjalian and I was so lucky to win a copy from Goodreads giveways. It is a story of a journey to safety for Nour, a young Syrian refugee who has to flee Homs after a shell destroys her family house. Nour’s travel is intertwined with the journey of Rawiya, a young girl who traveled 800 years earlier along the same path of Nour with Al-Idris, a cartographer author of the Tabula Rogeriana. I loved as the modern story of Nour with her difficulties, dangerous situations and losses were somewhat parallel to the battles and mythological encounters of Rawiya. I loved how the characters evolve and how their relationships develop. I think that if the author wanted to make us think about the dire conditions of refugee and this can happen to people like us she succeeded.  Goodreads: The Map of Salt and Stars by Zeyn Joukhadar Published on May 1st 2018 by Atria Books

It is a nice small town mystery. I am not a big fan of this genre but it was a fun read and I think I am going to read the next installment... I want to know what it is going to happen to Fitz! I won this book with Goodread giveaways. Goodreads: Checked Out by Elizabeth Spann Craig Published on April 2nd 2019 by Elizabeth Spann Craig.

This short read is from one of my favorite authors and I loved. It was originally produced as one-act play.  As I read in another review I would love to read more and know if Emily is going to confront with the old guy.  I am not going to write more... you have to read it! Goodreads: Wingspan by Chris Bohjalian Published on March 26th 2019 by Vintage.

This is the fourth book in the Holley sisters series and my first book I read from this author. I liked and I think I am going to read the other books of this series: I want to know more about the other Holley sisters! It is a nice romance; I liked the story and how the author developed the different characters. What draw me to read this book was the location of Lake District and it left me with the longing to go and visit that area. Thank you to NetGalley and Tule Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review! Goodreads: A Vicarage Homecoming by Kate Hewitt Expected publication: May 28th by Tule Publishing

This is not for me.  I was tempted not to give a review because it was going to be negative. When I started writing why I was not going to give a feedback I realized it was a mistake not to give a feedback. I read few romance novels because I don’t love the genre but the few  I read and liked were very different from this one. I like when there is more bantering between the characters and a little more humor. This one was flat. There was no humor, Finally when I was a little more than 1/3 of the book I already foresee the end. I am sorry but I didn’t like it. Thank you NetGalley and Troubadour Publishing Limited for providing me with an ARC in change of an honest review.  Goodreads: Distracted by Belinda Wright Published on April 27th 2019 by Matador.

I read and loved Grace and The Forever Bridge, two previous novels from this author, and so I was very happy to receive a digital copy from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. It is a good story and a good book, but I didn’t love it as I did with the previous T. Greenwood novels. Even though I think that the author succeeds in describing the atmosphere of the late sixties and the different mindset about disabled the characters seem stereotypical described as “good” (Ginny and her friend), “bad” (the father in law and mother in law). Finally, sometimes “the road trip” appears a little unbelievable. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!  Goodreads: Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood. Expected publication: August 6th 2019 by St. Martin Press.

When I started this blog a few years ago I wanted to show my pottery and cakes. It didn't work as I imagined so I left this blog alone and empty. Now I would like to try again and I am going to write about the books I read and may be also of my pottery and cakes....