Category: Italy Book Tours

Venetian Blood Book Review

Italy Book Tours

A captivating tapestry of murder, betrayal, and family, Venetian Blood is the story of one woman’s brave quest for the truth—before it’s too late.

Venetian Blood Book Review

About Venetian Blood

Struggling to forget a crumbling marriage, forty-year-old Anna Lucia Lottol comes to Venice to visit an old friend—but instead of finding solace, she is dragged into a police station and accused of murdering a money laundering count with whom she had a brief affair. In the days that follow, Anna, an US Treasury officer with brains and athleticism, fights to clear her name in a seductive city of watery illusions. But as she tries to pry clues from a cast of uncooperative characters who implausibly deny what she sees and hears, she begins to question whether they are hiding something…or she is losing touch with reality. Racing to unlock secrets, she succeeds instead in unleashing a powerful foe bent on destroying her. Will she save herself and vanquish her enemies, including her darkest fears?

My Thoughts

I visited Venice in my mid-teens and I fell in love (and not just because my family on my Dad’s side come from there!). There is an air of mystery and history on every street mixed in with romance. It just has a special quality about it that I just can’t quite put into words. I was so excited to read this novel based in Venice and it did not disappoint me at all. She captured the mystery of Venice into her story that is full of its own mystery and history.

We have Anna who is trapped in a scandal of murder and an affair. This is in the backdrop of an even greater scheme of lies, money laundry, secrets and murder. She is trying desperately to clear her own name plus work an active case. No one in the city wants to quite help her as they try to protect their own citizens and the secrets that they hold.

I loved every  moment of this well written novel. It pulls you in and leaves you craving more. It is very well written and suits the tone of the novel and setting. It is an exciting and suspenseful novel from start to finish – I could not put it down in fear I would miss what was coming next! I have to admit, I never saw the ending coming. It was an incredible and well-played out. Venetian Blood is a definite must read novel.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Christine Evelyn Volker became intrigued by foreign cultures at an early age, which propelled her to study Spanish, German, and Italian. After pursuing an MLS and an MBA, she was drawn to international banking and became a senior vice president at a global financial institution. Her career brought her to Italy, where she immersed herself in the language and made frequent visits to Venice. A native New Yorker, she resides with her husband in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, where she heads a local library non-profit organization and writes about environmental sustainability. She is currently at work on her second international mystery, this one set in the rainforest of Peru.

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Suspense, Action and the Mob in Joe Giordano’s Newest Release!

Italy Book Tours

From the Italian Mafia to the Russian mob to art theft and to ISIL, Joe Giordano brings it all to the table with his new book!

Appointment with ISIL by Joe Giordano Book Review

About Appointment with ISIL

This time, Anthony’s libido threatens his life. He flirts with Russian mob boss, Gorgon Malakhov’s mistress. The Russian deals in death. ISIL, the Islamic State in the Levant, wants the product. Russian Intelligence supplies the means, and an art theft funds the scheme. ISIL’s targets are chilling. The chase across the Mediterranean is on. Can Anthony thwart ISIL? Will he survive?

My Thoughts

Appointment with ISIL is a fast paced, exciting thriller that takes you around the world in a scheme that will blow your mind. Joe Giordano has written a book that has so many layers, that keeps you guessing and unwilling to put his book down. You have to keep reading to find out what happens next!

Anthony is a fantastic main character – he is tough but not over the top tough, likeable and wants to do what is right. Anthony goes from one bad situation into an even worse situation. He manages to get himself involved in not only the Italian mafia but the Russians which in turn ties him to art theft and the sale of dirty bombs and submarines. Joe has an amazing way of writing that reveals just enough at each stage of the book – enough to keep you guessing and enough to unwind a new thread in this story. I never really knew what was coming next and I loved this. You kept hoping for the best for Anthony but were on edge at all times during the novel.

This is an awesome, action packed thriller that you will not be able to put down. Joe weaves an amazing story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and reading long into the night!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

Appointment with ISIL by Joe Giordano Book Review

About the Author

Joe Giordano was born in Brooklyn. He and his wife, Jane, have lived in Greece, Brazil, Belgium and the Netherlands. They now live in Texas.

Joe’s stories have appeared in more than ninety magazines including The Monarch Review, The Saturday Evening Post, decomP, The Summerset Review, and Shenandoah. His novel, Birds of Passage, An Italian Immigrant Coming of Age Story, was published by Harvard Square Editions October 2015. His second novel, Appointment with ISIL, an Anthony Provati Thriller will be published by HSE in June 2017.

You can connect with Joe on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Dancing In The Rain Spotlight

Italy Book Tours

In Dancing In The Rain, can she end the turmoil and escape the firmly built trap to find the freedom she craves?

Dancing In The Rain Spotlight Tour

Dancing In The Rain

Fifteen-year old Valeria Allegro works diligently on the family farm in Italy, where she is torn between her duty to her family and her desire to find freedom from her strict, domineering father. She finds solace in Dario, a young student who provides a blissful escape—until a neighbour’s son, Gregorio, decides he wants her for himself.

This raises an alarm for her father, which leads to family conflict and aggression. When Dario is threatened and her family is plagued by a series of suspicious accidents, Valeria is desperate to keep her loved ones safe. Can she end the turmoil and escape the firmly built trap to find the freedom she craves?

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Amazon US and Barnes & Noble.

Dancing In The Rain Spotlight

About the Author

Lucy Appadoo is a registered counsellor and wellness coach with a part-time private practice. She also works as a rehabilitation counsellor for the Australian government. In her spare time, she self-publishes or writes nonfiction and fiction texts. She previously worked as a rehabilitation consultant, caseworker, English as a second language teacher, and proofreader.

Lucy has postgraduate diplomas in psychology, education, and English as a Second Language teaching, as well as specialised qualifications in grief counselling and hypnosis. She has also completed wellness coaching courses (levels 1-3) at Wellness Coaching Australia.

Lucy enjoys reading romantic suspense, romance, thrillers, crime novels, family/historical drama, and sagas. She writes in the genres of romantic suspense, historical fiction, and romance. She has enjoyed travelling to exotic places such as Madrid, Mauritius, and Italy, and draws on these experiences in her creative writing.

Lucy’s favourite authors include Kendra Elliot, Christiane Heggan, Theresa Ragan, Tara Moss, Nicholas Sparks, Adriana Trigiani, Erica Spindler, and James Patterson (to name a few).

Lucy’s interests include meditation, playing tennis, journal writing, reading fiction and nonfiction texts about writing, coaching, and counselling, ongoing professional development, spending time with her husband and two daughters, and socialising with friends and family.

Connect with Lucy on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

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More Than a Soldier Book Review

Italy Book Tours

More Than a Soldier is Angelo DiMarco’s powerful story of survival, resilience and courage.

More Than a Solider Book Review

About More Than a Soldier

Feeling a patriotic duty to defend his country after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, seventeen year old, Angelo J. DiMarco, enlists in the U.S. Army. Severely short of frontline fighters, the Army rushes Angelo through Ranger training and sends him to Italy as part of the 1st Ranger Battalion. Their objective: stop the German invasion.

Fighting on the front lines in Italy, the German’s teach Angelo a sobering lesson on life when they capture him during the bloody battle of Cisterna. Against insurmountable odds, Angelo miraculously escapes in a way that stretches the imagination. He survives behind enemy lines for over five months, hiding from the Germans and trying to outmaneuver them. He begs for food, sleeps in barns and suffers from many ailments, including dehydration, malnutrition, malaria and exposure to the elements.

My Thoughts

More Than a Solider is a truly powerful story of a young man who is determined to survive and fight for what he believes and knows is true. It is a story full of bravery, grace, resilience and leaves you feeling humbled, sad and hopeful. While a true story about Angelo’s experiences during the war, it does not glorify war. It shows us the real pain, the hopes and frailness of life.

Angelo enlisted in the US Army and was soon off to fight at the front with the very important battalion, the Rangers. They are trained in a physically demanding manner that makes you cringe but once they are out in the field, you truly understand why they had to be so physically, mentally and emotionally prepared. When they are captured and many of the men in battalion are killed, you worry that the end is near. Somehow he manages to escape but is then out in the open behind enemy lines. This begins an even greater struggle for food, shelter and survival.

Through this novel we are exposed to the real sides of war – the brutality, the illness, the friendships, the hopes and fears. Everything is laid out bare for us in this novel. You feel sadness, hope and pray for him throughout his journey. More Than A Soldier should be a must read for young adults and adults a like. It is a truly special story that I feel blessed to have had read.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

More Than a Solider Book Spotlight

About the Author

Daniel M. Annechino, a former book editor, wrote his first book, How to Buy the Most Car for the Least Money, while working as a General Manager in the automobile business. But his passion had always been fiction, particularly thrillers. He spent two years researching serial killers before finally penning his gripping and memorable debut novel They Never Die Quietly. He has written and published five novels—all thrillers. But his latest work, More Than a Soldier, is a Historical Biography set in Italy during WWII.

A native of New York, Annechino now lives in San Diego with his wife, Jennifer. He loves to cook, enjoys a glass of vintage wine, and spends lots of leisure time on the warm beaches of Southern California.

The Giveaway!

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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More Than a Soldier Book Spotlight

Italy Book Tours

More Than a Soldier is Angelo DiMarco’s powerful story of survival, resilience and courage.

More Than a Solider Book Spotlight

About More Than a Solider

Feeling a patriotic duty to defend his country after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, seventeen year old, Angelo J. DiMarco, enlists in the U.S. Army. Severely short of frontline fighters, the Army rushes Angelo through Ranger training and sends him to Italy as part of the 1st Ranger Battalion. Their objective: stop the German invasion.

Fighting on the front lines in Italy, the German’s teach Angelo a sobering lesson on life when they capture him during the bloody battle of Cisterna. Against insurmountable odds, Angelo miraculously escapes in a way that stretches the imagination. He survives behind enemy lines for over five months, hiding from the Germans and trying to outmaneuver them. He begs for food, sleeps in barns and suffers from many ailments, including dehydration, malnutrition, malaria and exposure to the elements.

More Than a Soldier is Angelo DiMarco’s powerful story of survival, resilience and courage.

You can purchase a copy of More Than a Solider on Amazon.

More Than a Solider Book Spotlight

About the Author

Daniel M. Annechino, a former book editor, wrote his first book, How to Buy the Most Car for the Least Money, while working as a General Manager in the automobile business. But his passion had always been fiction, particularly thrillers. He spent two years researching serial killers before finally penning his gripping and memorable debut novel They Never Die Quietly. He has written and published five novels—all thrillers. But his latest work, More Than a Soldier, is a Historical Biography set in Italy during WWII.

A native of New York, Annechino now lives in San Diego with his wife, Jennifer. He loves to cook, enjoys a glass of vintage wine, and spends lots of leisure time on the warm beaches of Southern California.

Connect with the Author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

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My Canadian and American readers can enter to win a $25 Amazon giftcard via the Rafflecopter form below – GOOD LUCK!

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