3.5 ⭐
This story follows many generations of a family and the surrounding town folk on a small island off of Sicily.
3.5 ⭐
This story follows many generations of a family and the surrounding town folk on a small island off of Sicily.
"He was woken by a scratching at the window shutters."
@ShyBookOwl #FirstLineFridays
1. When I was a kid, my mom would take me out of school early so we could make it to the ranger station in the national forest before it closed to buy a permit to cut a tree from the forest. We could hike all through the national forest to find the perfect tree. It was an awesome adventure!
2. Looking forward to holiday breaks!
#ThankfulThursday
And made a #bookspinbingo finishing this book.
“There was once an old woman who took it into her head to put a curse on a king‘s daughter. ‘You shall never marry,‘ she declared, ‘until you have found the Dead Man and watched over him for a year, three months, a week, and a day.‘”
A beautiful cover and lovely little story of changing times through generations of a family on an isolated island. Starting with an orphan having nothing, to a life rich in love building a history for a family, recording stories and creating miracles.
Once the whole of the island of Castellamare was plagued by a curse of weeping. It came from the caves by the sea, and because the islanders had built their houses from that rock, which had been the liquid fire of the volcano itself, very soon the weeping rang in all the walls of the buildings, it resounded along the streets, and even the arched entrance of the town sailed at night like an abandoned bride.
#FirstLineFridays
A crushing, disappointing week, but feeling okay having some pumpkin ice cream, listening to good music, reading a good book with a sweater on in cooler weather. Holding on to hope for our democracy and elections.
A beautiful night to sit outside and read with my boy. Loving this book and loving him reading alongside me 🥰
Deciding to jump into the #bookspinbingo this month... just scribbled this out 🤩 have a happy #humpday!
@TheAromaofBooks
Checked some books off and doubled up on some numbers for June. Didn‘t add anything new, cause I‘d like to see if I can get through these on my shelf, although others have been added to the shelf...
@TheAromaofBooks #BookSpin #DoubleSpin
Two things prompted me to pick up my #currentread. 1. #covercrush
2. The setting. #Italy 💙
You ever have a book jump out at you when you least expect it and you just have to have it? I was at the grocery store of all places, and they had a shopping cart full of bargain books. So glad I picked this up!
My February reads - thanks to a a few well underway and some graphic novels, I read 13 books this month - not too shabby. The tagged was my favorite but there are a few other good ones here.
#Chloe and I are hoping that this book gets me out of a mini-slump - everything I pick up this week I put down after a few chapters, or feel like I‘m slogging through. The cover is really pretty and so far I‘m enchanted, but I liked the past 3 until I lost interest...
#catsoflitsy #tuxedokittiesoflitsy
Hot detox bath and #newyearwhodis pick number 2! The description in this was really excellent and it made you feel like you were in the story. I found it to be a bit slow. I think these types are not something I usually tend to get sucked into. It reminded me of Jane Smiley and the cover mentions Beautiful Ruins which I didn‘t love. I appreciate the beauty in the writing and the story, but it was hard to get through for me.
I‘m hoping others are open to interpretation with this prompt because I‘m not a Harry Potter fan, sorry! ((Ducking))if it helps, I think the tagged book has a gorgeous cover. #houses #newhogwartsadventure
For war was really at the heart of all of this. It was war that had bundled him away from his life in the north, leaving the examination for the University of London forever unsat, his apprenticeship forever uncompleted, and his library copy of 'Bleak House' forever abandoned at chapter 5.
Pairs well with: vacation, Italian anything, restless in a small town.
I almost passed on this after reading the hohum reviews; phew, glad I didn't! Salty, sensuous, angst-ridden - I have to admit that I couldn't believe the prim woman on the jacket had written a sweeping saga with such depth and feeling. Bravo!
This is one from my #20BooksofSummer and the one my in-person book club chose to read for our August meeting.
My weekend reads...it‘s the books that called to me this morning....I started both books months ago, so I feel like I need to begin again from page 1, since my memory is questionable 😜I‘m still madly in love with the Essex Serpent cover💚 🐍🌼
@Tove_Reads
1. Bandoola the elephant,The Elephant Company
2. Castellamare Italy ,The House at The Edge
of Night
3. Leia Birch Briggs ,The Almost Sisters
#largestisogrammicgiveaway
This was a book that I should have enjoyed more. A multi-generational saga set on an Italian island, it sounded perfect for me. Unfortunately, I have to say that it was disappointing, it went on too long and something was missing from the character development. I just couldn‘t get invested.
I really enjoyed it! It had a little of everything - family saga, travelogue, romance, and historical fiction. I recommend reading it continuously, rather than interspersing with another book. Because of the number of characters and the long time span, I found it took a few minutes to regain my place in the story each time I picked it back up.
First half was dynamite but then it started to trip over its own feet. Like The Good Earth, the epic didn't quite know where to stop. But it did finally finish, on this morning's constitutional through my state park. And it was a satisfying ending, making it all worth while. Unlike The Neapolitan Series. Great tale of the lives and loves on an Italian island -- soapy but good 😊
Listening to this, which not only bears a strong family resemblance to Beautiful Ruins, but even shares the same narrator! Only two-thirds of the way through but already know it's a keeper.
I got this book via Goodreads giveaways.
I'm not sure what to make of this book... parts of it were really good but there were huge chunks of years missing and it just seems a little out wack. Also dear writers: if you use foreign word, you MUST translate them! Ug drives me nuts when authors don't translate foreign words.
@Liberty #STACKEDUP
This has been a tough week, couldn't concentrate. So, hopefully will finish this tonight.
#90sInJuly My current book has "night" in the title and it's quite a good read but #tonightTonight I'm meeting a friend for early drinks ? and then I'm getting cozy with this new book ~ so many Littens I trust have varying opinions on Idaho, that I need to give it a read!!!
I think some reading by the pool time is needed.
Today is my Friday, so bring on the books! I have 4 library loan requests that all came in at once. 😧
Loving this new ARC I started on the way into NY❤️It's making the ride fly by 🚌Thank you @penguinrandomhouse
When the library calls telling you another request is in, you go out in the heat. (I don't know why the 1 in 108* didn't show up) #toohot #stayinandread #librarybookswontreadthemselves #allrequestscomeinatsametime #bookgirlproblems
Came home to #BookMail 😀#BOTM #GoodReadsGiveaway #PenguinRandomHouse
Also another bargain on kindle. This recommendation for 1.99 !!
Just saying .....
No more book shopping today 🙄🙄😩
#TBRtemptation post 4! Characterized as "Beautiful Ruins" meets Isabel Allende. This sweeping saga follows the Esposito family across 4 generations and 100 years on the beautiful Italian island of Castellamare. The book's title is of the island's meeting spot, a cafe. You'll meet: Amedeo & his wife, Pina; a cruel count; a scandalizing priest; a POW-turned-poet; an outcast girl; an English soldier. Set to two world wars. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook ?
Getting in some quiet reading time in before the obligatory social interactions begin! ;) ♡
Dinner cruise tonight on the Spirit of Philadelphia! Of course I had to bring some books with me! :-) ♡♡♡
Last night in Cape May. Having dinner on the ocean at a lovely place and eating my heart full of popcorn shrimp! We had a great view of the water and boats. I picked this book up at random today at a little Indie bookstore I found down here. Have any of you guys read this before? Any opinions on it? I have never heard of it but it looks very promising! Plus, you know, the cover is gorgeous and it was hard for me to resist it! :-)
#riotgrams #favoritecover I am a sucker for florals and nature related covers..I love these especially ❤🌳🍃🌹
#TBRtemptation post! With a 3.9 GR rating, this literary historical fiction story meets many's standards. The Esposito family saga spanning 4 generations & nearly a century on the Italian island of Castellamare. The eponymous café is where the community gathers. Among the extensive cast: a cruel count & his bewitching wife; a scandalizing priest; a POW-turned-poet; an outcast girl: an English soldier. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook ?
Sweeping and majestic, the story of a man who went after his goals despite humble beginnings, and the generations of a family that grew out of that decision. It is the story of heritage, community, and overcoming adversity. And how a building can become much more than that. Lush, detailed, and insightful it is an impressive adult fiction debut. #letterB #LitsyAtoZ #adultfictiondebut 😍💙🏡🏝
@BookishMarginalia
#recommendedby #readjanuary these are because of Litsy😊otherwise I do not like to take recommendations from other sources since it is usually promotional and my friends don't recommend anything to me because they aren't big readers. Not to mention I don't normally go for what everyone is crazy about. If I decide to read something popular then on my own time. I just don't want to be influenced when I start a book😉
I wish you all could hear the storm and crackling fire and smell my cinnamon tea ☕️ I am excited for this one! Sounds a bit like Allende in style and I'm a sucker for "multi-generational" on an inside flap.
Saturday night! Picked these up from the #library this morning and can't decide which to tackle first! #libraryhaul #librarystack #dogsoflitsy #henry
Impossible not to fall in love with the island and the characters. I'm going to miss this book.