When you're not reading a mystery...

[Thomas]

Tiziana wrote: "I love WWII novels and stories and I'm reading "The Chilbury Ladies' Choir" by Jennifer RyanThe Chilbury Ladies' Choir,
I'm about halfway through the book and I'm really enjoying it..."

Your English is fine and certainly better than my limited Italian. My wife and I both enjoyed Chilbury Ladies Choir..

[Jackie]

Tizianna, your English is very good and thank you for recommending this book, it looks like something I will enjoy.

[Tiziana]

Jackie wrote: "Tizianna, your English is very good and thank you for recommending this book, it looks like something I will enjoy."

Hi Jackie, you're very kind, thank you so much.
I hope you'll have the chance to read it :-) Have a happy Sunday !

[Tiziana]

Thomas wrote: "Your English is fine and certainly better than my limited Italian. My wife and I both enjoyed Chilbury Ladies Choir.."

Thank you Thomas, so kind from you.
Happy you have enjoyed the book I named, I love the mix among romance , intringue and some humor with the backdrop of a difficult and painful era like the Second World War.
A fine example of resilience.

[Thomas]

Tiziana wrote: "Thomas wrote: "Your English is fine and certainly better than my limited Italian. My wife and I both enjoyed Chilbury Ladies Choir.."

Thank you Thomas, so kind from you.
Happy you have enjoyed the..."
My wife and I have enjoyed 4 books by this author and we recommend them to you. Here is my review of another book by her.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Tiziana]

Thomas wrote: "Tiziana wrote: "Thomas wrote: "Your English is fine and certainly better than my limited Italian. My wife and I both enjoyed Chilbury Ladies Choir.."

Thank you Thomas, so kind from you.
Happy you ..."

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for you friendly suggestion Thomas !
"The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle" is one of the titles I had already eyed by this author and now that I've read your review I want to read it even more! I definitely will! :-D

"The Spies of Shilling Lane" and " The Kitchen Front" are the other 2 titles I put in my wish-list. Are they maybe those you have read? If so I'm sure I will love them as you did :-)
Thanks again for your kind advice, I appreciate it !!

[Thomas]

Tiziana wrote: "Thomas wrote: "Tiziana wrote: "Thomas wrote: "Your English is fine and certainly better than my limited Italian. My wife and I both enjoyed Chilbury Ladies Choir.."

Thank you Thomas, so kind from ..."
You're Welcome. Two more reviews of those books that you mentioned
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Tiziana]

Thomas wrote: "You're Welcome. Two more reviews of those books that you mentioned"

Wow Thomas, this is just the kind of novel I like to read about war: stories that despite the losses, the pain and the rationed food and the hardships, are also talking about love, anguish and people who know how to work together for the common good.

Yours are very good reviews and I'm happy you texted me the link !

The Chilbury Ladies' Choir is the only one book has been translated into Italian, I'm used to read in English, so no problem to me, but I hope they will soon translate the other books too cause my mom would really love Jennifer Ryan's novel. I wish she can soon enjoy them.

[Thomas]

You're Welcome. I sent you a friend request.

[Tiziana]

Thomas wrote: "You're Welcome. I sent you a friend request."

Good morning Thomas, thanks for asking friendship, I accepted it, you're my FIRST FRIEND on Goodreads !! :-D
It's awesome to share book tastes, opinions and advices and everything related to our passion for reading.

Speaking about this and the off-topic "when you're not reading mysteries", I ask you have you ever read the Von Trapp Family story written by Maria Von Trapp herself?
If you've seen the famous movie "The Sound of Music" you know what I'm talking about, but the piece of life in the movie is just a drop in the autobiographical novel that Maria wrote.

The book entitled : The Story of the Trapp Family Singers talks about all their life experience, the love that strongly united them to each other, all their passion for singing and their growth in what also became a job for a living, their journey across the USA and all the wonderful people they met who shared their problems and joys with them.

A book that also speaks of an unconditional faith in God and a great willpower that then led them to build a large farm and to be autonomous in everything, even in making clothes, shoes, stage costumes, the own home etc... all written with great humor and cheerfulness.

As you enjoyed so much Jennifer Ryan's novels, I think you and your wife may both enjoy that book too, I just loved it!

[Thomas]

Tiziana wrote: "Thomas wrote: "You're Welcome. I sent you a friend request."

Good morning Thomas, thanks for asking friendship, I accepted it, you're my FIRST FRIEND on Goodreads !! :-D
It's awesome to share bo..."

Thanks for the recommendation. I have not read it., but I have seen the movie. I added it to my tbr list(over 2k books!!)

[Thomas]

I read The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende I enjoyed it and recommend it to fans of the author and historical fiction fans. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

I read The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee It is an excellent reconstruction of the Bataan Death March. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Tiziana]

Thomas wrote: "I read The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee It is an excellent reconstruction of the Bataan Dea..."

Thanks for your suggestion, it's a very good review.

The book reminds me of a very well done 2010 war drama miniseries named "The Pacific" by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks ( true story about 3 Marines life ) and I remember that I really liked it, but it left me really upset.

As much as we of the present time can imagine, reality was a thousand times more frightening. Poor youth of war time, they really faced a terrible fate...

[Thomas]

Tiziana wrote: "Thomas wrote: "I read The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee It is an excellent reconstruction of..."

Thanks Tizania

[Miriam]

I'm reading Anna Karenina for the first time and it's probably the best book I read this year.

[Thomas]

I read The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman It is literary fiction with a paranormal element. I rate it 3.5 stars rounded up. My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Miriam]

I'm reading "Daniel Deronda" by George Eliot.

[Tiziana]

The last book I read few days ago was set immediately after World War II
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

Here is my review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Miriam]

I'm reading "Middlemarch" by George Eliot.

[Jackie]

I'm reading Anxious People and really enjoying it.

[Thomas]

I read Season of the Gods by Robert Matzen It is an excellent reconstruction of the making of Casablanca. Highly recommended to movie buffs. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

I read Whale by Cheon Myeong-Kwan It is set in South Korea and has elements of the supernatural. It is shortlisted for the international Booker prize. My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

I read The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead It was a bestseller and an Oprah book club pick. There is stomach turning graphic violence. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Helen]

I'm reading The Fringes of Power: 10 Downing Street Diaries, 1939 - 1955 by John Colville, who was part of the PM's "inner circle" during WWII.

[Tiziana]

Finished this morning a historical-romance, not my usual genre but I enjoyed it very much !
A Splendid Defiance by Stella Riley

There's a lot of history ( 17th century, England Civil War setting), a slow and clean developing love story , a charming hero, many other pleasant characters and some disgusting villains (if not one wouldn't enjoy reading the book).

Here is my 5 stars review :
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

( NOTE : I'm from Italy, so please be lenient with my English :-))

[Thomas]

I read The Lost English Girl by Julia Kelly It is historical fiction, set in England, from 1935 to 1952 and centered on the child evacuation program during WWII. I enjoyed it and recommend it to fans of historical fiction. My 4-star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

I read Race, Politics, and Irish America: A Gothic History by Mary M Burke It is not a mystery/thriller, but a scholarly examination of how the Irish fit into American society. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Richard]

I'd read Don Winslow's version of the phone directory if he put one out...but seriously, the Cartel Trilogy is an epic and personal story of the tragedy of American drug use, policy, and punishment, and the horrendous damage it has done to our neighbors to the south.

Not all of them, but most of the novels James Lee Burke has written.

Pretty much all of Paul Theroux's travel books and a few of his novels.

[Sue]

Ditto for James Lee Burke. I find the books written since Hurricane Katrina particularly well done.

[Thomas]

I read Wally Funk's Race for Space: The Extraordinary Story of a Female Aviation Pioneer I strongly recommend this book. It is not a mystery but the story of an amazing woman who was a trailblazer for women astronauts. My 5 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

I read Touched It is a departure from his mystery books. It is paranormal. story of good vs. evil, and a little too weird for me. My 3-star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

I read Revenge of the Librarians It is a book of slyly humorous cartoons. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Tiziana]

I read a funny romance, set in the early decades of 1800s.
It's pure entertainment ( nothing historical despite the setting in the past ) but i enjoyed it very much.
You Belong to Me by Johanna Lindsey

Here is my 5 stars review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

I read A Briefer History of Time It is a more accessible version of the author's original book. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

read A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
I enjoyed it and recommend it to WWII history fans. My 4.5 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

I read Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward I rate it 3.5 stars rounded up.. It is a reimaging of a slave's life in pre-Civil War US. My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

I read The Watchmaker from Auschwitz by Sergiu Someşan It is historical fiction and I rated it 4 stars. My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Sharon]

I read Miss Eliza's English Kitchen by Annabel Abbs and highly recommend it! My 5 star review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

I read Of White Ashes: A WWII Historical Novel Inspired by True Events I won this book from LibraryThing. It is historical fiction and I recommend it. My 4-star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Tiziana]

I loved this clean romance suitable to all ages:
The Highwayman's Letter by Martha Keyes.
The author isn't British but the novel is set in Bath and it was also nice to read it for the historical part that is described, the postal system in the Regency era and the hardships of the poor caused by the privileges reserved for the nobles.

I've just finished to write my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

I read. The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy
I recommend it to historical fiction fans. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Helen]

Just finished the last volume of the Henry "Chips" Channon diaries. This entry in his Wiki page is putting it mildly: "Channon quickly became enamoured of London society and became a social and political climber." Channon minced no words in his diary -- he either loved you (in all senses of the word) or hated you.

But oh, what a look at English society from 1918 to the 50's! And in these books, there is one abiding theme: the rich are different.

There are three volumes, and each is a doorstop -- over 1,000 pages. But if you have the time (and the money -- they ain't cheap), and you want to read about anybody who was somebody in the upper echelon of the Britain of the time, these are the books to consult. This is the first one:
Henry 'Chips' Channon: The Diaries (Volume 1): 1918-38

[Thomas]

i read Uhtred's Feast: Inside the World of The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell i rate it 3.5 stars rounded up. I recommend it to fans of the author. My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

I read The Counterfeit Countess: The Jewish Woman Who Rescued Thousands of Poles During the Holocaust by Elizabeth B. White
It is a 5 star inspiring story. My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jackie]

I'm just at the end of Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World and it's blowing my mind; a 5 star book for sure.

[Thomas]

I read The Women by Kristin Hannah It is an excellent historical fiction book about combat nurses during the Vietnam war. My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Tiziana]

I really enjoyed this Christmas short novel set in 1853 England.
Book #2 in "Once Upon a Dickens" series, but readable as a standalone

A Tale of Two Hearts by Michelle Griep

Here is my 4 stars review :
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

I read I Am Rome by Santiago Posteguillo It is an excellent historical fiction book about young Julius Caesar. My 4 star review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Thomas]

I read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini It is an emotional book. I rate it 4.5 stars rounded down. My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...