E. Graziani

This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.

Many thanks to the author for this review copy!

BREAKING FAITH is the hard hitting, roller coaster story of a girl from a dysfunctional family that just wants to be loved. Her mother is on drugs, her grandmother is frigid, and her two sisters are normal. As the middle child, Faith takes things a lot harder than the others, due to a murder she witnessed when she was just a child. She has the Darkness (what I feel to be depression and anxiety) inside her, and she turns to drugs to escape life.

The plot goes into stark detail about how easy it is to get hooked, especially when you feel like an outsider in your own skin. We see Faith as she struggles through school, experiences letdowns, and finally runs away. It is not a book for the faint of heart. Just as I thought things would finally go right for her, she falls back down the rabbit hole into the Darkness.

Graziani is known for her strong female leads, but this is the first time she has explored a plot like this. Faith is indeed strong, but as those who have battled depression or addiction, sometimes intentions are not enough to save you.

My heart ached for the girl as she existed, homeless, during a freezing Canadian winter. It seemed the world conspired against her until she was ready to give up. The author is adept at investing the reader into Faith’s story so as you read, her struggles become real, almost larger than life. One cannot help feeling devastated at how Faith gets so close to being loved, only to have it ripped away again. The plot turns are done realistically in the author’s capable hands – nothing is too removed from reality.

I yearned to be able to put my arm around this sad girl and tell her that everything was going to be all right. Sometimes it’s easy to take the path of least resistance; even though Faith showed early signs of strength, her circumstances made it easy to turn to drugs again.

This was an excellent read, with just the right touch of despair and joy. Graziani knows exactly what details to include so the reader never has that “suspension of belief” moment. As I read, I felt connected to Faith and her battles throughout the entire book. I can only hope that a girl who is struggling as Faith did, will read this and understand that there is love in the world for her. I also believe that there will be those who read this and gain strength from it.

Perhaps Graziani will be able to change lives with this book. I certainly hope so.… (mehr)

This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.


ALICE OF THE ROCKS is many books at once: it’s a romance novel with time travel, with some history and suspense thrown in for good measure. We are thrown into the world of Leonardo Da Vinci and the grasping and evil Medici empire, mixed with present day Italy as Alice enjoys a summer vacation. The two worlds collide when Alice becomes enamored of a hotel employee. Her strong feelings confuse her, and when she learns she is just a scullery maid, running for her life in 1512, she is forced to make a decision that will not only affect her, but many other lives–both in 2029 AND in 1512. Lots of responsibility for a teenage girl!

Alice is mature for her age, even as she is thinking about where to go to college and how to tell her guy back home the relationship isn’t doing anything for her. All she’s trying to do is enjoy her time in Italy this summer with her parents and aunt and uncle. When she meets a boy her own age, and she starts feeling deja vu, she wonders what is happening. They get a bit closer, and promise to spend more time together. As she and the handsome Claudio tour Italy and see the sights, the truth becomes revealed to her slowly, and she is then given an opportunity to set things right in 1515.

The character of Alice is a strong one, and I enjoyed that. She is a girl with emotions, yes, but she is also imbued with a sense of responsibility and the desire to consider other’s feelings as well. She’snot your typical spoiled rich girl. In fact, her sense of justice is what makes the ending of this book so heart rending. The author paints a picture of two star crossed lovers, with time running out on them (both in the past and in the present). The emotion between them is strong, yet chaste–there are no awkward scenes between them to slow the action down.

Graziani’s knowledge and description of Italy, then and now, is superb. I could see the countryside before me, smell the air, taste the wine. She outdoes herself with the story of Da Vinci and Claudio Moro—there is intrigue, lust, and gossip going on behind those castle walls! Claudio’s relationship with his mother is delightfully familiar, and the manipulative Clarice is well written. She is my favorite “evil” ingenue.

The story moves back and forth from the past to the present, and after a few chapters I found the transition to be fluid and appropriate. The story builds and builds, and then at last Alice is empowered to make things happen. Time seems to speed up, and the suspense and action multiplies. This is the bast part of the book, when things come together and then the ending is dropped on you like a ton of bricks.

The author told me she is working on a sequel–and I’m happy to hear that. I really need to know what the future holds for Alice!

… (mehr)

War in my town is a very good book. Yes it is nonfiction in case you are wondering . It is based off of a girl and her experiences during WW2. She gives very good detail in events of what happened. In many parts of this book it can extremely suspenseful. Although at the end everyone in her family lives, some people in her village aren't so fortunate. This book is taking place in Italian mountian with many other villages around it.

Why should you read this? I think you should read this because it has facts about WW2 and what is happening in her village. It also helps explain some things. Such as the agony of the war and what people lived through. This book is very well sequenced and also very fun to read. I would reccomend this book for ages from 10-15 because there are some violent parts, but they aren't that bad. That's why I reccomend War in My Town.… (mehr)

Elisa lived in 16th century Florence Italy as a scullery maid in the Medici household. Accosted one day by two courtiers, her honour remained intact when she was saved by Count Claudio Moro.

Alice lived in the late 2020's and was on holiday in Florence with her aunt and uncle as her parents had to return early to their home in Canada. They were staying in a villa that belonged to friend of the family.

Alice of the Rocks is part historical fiction, part science fiction/fantasy and part clean romance. It was wonderfully imaginative. The story is told from the point of view of the characters in the 16th century and also from the point of view of the characters living in the 21st century. I thought the characters felt realistic to their time.

The plot of the story was quite interesting and quite likely would have theoretically fit in with what Leonardo da Vinci would have studied in his research of nature if it could have actually happened. I thought that what did occur was unlikely to ever happen, but if it could, it would be exceedingly dangerous. Travel of this sort has been explored in all kinds of science fiction stories.

There were a lot of plot twists and turns in Alice of the Rocks. Some of them involved jealousy, revenge, nature, the plotting and planning of various characters trying to manipulate events to their benefit. I found these twists very interesting to watch unfold as we moved from on time era to the other as the story developed and we could begin to see how the events from the 16th century were related to the 21st century.

I enjoyed the relationship that developed between Alice and Claudio and appreciated the fact that she did feel conflicted regarding her boyfriend back home. I think the decision she had to make near the end of the book would have been extremely difficult and I am glad that I was not in her position of having to make that decision and having to live with it.

The pacing of this novel was excellent. The speed varied appropriately according to the activity taking place in the story. I found Alice of the Rocks to be a very engaging novel. It held my attention all the way through without lagging in places.

The only thing I'm not sure about is why the book was titled Alice of the Rocks. I don't see any significance of that title to the story. Nevertheless, the story was very much worth reading and I would highly recommend it to readers of any of the following genres: historical, science fiction, fantasy and romance. I gave this book 5 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.

To see my full review to go Shelf Full of Books http://kathrynsshelffullofbooks.blogspot.com/2015/05/book-review-alice-of-rocks-...… (mehr)