Review of Ciao Bella!

[abstactlemon]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Ciao Bella!" by K. Crowley-Gardner.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Ciao Bella! is a fantastically written travel memoir detailing the author’s journey to Italy in 1997. K. Crowley-Gardner writes about her adventures with her childhood best friend, Antonietta. Antonietta and her family were actually born in Navelli, Abruzzo Province, Italy, and they go there every summer to visit. That year, however, the author decides to accompany her best friend. So Crowley-Gardner gets the month off work from her boss, and they make the annual trip together.

I am a big fan of how this book was executed. The author narrates her story using a fascinating writing style that almost reads like a diary. She knows how to describe scenes in such a rich yet simplistic way. It immerses you in the story and takes you on a journey as they tour through Italy. I really enjoyed the earlier parts when they went through different cities, hitting all the tourist spots on the way. However, the book truly hooked me in the later parts, when the author was just spending time with her friend and her family.

Recently, I have been getting into more non-fiction books and memoirs. Ciao Bella! is a great addition to my catalog of finished pieces. I haven’t really experimented with travel memoirs, but Crowley-Gardner’s attention to detail is something I would like to see in more of them. The book gives you a beat-by-beat narration of the fun adventures they go on, making the reader feel like they are right there alongside them. It definitely makes me want to pick up more travel memoirs. This book makes me feel like I can become a genuine fan of the genre.

The author also experienced a significant amount of Italian culture while she was there. It was interesting learning about how they bury their dead or their unique artistry. She even picks up a few words of Italian, which she integrates into the book to create lively prose. The book was also flawlessly edited, and I found no errors. Taking everything into account, including my overall enjoyment, I have to give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

I think this would be perfect for people who love to travel. I’m sure this book will be able to recreate the experience for them. I also think memoir fans will enjoy this. Crowley-Gardner will make you want to visit Italy yourself, eat all the wonderful food she did, and sightsee all the famous spots. This is one of the better non-fiction pieces I have read all year. Great read.

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Ciao Bella!
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Sonie Daniel]

Sounds interesting!

[Temi Book]

I love Italy, having read about it in different novels. It has a lot of historical monuments and places to visit. I’m especially concerned about the artworks. I’ll also love to visit there someday.

[Hubre De Klerk]

This sounds like an amazing memoir. I am also not a huge fan of memoirs, but this sounds like one of those gripping ones that pull you in and are filled with adventure.

[Ilze Herholdt]

Ciao Bella! is a fantastically written travel memoir detailing the author’s journey to Italy in 1997. The author narrates her story using a fascinating writing style that almost reads like a diary. She knows how to describe scenes in such a rich yet simplistic way. Thanks for your review.

[Yasmine M]

The author must have had a fantastic journey to want to pen it into a memoir. Italy is surely a beautiful place to visit. I love travel memoirs, especially when there are a lot of things to discover about the places.

[Ogunkoya Mayowa]

A nonfiction book where the author narrates the experience he had during the trip with her friend, Antonietta. The author uses a writing style that almost read like a diary, and the book was well-edited. Great review.

[jessica1196]

I loved this story! Crowley-Gardner’s descriptions of the food and of Italy made me drool and
want to hop on a plane to visit there. Reading about the weather in Rome in August made me
break out into a sweat. I enjoyed learning about her history with her friend, and I could feel what
it must have been like to visit with her family in their home village. When it is safe to travel
again, I will put a tour of Italy at the top of my list. I highly recommend this story of best friends
for life.

[CrossK]

Thank you for this beautiful review. I also what to salute the author of this novel for such a wonderful storyline. Great work!