Praise for the contemporary Italian novel “Finding Leda”:
“Addictive, candid, hilarious!”—Renni Acre, author“SO HARD to put down! Some really good insight and tips for life. FANTASTIC!”—S. Byrde, author“Leda is a smart, strong character who is learning not to be afraid of being herself. Beautifully and truthfully written. ”—A. Friedli, librarian
Italy, the 1990s. What does it take to be happy?
… truthfully written. ”—A. Friedli, librarian
Italy, the 1990s. What does it take to be happy?
Not a man, like nineteen-year-old Leda Balni was led to believe.
Leda wants to become a genetic engineer.
Leda wants to sing in a band.
Leda wants to figure out what the hell is happiness and how to get it.
But once she does, will there be room for love?
Vespa adventures, college exams, 1990s rock, philosophy, science, and chemistry—both the inorganic and the sizzling kind—in gorgeous Milan, Padua, and Garda Lake will inspire women of all ages to be their strong and brave true selves.
If you are looking for entertainment and solid life advice—this is it.
Pick up this page turner today!
The book, which can be read as self-standing, is the fifth novel in “The Italian Saga”.
Author Interview:
You are a scientist and a college professor. What made you start writing novels?
My life was unusual, and after making all possible mistakes, I have found happiness in unexpected ways. After a lifetime of hearing “You should write a book about this!” I did, and my story turned into a whole series.
So, are the books based on your life?
Yes, they are. Although the novels are fictionalized to protect the privacy of people around me.
Who would enjoy this novel?
Anyone searching for their own way, travelers, wanderers, and people who enjoy witty realistic fiction and foreign cultures.
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Finding Leda
The Science of Happiness
Italian College Novel 1
The Italian Saga
By Gaia B Amman
A must read for the Young Adults!
This is a Young Adult story that takes you into Leda’s college years. Who she meets, what she is interested in and who she hangs out with. Her friends are from all walks of life. She enjoys college, and time with her friends. She touches on her favorite subjects, Band, Volleyball and Genetic Engineering. Followed by dating. She also is learning to live on her own and working her way through college. She has no time for ignorant people. But… Can she resist Sergio and his antics?
Gaia B Amman just keeps her story going. I love her characters and who they are. Leda is your typical college student, someone you can relate too. That is why this series is such a great book for young adults. They will find they are not alone in their struggles of growing into adulthood. This story will have you laughing one minute and angry for Leda the next. While this is in a series, it can be read as a standalone. You will not want to miss out on her adventures. Well done Gaia B Amman!
Finding Leda: The Science of Happiness (Italian College novel 1, The Italian Saga) by Gaia B Amman is another wonderfully written novel. As with her other novels, this one flowed right from the last novel, but can be read on it’s own as well. I love how the author is able to pack such raw, beautiful, and real emotions into her characters. While reading this story I couldn’t help but think back to my own college days as I read of Leda’s college experience. There are so many ways I could relate to Leda, through her uncertainties, her willingness to find happiness, her drive to succeed in college, her unsure love life. It was such a beautiful story to read and I look forward to reading more books by this author and in this series.
First I must say this novel has the most adorable and vibrant cover that drew me in regardless of the fact that I knew the Italian Saga from Gaia B Amman existed and had wanted to read it. I had high hopes having read the other novels in the series that this book would make me think and feel things that I didn’t know I needed. Unfortunately for me this book fell short of the other ones a tad and I struggled to find that connection with the main character that I had hoped to find. It did have an underlying message and was a fairly well constructed idea of a coming of age story but the layout of this read and the way the character seemed to jump and bounce from issue to issue without really actually solving the one before it was a touch frustrating for me. I did enjoy the world building and felt as if I was abroad at times so that piece remained strong. I will be back for more and look forward to seeing what that may be from Gaia B Amman next!
5 Star
Finding Leda; the Science of Happiness (Italian College Novel 1, The Italian Saga) by Gaia B Amman is a wonderfully written story that once I started reading I had a hard time putting it down. I’ve read several other books by this Author and I will say if you haven’t read the others I highly recommend you doing so. Leda has graduated from high school and is now off to College. She’s ready to find what makes her happy . She finds herself attracted but is he the one? There’s parts of this book I’m laughing and shaking my head at Leda but then there are moments where I find myself a bit emotional about everything she’s been through on her journey through life. Find out what happens next in this absolute must read. Will she find what she’s looking for? I can’t recommend this Author or this series enough a d can’t wait to read more .
Finding Leda, the Science of Happiness (The Italian Saga #5) by Gaia B. Amman was a good 4 star read.
Leda is going to school in Italy. She has struggled with several self image issues and is recovering from an eating disorder. Having also suffered a broken heart she is trying to move forward from that as well. All of this has turned her into a very strong young woman.
Leda is so busy that she wasn’t looking to connect with anyone but when she meets him there is an instant connection which gets her wondering about her future.
Could he be the one? Does she have room for a relationship?
Overall this was a good read. We get to see Leda grow through the story. We get love, humor, self growth and so much more. All of the characters added a good element to the story. I was pulled in by the author’s writing, I really liked the setting. I look forward to reading more from this author and series. 1-click and get started today.
In the continuation of The Science of Happiness series by Gaia B. Amman, Finding Leda is book five in a series about a girl’s journey through the teenage years and into womanhood. It features all the lump and bumps, the dramatic and hysterical events that occur to almost every young girl on the planet. With an edge. This author brings that little bit more to every story. Leda has given me many moments of joy, happiness, anxiousness and awe. The humour becomes more apparent, the drama is next level. It is refreshing to read this story as it sheds new light and talent on the genre. I live for the exciting new journeys into the literary world. Nothing beats sitting on your favourite chair and reading the hours away with a good book such as Finding Leda. It sure beats the real world right now. 4 stars.
Finding Leda by Gaia B. Amman a four-star read that you will find easy to read. This is number five in the Italian Saga and number one in the Italian Teen series, but I will be honest I haven’t read them in any real order and I have enjoyed it like that as its like dipping in and out of someone’s life at different times, so its great when I feel like reliving my younger self I can dip in here and see it through someone else’s eyes and almost see where I went wrong and right. In some ways these novel feel like growing up with a friend, and reading them is like chatting about old times, and like some friends they tell a good story at the start and the end but in the middle they get a little wanderlust and drift a bit but manage to pull it back in to get it all back again.
This is the first book in the Italian Novel were we are introduced to Leda.
There are alot of issue that are dealt with in this book. After her last failed relationship she has decided that it is time to discover what it is that makes her happy. Along the way she makes some few new friends and meets up with some old ones. One thing she was not counting on was falling in love again. After her last failed relationship she has decided that it is time to discover what it is that makes her happy. Along the way she makes a few new friends and meets up with some old one. One thing she was not counting on was falling in love again.
Finding Leda: The Science of Happiness by Gaia B Amman is the first book in the Italian College series, which forms part of the Italian Saga. This all does need to be read in order as is is a continuation of the story and characters you get to know.
This book so easily takes you back into the story and the interesting works the author is writing about. This whole series has been fun and exciting, which such engaging characters. Each time I see a new book in the series I know I just have to read it!
It is so easy to picture with this book bring there yourself and seeing all the same things as the characters. The development Leda undergoes from page 1 through to the end is well crafted and so relatable. This is another fantastic book in the series and I am looking forward to whatever is next.
Finding Leda, the Science of Happiness (The Italian Saga #5) by Gaia B. Amman. I have read many other books by Ms. Amman. I have enjoyed the ones that I have read.
In this book we follow Leda’s journey throughout college while she is trying to find herself and what will make her happy. There are many ups and downs throughout this book. It was an emotional read and I absolutely loved it.
I can not wait for more!!
Finding Leda, the Science of Happiness
By Gaia B Amman
4 stars
I enjoyed the new read by Gaia B Amman, having followed Leda through her formative years it was nice to see her moving on in life and what she did. As with previous books Leda’s life isn’t always straight forward and she had a few obstacles in her life to tackle. Again as with the other books by this author the Italian setting for the story was great, I was immersed in the culture that I have begun to love in the other books. The author clearly has taken her time with Leda’s character development and that shines through in the books. A great read and as always I look forward to more from Ms Amman in the future.
Finding Leda: The Science of Happiness is the fifth book in the Italian Saga series by Gaia B. Amman. In this book Leda is off to university. After her last failed relationship she has decided that it is time to discover what it is that makes her happy. Along the way she makes a few new friends and meets up with some old one. One thing she was not counting on was falling in love again. She embarks on a two year relationship with Claudio, aka Evil Centi. Over the course of their two year relationship she discovers that she is not longer interested in a relationship after she has developed a crush on someone she met in a chatroom. Leda breaks things off with Claudio and vows to work on herself and figure out what makes her happy. Once she is back in touch with her best friend Lexi, she also ends up seeing someone she never thought she’d see again: Sergio. He is like a hurricane coming into her life when she least expects it. They both seems to have feelings for one another, but are having a hard time getting their feelings out in the open. They exchange many emails, flirt, and spend plenty of time together to the point that the line between friendship and a relationship get blurred. As much as Leda wants to remain on her course of finding herself, she can’t seem to stay away from the brooding bad boy. Will she be able to find herself and get some sort of happily ever after? Navigating college and relationships are hard enough when you are just starting out. But adding in a set of rules that you’re trying to follow to find yourself makes it a bit harder.
4 Stars
Finding Leda, the Science of Happiness is the fifth book in The Italian Saga by Gaia B. Amman. It is a Young Adult/New Adult story- full of all the highs and lows of Leda’s journey.
We’ve followed Leda through the previous books/stories, and have been there every step of the way as she traverses transitioning from childhood and into a young adult, graduating high school, and now following her through college. Leda throws herself into her studies, discovering much about herself and what she wants out of life along the way.
Even though this story could be read as a standalone- I highly recommend reading the previous books as knowing what happens there will elevate your enjoyment of this story.
This book is full of drama, emotions, college life, Leda’s ‘rules’ to live by, science references, love, humour, pop-culture, self discovery, life lessons, and much more. As with the other books in the series- this is a fictionalized memoir of the author’s younger years/life- set against the backdrop of Italy in the 1990’s/2000’s.
On to the next instalment…
Thank you, Ms. Amman!
I enjoyed this book. It is not my first book by this author but it is one of my favorites so far. One of the things I enjoy about this author and her books is how they are placed in Italy. This one is no different. Leda is a young adult that has been through alot and is now ready to start a new part of life. She is determined to find what makes her happy. Will she find that she needs romance in her life? Will she find herself in the process. I loved watching her grow throughout this story. She is a great character I felt some emotion with because she does go through so much but truely is trying to find what makes her happy. I highly recommend reading this book and find out what happens with Leda.
This is a college novel- where before she was a small girl growing into teenage years, now we’re finally getting an older Leda. The funny part about this is when she emails in this book- it has the date, and I REMEMBER THOSE YEARS! She’s a little older than me in reality, and being an adult while reading her years as a child, I just didn’t think she was. I think this was my favorite book of hers so far. She is smart and is finally figuring out what she needs to do to make herself happy. I’m addicted to Leda and I am not ashamed about it. I can’t wait to read the next one!
This book was hard for me to get into. Once I got to the point where Leda got to college it picked up though. Her car pool mates definitely were not my favorite characters…but all her “guys” shevell for I liked in all different ways! I can relate to Leda about how she changes the things she’s into by who she’s hanging out with – and her life rules crack me upon a good way. I like how the author made this easily readable having been set in Italy. A lot of books set in different cultures sometimes are hard to following the different languages. Worth the read!