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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2635 KP) rated Murder Through the English Post in Books
Jul 27, 2022 (Updated Jul 27, 2022)
Who is Writing Deadly Poison Pen Letters?
Edwina’s first day at the local magistrate ends with a complaint about a public brawl between two men she thought were friends. When she gets to the bottom of things, she discovers that one of them received a poison pen letter and believed what it said about his friends. She is concerned about what this might mean in the village, especially after Beryl gets one. When Constable Gibbs asks them to look into it, they learn just how widespread the problem is. Can they figure out who is sending them before the damage gets worse?
This is another charming mystery for mismatched sleuths Edwina and Beryl in the aftermath of World War I. I had a few pieces figured out before they did, but I didn’t figure most of it out until I reached the end. I was in awe of how it all came together when I did. Once again, I enjoyed seeing the growth in our two leads and in the other series regulars. At times the introspection can be a bit much, but that’s a minor complaint. I also enjoy how the time period comes to life on the pages. Fans will enjoy this latest outing, and if you haven’t started the series yet, you’ll be glad you did.
This is another charming mystery for mismatched sleuths Edwina and Beryl in the aftermath of World War I. I had a few pieces figured out before they did, but I didn’t figure most of it out until I reached the end. I was in awe of how it all came together when I did. Once again, I enjoyed seeing the growth in our two leads and in the other series regulars. At times the introspection can be a bit much, but that’s a minor complaint. I also enjoy how the time period comes to life on the pages. Fans will enjoy this latest outing, and if you haven’t started the series yet, you’ll be glad you did.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Daughter of Auschwitz in Books
Oct 1, 2022
“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.” ELIE WIESEL
This is an extremely hard book to read but one I feel necessary so the past is not forgotten.
Tova was born just prior to the start of World War II; her earliest memories being of living in the ghetto her family and parents were sent to by the Nazi's. From the ghetto, she and her parents are sent to a labour camp; Tova is 5 years old. At the age of 6, Tova and her mum are separated from her dad for the first time as they are placed in different cattle cars and sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Tova describes her experiences from the eyes of an innocent child trying to make sense of the horrors she hears and witnesses every day. How someone, let alone a child, can survive what went on in that hell and come out the other side and live even close to a 'normal' life is beyond me. It is testament to the strength of her mother and the lessons she taught Tova that she survived and became the woman she did.
Many thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this powerful, heart-breaking but uplifting book. This should be required reading for all school children and adults alike.
This is an extremely hard book to read but one I feel necessary so the past is not forgotten.
Tova was born just prior to the start of World War II; her earliest memories being of living in the ghetto her family and parents were sent to by the Nazi's. From the ghetto, she and her parents are sent to a labour camp; Tova is 5 years old. At the age of 6, Tova and her mum are separated from her dad for the first time as they are placed in different cattle cars and sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Tova describes her experiences from the eyes of an innocent child trying to make sense of the horrors she hears and witnesses every day. How someone, let alone a child, can survive what went on in that hell and come out the other side and live even close to a 'normal' life is beyond me. It is testament to the strength of her mother and the lessons she taught Tova that she survived and became the woman she did.
Many thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this powerful, heart-breaking but uplifting book. This should be required reading for all school children and adults alike.
All the King's Men: The Beginning (All The King's Men #6)
8.0
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Book
NOTE: This book is a prequel. Reading the first five books of the series will greatly enhance your...
Paranormal Romance Vampires
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Wolf by Wolf (Wolf by Wolf, #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
What if the Nazis won the war? That is the setting for this captivating alternative historical novel by Ryan Graudin. In the newly named land of Germania it is 1956, more than a decade has passed since the Nazis won. The world is still not safe, especially for those who do not fit the Aryan race description. Seventeen-year-old Yael is about to set out on her first ever mission on behalf of the secret resistance group, but it will not be easy to fulfill her duty: to kill Hitler.
Yael was a Jewish prisoner in the death camps during the war. To most Nazi officials she was known as Experiment 85, and was undergoing melanin manipulation. What the doctors did not bargain on was that these experimentations would result in the ability to change physical appearance at will. Yael discovered she could change her skin tone, facial features, hair colour, height or even impersonate someone else, purely by concentrating really hard. It is this strange power that is going to help Yael on her quest to defeat Hitler.
In order to succeed, Yael needs to get as close as possible to the Fuhrer and the only way the resistance believe she will be able to do this is be impersonating Adele Wolfe, a motorbike racer, in the Axis tour: an epic long race from Berlin to Tokyo. However it is not as simple as changing skins and winning the race. Yael needs to convince the contestants that she is Adele and avoid all the dangerous tactics of the other racers so that she can get to the finish line.
<i>Wolf by Wolf</i> is an action-packed, exciting novel aimed at young adult readers interested in history and science fiction. Since it is taught in schools, most people are aware of the Holocaust and have an idea of the horrors Jews faced. But what if that did not stop at the end of the war? This is the idea explored within this novel amongst the exhilaration of the motorcycle race. No one would be completely happy under Hitler’s rule, and we can be thankful that this is only a ‘what if?’ scenario rather than our reality.
The science-fiction element was an interesting twist to the storyline. It does, however, detract from the seriousness of the Nazi rule. Without reminders of the time period, it could almost be a dystopian novel set in the future where a tyrant controls the world.
What I personally liked about <i>Wolf by Wolf</i> is that whilst the main storyline is playing out, we learn more about Yael’s life. She may have lost her true identity but there are several people who have impacted on who Yael is inside. These people are represent by five wolves tattooed onto her arm, and with the memories of each individual fresh in her mind, Yael has the courage and strength to do what she needs to do.
Although not one of the easiest topics to read about – a lot of unnecessary death – I highly recommend <i>Wolf by Wolf </i>to all young adult readers regardless of gender or reading preferences. This book covers such a wide range of genres that it is bound to cater to all tastes. If you love this book you will be pleased to know that it is the first in a series meaning that the story does not end here!
What if the Nazis won the war? That is the setting for this captivating alternative historical novel by Ryan Graudin. In the newly named land of Germania it is 1956, more than a decade has passed since the Nazis won. The world is still not safe, especially for those who do not fit the Aryan race description. Seventeen-year-old Yael is about to set out on her first ever mission on behalf of the secret resistance group, but it will not be easy to fulfill her duty: to kill Hitler.
Yael was a Jewish prisoner in the death camps during the war. To most Nazi officials she was known as Experiment 85, and was undergoing melanin manipulation. What the doctors did not bargain on was that these experimentations would result in the ability to change physical appearance at will. Yael discovered she could change her skin tone, facial features, hair colour, height or even impersonate someone else, purely by concentrating really hard. It is this strange power that is going to help Yael on her quest to defeat Hitler.
In order to succeed, Yael needs to get as close as possible to the Fuhrer and the only way the resistance believe she will be able to do this is be impersonating Adele Wolfe, a motorbike racer, in the Axis tour: an epic long race from Berlin to Tokyo. However it is not as simple as changing skins and winning the race. Yael needs to convince the contestants that she is Adele and avoid all the dangerous tactics of the other racers so that she can get to the finish line.
<i>Wolf by Wolf</i> is an action-packed, exciting novel aimed at young adult readers interested in history and science fiction. Since it is taught in schools, most people are aware of the Holocaust and have an idea of the horrors Jews faced. But what if that did not stop at the end of the war? This is the idea explored within this novel amongst the exhilaration of the motorcycle race. No one would be completely happy under Hitler’s rule, and we can be thankful that this is only a ‘what if?’ scenario rather than our reality.
The science-fiction element was an interesting twist to the storyline. It does, however, detract from the seriousness of the Nazi rule. Without reminders of the time period, it could almost be a dystopian novel set in the future where a tyrant controls the world.
What I personally liked about <i>Wolf by Wolf</i> is that whilst the main storyline is playing out, we learn more about Yael’s life. She may have lost her true identity but there are several people who have impacted on who Yael is inside. These people are represent by five wolves tattooed onto her arm, and with the memories of each individual fresh in her mind, Yael has the courage and strength to do what she needs to do.
Although not one of the easiest topics to read about – a lot of unnecessary death – I highly recommend <i>Wolf by Wolf </i>to all young adult readers regardless of gender or reading preferences. This book covers such a wide range of genres that it is bound to cater to all tastes. If you love this book you will be pleased to know that it is the first in a series meaning that the story does not end here!
Sammy Davis Jr.: A Personal Journey with My Father
Tracey Davis and Nina Bunche Pierce
Book
Nicknamed Mr. Show Business, Sammy Davis Jr. was a consummate performer who sang, danced, and acted...
TA
The Art of Fiction
Book
James Salter's exalted place in American letters is based largely on the intense admiration of other...
Modernity Britain: Book Two: A Shake of the Dice, 1959-62: Book 2
Book
David Kynaston's history of post-war Britain has so far taken us from the radically reforming Labour...
Svetik: A Family Portrait of Sviatoslav Richter
Anthony Phillips, Vladimir Ashkenazy and Walter Moskalew
Book
For well over half a century, since the Soviet regime first allowed Sviatoslav Richter to travel to...
Swimming in the Dark
10.0
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Book
Set in early 1980s Poland against the violent decline of communism, a tender and passionate story of...
Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Communist Poland
Merissa (14152 KP) rated Winterian Sky (Ninety Planets) in Books
Nov 6, 2023
WINTERIAN SKY is the first book in the new Ninety Planets science fiction series. In it, we find a planet besieged on two fronts - one is by an incoming attack force, the other is by a virus with no known cure that is decimating the population.
Chesterfield is the lone scientist dedicated to finding a cure. Danacio is a Guard of Winterian, prepared to lay down his life for his planet. Together, these two go on a journey to figure out where the virus originated from and how to cure it. They meet a brilliant couple who have suffered their own losses, just as determined as Chesterfield to find the answers and the cure.
This is a fast-paced book that will keep you turning the pages. All of the characters are well-rounded and I loved how they all worked together, meshing with purpose. As the first book in a new series, there is world-building but also worlds-building. You get an idea of the Alliance and the things they stand for. I can't wait to read more in this series, and I'm seriously hoping for an update on Winterian and how their war is going on.
Love plays a big role in this story - whether it is familial love or romantic. There are moments of closeness between our two MCs but it is closed-door/fade-to-black which worked perfectly in this story.
A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and I can't wait to return to the Ninety Planets!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 6, 2023
Chesterfield is the lone scientist dedicated to finding a cure. Danacio is a Guard of Winterian, prepared to lay down his life for his planet. Together, these two go on a journey to figure out where the virus originated from and how to cure it. They meet a brilliant couple who have suffered their own losses, just as determined as Chesterfield to find the answers and the cure.
This is a fast-paced book that will keep you turning the pages. All of the characters are well-rounded and I loved how they all worked together, meshing with purpose. As the first book in a new series, there is world-building but also worlds-building. You get an idea of the Alliance and the things they stand for. I can't wait to read more in this series, and I'm seriously hoping for an update on Winterian and how their war is going on.
Love plays a big role in this story - whether it is familial love or romantic. There are moments of closeness between our two MCs but it is closed-door/fade-to-black which worked perfectly in this story.
A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and I can't wait to return to the Ninety Planets!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 6, 2023