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ClareR (6081 KP) rated The Women at Hitler’s Table in Books
Dec 3, 2019
Even though The Women at Hitler’s Table doesn’t feature an appearance by Hitler himself, it is very much about Hitler’s Germany and how his paranoia directly affected the women who were forced into becoming his food tasters. 1943 saw a shift in the Second World War, the Allies and Russia began to take the upper hand, and Hitler saw assassination plots around every corner (he wasn’t far wrong, but it was generally instigated by his own side).
Rosa Sauer moves from Berlin to live with her husbands parents in the countryside, to escape the bombs that killed her parents. However, in doing so she draws attention to herself and ends up being ‘enlisted’ by the SS as one of the female food tasters at the Wolfschanze (Wolfs Lair). In some ways this is a privileged position - food is scarce and people are starving. Rosa and her fellow food tasters are guaranteed regular food, but each meal could be their last. They have no choice but to eat: SS guards watch their every mouthful. Some of the women are Hitler loyalists and see it as an honour to do this, whilst others (Rosa included) aren’t as keen. Rosa is beginning to see the cracks in the regime, and in fact has disagreed with the party’s politics for a long time. But she has chosen not to do or say anything - as many people did.
This book looks at what life was like for the ordinary Germans. Their loves, loyalties, secrets and the fear for both their present circumstances and their futures. This isn’t a comfortable read. It looks at some very unsettling subjects, and the fear of the women is palpable. I think the story would have stood up well without the romance element, but I’m sure some would disagree with me and would enjoy that aspect more.
I really liked the links with real historical figures: Claus Von Stauffenberg, some local nobility and a real food taster that the story was based on (Margot Wölk). I also liked the style in which this was written. It was dark, subdued, much like how I imagine the country felt as a whole at this point. I really did enjoy this book - it was an interesting and new angle to look at a period in history which we all feel that we know a lot about. Just when you thought you’d seen it all, Hitler’s female food tasters make their appearance....
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for my copy of this book to read and review.
Rosa Sauer moves from Berlin to live with her husbands parents in the countryside, to escape the bombs that killed her parents. However, in doing so she draws attention to herself and ends up being ‘enlisted’ by the SS as one of the female food tasters at the Wolfschanze (Wolfs Lair). In some ways this is a privileged position - food is scarce and people are starving. Rosa and her fellow food tasters are guaranteed regular food, but each meal could be their last. They have no choice but to eat: SS guards watch their every mouthful. Some of the women are Hitler loyalists and see it as an honour to do this, whilst others (Rosa included) aren’t as keen. Rosa is beginning to see the cracks in the regime, and in fact has disagreed with the party’s politics for a long time. But she has chosen not to do or say anything - as many people did.
This book looks at what life was like for the ordinary Germans. Their loves, loyalties, secrets and the fear for both their present circumstances and their futures. This isn’t a comfortable read. It looks at some very unsettling subjects, and the fear of the women is palpable. I think the story would have stood up well without the romance element, but I’m sure some would disagree with me and would enjoy that aspect more.
I really liked the links with real historical figures: Claus Von Stauffenberg, some local nobility and a real food taster that the story was based on (Margot Wölk). I also liked the style in which this was written. It was dark, subdued, much like how I imagine the country felt as a whole at this point. I really did enjoy this book - it was an interesting and new angle to look at a period in history which we all feel that we know a lot about. Just when you thought you’d seen it all, Hitler’s female food tasters make their appearance....
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for my copy of this book to read and review.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated To Conquer Mr. Darcy in Books
Apr 27, 2018
The thing that makes Pride and Prejudice so great is the fact that Elizabeth disliked Mr. Darcy so much, and rejected him. Then he did so many wonderful things for her, and she fell in love with him because of the love (action) he showed her.
But in this variation of Pride and Prejudice, the love (action) is gone. It is more like an every-day romance, not one of those new classics. It’s cute and sweet and romantic, but it’s not P&P.
The writing and the style feel like Reynolds has read P&P many times. For the first time in a long time, I fell like I’ve found a great romance writer, the word writer being used literally. She’s a good writer, her prose and her vocabulary, her sentences… I liked it a lot. The characters—up until about the middle of the book—felt very much like the original. That pleased me.
With that in mind, I liked it… up to the point they slept together. That’s when I stopped reading. I just couldn't see Mr. Darcy doing that, no matter how much he desired her. And even when Mr. Darcy came back for her in the beginning… even after getting inside his head, I couldn’t see why he loved her. It was the same with reading from Elizabeth’s perspective… I didn’t know why she loved him. It was all emotion and chemistry, and no reason for love.
Please check out some other reviews for To Conquer Mr. Darcy.
But in this variation of Pride and Prejudice, the love (action) is gone. It is more like an every-day romance, not one of those new classics. It’s cute and sweet and romantic, but it’s not P&P.
The writing and the style feel like Reynolds has read P&P many times. For the first time in a long time, I fell like I’ve found a great romance writer, the word writer being used literally. She’s a good writer, her prose and her vocabulary, her sentences… I liked it a lot. The characters—up until about the middle of the book—felt very much like the original. That pleased me.
With that in mind, I liked it… up to the point they slept together. That’s when I stopped reading. I just couldn't see Mr. Darcy doing that, no matter how much he desired her. And even when Mr. Darcy came back for her in the beginning… even after getting inside his head, I couldn’t see why he loved her. It was the same with reading from Elizabeth’s perspective… I didn’t know why she loved him. It was all emotion and chemistry, and no reason for love.
Please check out some other reviews for To Conquer Mr. Darcy.
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Throne of Glass in Books
Feb 2, 2019
Great Start to the series
It can be somewhat on parallel with Hunger Games except on a fantasy setting and sans the dystopia. Celaena is quite the character to like. She’s witty, smart, she’s got the talk and has the walk to prove it, she’s everything you like in a strong female character and more. I love her sass and overall personality.
The plot itself was good and engaging to read. There’s a mix of everything. Mystery, intrigue, action, and romance. I’d have to say it’s a little bit too much of a mix. I was really more into reading about the competition and Celaena’s skills. The mystery aspect did not really capture my attention and didn’t think it was very exciting. Sure, it did keep you guessing but it wasn’t filled with any twists and turns one might expect in a mystery. The romance was all right although I also didn’t think a love triangle was necessary in this one. (It was pretty hard to choose which one of the two were better. They both had their qualities that made them likable so I’m going to sit on the fence and be neutral on this)
I also enjoyed reading into Celaena’s and Nehemia’s friendship. I rather liked the bond they shared and Nehemia can hold her own as well so I liked how the two of them shared some common ground.
The ending was excellent and I’m going to be reading the rest of this. I hear it gets better! So I’m looking forward to getting the second.
The plot itself was good and engaging to read. There’s a mix of everything. Mystery, intrigue, action, and romance. I’d have to say it’s a little bit too much of a mix. I was really more into reading about the competition and Celaena’s skills. The mystery aspect did not really capture my attention and didn’t think it was very exciting. Sure, it did keep you guessing but it wasn’t filled with any twists and turns one might expect in a mystery. The romance was all right although I also didn’t think a love triangle was necessary in this one. (It was pretty hard to choose which one of the two were better. They both had their qualities that made them likable so I’m going to sit on the fence and be neutral on this)
I also enjoyed reading into Celaena’s and Nehemia’s friendship. I rather liked the bond they shared and Nehemia can hold her own as well so I liked how the two of them shared some common ground.
The ending was excellent and I’m going to be reading the rest of this. I hear it gets better! So I’m looking forward to getting the second.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated You Are Mine (Mine, #1) in Books
Jul 10, 2018
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I decided to read this book because I had just finished reading [b:I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban|17851885|I Am Malala The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban|Malala Yousafzai|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1375414895s/17851885.jpg|24987300] and I thought that this would be an interesting book to follow it. This book deals with many of the issues that I Am Malala dealt with (women, freedom etc.) and I liked that it was wrapped in a fantasy world with magic & some romance.
First of all, I liked the idea and the plot line of the book. I thought that the story was very well done and I liked that the character was a strong woman even if she was living in a very oppressive world. I loved that she was curious and spoke her mind even when it meant punishment.
The one thing that I found lacking was the editing. I understand that mistakes happen but I found various mistakes in the book which a better editor would have found.
Ultimately, I enjoyed the book. I would give it 3 1/2 stars. I loved the premise of the book and I loved the world that Janeal Falor created. I will continue on in the series. If you're looking for a quick, easy read that deals with freedom, women, and a splash of romance, I would recommend this book.
I decided to read this book because I had just finished reading [b:I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban|17851885|I Am Malala The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban|Malala Yousafzai|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1375414895s/17851885.jpg|24987300] and I thought that this would be an interesting book to follow it. This book deals with many of the issues that I Am Malala dealt with (women, freedom etc.) and I liked that it was wrapped in a fantasy world with magic & some romance.
First of all, I liked the idea and the plot line of the book. I thought that the story was very well done and I liked that the character was a strong woman even if she was living in a very oppressive world. I loved that she was curious and spoke her mind even when it meant punishment.
The one thing that I found lacking was the editing. I understand that mistakes happen but I found various mistakes in the book which a better editor would have found.
Ultimately, I enjoyed the book. I would give it 3 1/2 stars. I loved the premise of the book and I loved the world that Janeal Falor created. I will continue on in the series. If you're looking for a quick, easy read that deals with freedom, women, and a splash of romance, I would recommend this book.
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Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Aced (PresLocke, #1) in Books
Oct 14, 2019
It's been a good few months since I last read a MM Romance, so I have my fingers crossed that I really enjoy this one.
This one starts with Ace admiring a billboard for what must be the hundredth time of a guy he fantasises about every night, stopping traffic in the process as he heads off to the reading of his new film. It just so happens that the guy from the billboard is sitting in on the reading and is going to have a part in the film. There is an instant attraction between the two and though Ace tries to fight it, he can't help but be drawn to the confident Dylan.
What follows is some hot man on man action and a cute romance between the recently out-of-the-closet-but-too-afraid-to-find-anyone actor and the confident model who's trying his hand at acting. They are pretty perfect for each other.
But Ace is wary of trying to find someone when he's so publically in the spotlight as he knows they'll be hounded by the press and every dirty secret they may have will be aired to the world. And since this is a series, of course that very thing happens right before the book ends, so I'm intrigued about future books but I'm not in a hurry to go and buy it.
We get alternating viewpoints in this, which admittedly gets a little confusing at times with them both being men and trying to remember whose VP you've just read
This one starts with Ace admiring a billboard for what must be the hundredth time of a guy he fantasises about every night, stopping traffic in the process as he heads off to the reading of his new film. It just so happens that the guy from the billboard is sitting in on the reading and is going to have a part in the film. There is an instant attraction between the two and though Ace tries to fight it, he can't help but be drawn to the confident Dylan.
What follows is some hot man on man action and a cute romance between the recently out-of-the-closet-but-too-afraid-to-find-anyone actor and the confident model who's trying his hand at acting. They are pretty perfect for each other.
But Ace is wary of trying to find someone when he's so publically in the spotlight as he knows they'll be hounded by the press and every dirty secret they may have will be aired to the world. And since this is a series, of course that very thing happens right before the book ends, so I'm intrigued about future books but I'm not in a hurry to go and buy it.
We get alternating viewpoints in this, which admittedly gets a little confusing at times with them both being men and trying to remember whose VP you've just read
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