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    Duelist (2005)

    Duelist (2005)

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    Set years ago in the era of the Joseon Dynasty, the story follows a young police officer named...

The Stable Boy of Auschwitz [Audiobook]
The Stable Boy of Auschwitz [Audiobook]
Henry Oster, Dexter Ford | 2023 | History & Politics
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I have read a few books about the Holocaust during World War II but I have never listened to one before and, let me tell you, I found this audiobook just as powerful and heart-wrenching listening to William Hope's excellent narration.

Each book I have read about the Holocaust and World War II has provided another piece of history I was not fully aware of and The Stable Boy of Auschwitz is no different. It charts the remarkable life of Henry Oster before, during and after the war.

It is, as you can imagine, a very difficult book to read/listen to but it is also very powerful and inspirational and shows one boy's exceptional journey of survival from freedom, to the ghetto, to Auschwitz, on the forced marches, to Buchenwald and, finally, freedom again and is a story that should be shared as all survivors accounts should be.

I must thank Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of The Stable Boy of Auschwitz and for continuing to ensure that these stories continue to be published so they are not forgotten.
  
The Twenty (Major Crimes, Book 2)
The Twenty (Major Crimes, Book 2)
Sam Holland | 2023 | Crime, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A definite 5 star read for me and one of my books of 2023 so far ... an absolute cracker!!

I read a lot of crime and psychological thrillers and the odd horror book and it takes a lot to get me going but Sam Holland most definitely got me going with The Twenty. Oh my word!! Why? I hear you ask.

Excellent and interesting characters ... check.
Excellent serial killer ... check.
Gripping story line ... check.
Fast pace ... check.
Twists and turns ... check.
Gruesome scenes that give you the chills ... check.
Tension and suspense in spades ... check.

What more is there to be said? Oh yes, this might be book 2 but don't let that put you off, it can easily be read as a standalone but I would strongly suggest you read book 1, The Echo Man, it's also a cracker!!

Highly recommended to those of you who enjoy a dark, gritty and grisly crime thriller ... you won't go far wrong with Sam Holland and I must thank HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of the brilliant The Twenty.

I can't wait to see what comes next.
  
When We Were Innocent
When We Were Innocent
Kate Hewitt | 2022 | History & Politics
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is a difficult book to review and whilst I can't say I 'enjoyed' it because you can't say that reading about this subject matter is 'enjoyable', I was absolutely captivated and totally invested in the story of Libby and her father.

I am not going to provide a synopsis of this book as the description does this already but what I will say is that this is a totally engrossing story told from dual timelines - the present and the past during World War II.

It is clear that the author has done her research carefully; she weaves historical fact amongst this fictional story very successfully. It is heart-breaking and, at times, a very difficult read but not because of the way it was written more it was what was happening in the story and the dilemmas that Libby and her father faced.

If you enjoy historical fiction from this era, I would certainly recommend this but be prepared to shed a few tears!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of When We Were Innocent.
  
The Woman Outside the Walls
The Woman Outside the Walls
Suzanne Goldring | 2022 | History & Politics
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Anna is in her 90's and living a quiet and peaceful life but she has lived with the horrors and struggles of her past and of the fear that it's going to catch up with her.

Told from different time lines - pre-war, post war and the present - and mainly from Anna's perspective, this is the story of her life; the good, the bad and the ugly. I admit it did, at times, feel like it was jumping from one time to another and not always, I felt, in a logical way which made it a bit hard to keep up but you soon get caught up in the story.

This is a real thought-provoker and makes you ask yourself some difficult questions about what you would do to survive and if you do, how do you reconcile the decisions you have made.

Although this is a work of fiction, there are historical facts that are interwoven in the story which makes it feel quite authentic and I must thank Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Woman Outside the Walls.
  
The Midwife [Audiobook]
The Midwife [Audiobook]
Victoria Jenkins | 2022 | Thriller
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the first book I have read/listened to by this author and it will likely not be my last as I quite enjoyed this. I do think it worked really well as an audiobook; would I have thought the same if I had actually read it? I'm not sure as it was quite a slow burn but it was perfect to listen to whilst in the car.

The two main characters, Lauren and Jackie, are really interesting and well developed. It is clear they both have secrets but quite what they are and how they link to each other doesn't become clear until the end.

As I said, this is a slow burn with a growing sense of tension and unease from the beginning and this kept me listening desperate to find out what the twist was going to be and, overall, I wasn't disappointed.

The narrator, Anne-Marie Piazza, did a good job with the narration and she was easy to listen to.

Overall, a satisfying audiobook and many thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen and share my thoughts of The Midwife.
  
Look Both Ways [Audiobook]
Look Both Ways [Audiobook]
Linwood Barclay | 2023 | Thriller
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I would say that this book is a cross between Christine and The Terminator and is one crazy ride!

Garrett Island's inhabitants have had all their cars removed and self-driving and fully automated 'Arrivals' given to them as an experiment. Arrivals are aware of each other and of everything around them ... gone are accidents, speeding, dints and scrapes; well, that's the theory anyway and it works until someone throws a spanner in the works and all hell breaks loose.

There's some great characters; I especially liked Bruce, Kate and Archie. The story is solid and the action comes thick and fast and whilst I found it a very entertaining story which I enjoyed, I think I would have enjoyed it even more had I read the actual book as the narration just didn't do it for me unfortunately and it just didn't seem to be right for the story somehow.

Overall, a great book that makes you think twice about what the future is likely to hold and my thanks go to HarperCollins UK Audio, HQ and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of Look Both Ways.