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Showing posts with label #Holocaust. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #Holocaust. Show all posts

Sunday, 8 June 2025

The Ruins in Which We Bleed by Steve N Lee


Available on 12-June-2025

Description from the author:

"A story of courage and a fight for survival like none you have ever read. Guaranteed!

Inspired by a previously untold true story.

Following the Nazi invasion of Poland, 13-year-old Helena is imprisoned in the Warsaw ghetto, a squalid hellhole rife with disease and starvation. Yet, although the Nazis have destroyed her home, her life, and her future, they haven't destroyed the only thing that truly matters — her family. Helena might be just a child, but she's a fighter, and she'll do whatever it takes to help her loved ones.

Making sacrifices no child should ever have to make, seeing horrors no child should ever have to see, Helena bravely battles on as her world crumbles amid random killings, slave labor, and deportations. And through it all, her compassion helps to protect her family. But then the Nazis unleash new horrors.

With the ghetto a raging sea of flames, explosions, and gunfire, Helena runs for her life only to hurtle straight into an unimaginable hell from which there seems no escape. And the Nazis are closing in. Can her love for her family give her the strength to survive?

Inspired by a heartbreaking true story of unbelievable courage, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit, The Ruins in Which We Bleed reveals that, even in the darkest of times, one person can make a difference through the greatest power of all — love.

If you didn't know this was inspired by a true story, you would never believe it possible. Read The Ruins in Which We Bleed now."

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Just WOW ... what a story that is i
nspired by real events and people but with elements that have been fictionalised which, in this case, is because the information doesn't exist anymore.

I have read a couple of Steve's books before, To Dream of Shadows and A Song of Silence, and was blown away by them both and this was no different.

It invoked so many emotions for me that not many books have done from fear, dread, horror but also love, loyalty bravery and hope. It's heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure.  Helena is a remarkable teenager and one I'm sure her family would have been proud of.  Her tenacity, bravery and spirit were beyond her years.

Brilliant story, excellently written, this is one story that should be made into a film as, in my humble opinion, Helena's story rivals that of Anne Frank's and if I could give it more than 5 stars, I would.

Many thanks must go to the author, Steve N Lee, for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this remarkable book.

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Sunday, 29 September 2024

The Ballerina of Auschwitz by Edith Eger

Description from Goodreads:

"In 1944, sixteen-year-old ballerina Edith was sent to Auschwitz and endured unimaginable experiences. When the camp was finally liberated, she was pulled from a pile of bodies, barely alive.

Celebrated therapist and Holocaust survivor Edith Eger captivated millions with her incredible tale of survival and strength in her best-selling book The Choice.

Now, in The Ballerina of Auschwitz, Edith revisits her wartime experiences in a deeply personal retelling, through the eyes and emotions of her teenage self. Through this reworking of her poignant narrative, Edith brings readers of all ages into the heart of her experiences, offering a compelling message of hope and resilience that will ensure her story is never forgotten."

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I was lucky enough to have read Edith's original memoir, The Choice, which was extraordinary; this is no different and whilst, I think, it has been written for young adults in mind, I feel it can and should be read by all ages.

This sets out Edith's teenage life before, during and after the war ... her hopes and dreams that were dashed by the horrors inflicted but the power of the mind which, regardless of what is done to you, remains your own and something which you retain control over when you may have lost control of everything else.  

I can't even begin to fathom how someone, who has experienced what Edith and countless others went through and witnessed, can come out the other side even close to being able to function back into society and then have the bravery and strength to re-live it by talking and writing about it in the hope that the atrocities committed are never repeated or forgotten?  In my view, that takes a special type of person.

Memoirs like these are harrowing and disturbing to read BUT they are also stories of hope, strength, love; they are essential and a lot of lessons can and must be learned from them and I thank Edith, Ebury Publishing, Penguin Random House and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this important and must-read book for all ages.

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Connect with Dr Edith Egar:


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Sunday, 15 September 2024

Auschwitz A Mother's Story by Rosa de Winter-Levy (Audiobook)


๐ŸŽ™๐ŸŽ™๐ŸŽ™ Narrated by Mandy Weston ๐ŸŽ™๐ŸŽ™๐ŸŽ™
 
Description from Goodreads:

"Suddenly there is a blow to my face, I am hurled to one side. 'My child, I have to go with her!' I scream. But Dr Mengel is standing before me, whip raised. 'Maul halten, shut up!' His eyes gleam. Filled with fear I cower down.

In 1943, as the Nazi power swept across central Europe, Rosa, her husband Emanuel and their daughter, Judy, were forced into hiding. But after a year and a half of living a terrifying, day-by-day existence, they were betrayed. As they arrived in Auschwitz, Rosa was torn from her husband and her only daughter. Could she dare to hope she would see either of them again?

Somehow, Rosa fought the horror and humiliation of the camp, on occasion coming dangerously close to death. In nursing the people trapped beside her, she helped others survive, but tragically she also watched them die - including a mother she had met before, with a similar story and a daughter the very same age. Her name was Edith Frank.

Written immediately in the months after the war, Auschwitz - A Mother's Story tells Rosa de Winter-Levy's unique and heart-breaking personal story - from the atrocities of the camp to her journey out of hell. Powerful and affecting, it is the testimony of a mother, and the pain she will endure for the chance to hold her child again.

It's night. The door opens and along with 500 other women I am taken to the so-called Krรคtzeblock, the scabies block. Mice and rats run over us, the women scream and cry, it's almost unbearable. There's no chance of sleep, we're all consumed by the same tomorrow our final hour will have come."

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I found this audiobook powerful and heart-wrenching listening to Mandy Weston'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 Auschwitz A Mother's Story is no different. 

It is, as you can imagine, a very difficult book to read/listen to but it is also very powerful and inspirational and is a story that should be shared as all survivors accounts should be.

Many thanks to the author, Octopus Publishing, Moneray and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of this audiobook and for continuing to ensure that these stories continue to be published so they are not forgotten.

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Learn a bit more about Rosa de Winter-Levy

via the annefrank.org website

Sunday, 12 May 2024

A Song of Silence by Steve N Lee


Blurb:

"War thrust them together. Love will tear them apart.

Inspired by a true story...

When the Nazis invade his sleepy Polish town, Mirek swears to keep everyone in his orphanage safe at all costs. Yet, despite his struggles and sacrifices, the war drags him and his children deeper and deeper into its violent nightmare.

With 89 children looking to him for hope, Mirek must do whatever it takes to protect them — no matter how criminal, distasteful, or perilous it may be.

And just when he thinks things can’t get any worse, the arrival of a sadistic SS captain brings unspeakable atrocities to his town — and surprisingly, a glimmer of hope for Mirek to save all those he cares about if only he has the courage to grasp it…

Inspired by a true story of love, bravery, and compassion, A Song of Silence explores history’s darkest hour and how, even in the face of overwhelming evil, one man can become a dazzling beacon of light.

Discover what it means to be human. Discover A Song of Silence."

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Oh my goodness!  What a book and what a story!  Amazing, heartbreaking, gripping and whilst it's not a 'true' story, it has been inspired by real characters and events.

I have read one of Steve's previous books "To Dream of Shadows" and was absolutely blown away and this is no different.  I was hooked from the start right up until the end.  This is a powerful story that invoked all manner of feelings within me whilst reading; fear, happiness, frustration, anger, horror amongst others; and I was glued to my screen desperate to find out what happens but not wanting it to end because I didn't want to know!!

I was totally immersed and would highly recommend it to others who like to become engrossed in a story whilst having your emotions pulled from pillar to post and I must thank the author for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this heartbreaking but excellent book and I look forward to reading A Breath in the Darkness, Steve's next book.

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Connect with the author:


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Read my review of To Dream of Shadows also by Steve N Lee





Monday, 29 January 2024

A Brilliant Life by Rachelle Unreich


Description from Goodreads:

"The powerful true story of a Holocaust survivor told by her daughter—a tale that reminds us of the resilience of the soul and power of the heart to heal that is as uplifting and astonishing as it is heart wrenching. 

With six months left to live and their time together running out, Mira Unreich sat down for a series of interviews with her daughter, Rachelle. Rachelle was expecting to hear tales of the past she knew by heart. But to her astonishment, Mira instead revealed a whole other side to her story.

While imprisoned in four different concentration camps during World War II, Mira witnessed unbelievable horror and unforgettable acts of cruelty, from her mother being shot at Krakau-Plaszow to Red Army soldiers raping a mother and daughter on the day of liberation. 

Despite enduring such trauma, Mira pursued a life filled with passion and joyous purpose, living in Paris, learning seven languages, and creating a family of her own whom she cherished, protected, and guided. 

A Brilliant Life is a conversation, a biography, and a tribute to family—a story of incredible resilience, the indestructible bond between mother and daughter–a connection that not even death can destroy–and the role that fate, chance and destiny play in one’s life. It is an unforgettable and life-affirming story of love, loss, and the deepest kind of faith, and a daughter’s love letter to her mother."

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I can't give this anything other than 5 stars!

This is a remarkable story of one woman's survival of the Holocaust, it's aftermath and her search to find safety and security for her and her family.

As you can imagine, it's quite heavy reading in parts but the overriding sense of the book, for me, was hope, resilience and love and amongst the horrors, kindness still existed.

This is a book that is a must-read and I must thank the author, Black and White Publishing and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this remarkable book.

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Sunday, 6 August 2023

The Secret Midwife by Soraya M. Lane



Description from Goodreads:

"London, 1995: When on the fiftieth anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz a news broadcast runs an appeal for information on the identity of a midwife who saved hundreds of lives, Emilia knows it is time to finally tell her story.

Occupied Poland, 1942: Despite the constant presence of German soldiers in her village, Emilia is allowed certain freedoms as a midwife―the most precious is innocently cycling past Nazi checkpoints to the homes of expectant mothers on her rounds. But Emilia has a secret: for years she’s also been visiting the hidden Jewish mothers and working for the resistance…until she is betrayed.

Suddenly a prisoner of Auschwitz, Emilia is surrounded by horror and despair. When she is put to work as a midwife in the camp, she realises that she has a chance to bring a small glimmer of hope to the pregnant women of Auschwitz. Alongside a brave imprisoned doctor, Aleksy, and an innocent outcast, Lena, she comes up with a dangerous plan. A plan that if discovered could mean a fate far worse than death, but if they act undetected, they could save countless lives…"

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I find books about the Holocaust difficult to review and rate because anything that highlights and keeps the memory alive of all those who perished under that despicable regime is deserving of 5 stars from me and The Secret Midwife is no different.

Although a work of fiction, the author bases her characters on real people who went through the horrors of World War II some of whom miraculously survived when millions of others did not.

The Secret Midwife focuses on the stories of Emelia and Aleksy.  Emelia is a midwife who risks her life supporting ALL women regardless of race or religion to give birth safely.  Aleksy is a doctor who tries to save his town during occupation.  Unfortunately, both were discovered and transported to the hell-hole that was Auschwitz however, they continued to try and care and help their fellow prisoners despite having no resources or equipment and the ongoing risk of immediate selection and execution.

As you can imagine, this is an emotional, harrowing and heart-breaking story but it's also one of bravery and how, despite the ongoing threats, some people did everything they could to help ease the suffering of those around them and whilst Emelia, Aleksy and some of the other characters aren't real people, they and their story will stay with me for some time.

Highly recommended to those of you who enjoy reading historical fiction; this is a must read and I have to thank Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Secret Midwife.

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Connect with the author:



Sunday, 16 July 2023

The Storyteller of Auschwitz by Siobhan Curham


Synopsis from Goodreads:

"Auschwitz, 1942. ‘When this is all over, you will be able to tell the world what they did to us.’ The Nazis have already ended so many stories way too soon, but can a person truly die if their story lives on? I have to survive. The world needs to know what’s happening here…

Stumbling through the terrifying wrought iron gates of Auschwitz, Jewish author Etty Weil longs for her apartment overlooking the Seine, where she used to laugh with friends, her shelves full of records and her beloved typewriter by the wide window. Now she looks on in horror as a young girl, Danielle , is ruthlessly torn apart from her sobbing mother. Etty has always longed for the warm embrace of and trapped inside the maze of barbed wire, she takes fourteen-year-old Danielle under her wing and soon comes to cherish her like a sister.

Every evening, Etty tells Danielle stories, building a beautiful world of imagination and hope for Danielle to escape into. Soon, Etty realises that the other women in their cramped hut are listening too. She encourages them to share their lives, to talk about their darling children running around clutching their favourite toys, the love affairs they once had and the beloved family they’ve already lost. Etty must survive this terrible if only to keep her promise to these brave women that their stories will not be forgotten.

But the more hope Etty gives Danielle, the more chances the young girl begins to take with her life, rebelling against the brutal SS guards and forcing Etty to protect her. And one day, Danielle goes too far…"

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Oh my word, I am an emotional wreck after reading this book!

Let's be honest, books about the Holocaust are always difficult to read and although this is a work of fiction, the story is inspired by a mix of real authors from that time and real events that actually happened which are taken from the witness statements from the people who were there and survived that horrendous period.  It has been said before many times but we can never let something like this happen again ... we just can't! 

I fell in love with all the main characters in this book but admit to Solly and Danielle being my favourites apart from Etty of course and became totally immersed in their stories and I am not ashamed to say that I cried on more than one occasion and had to actually put the book down and stop reading as I couldn't read the words for the tears in my eyes but there were also parts that made me smile.

The Storyteller of Auschwitz is a powerful story of hope and friendship, bravery and survival and how powerful stories can be.

Many, many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this fantastic book that is a must-read.

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Connect with the author:


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Check out another of Siobhan's books I have reviewed:







Sunday, 16 April 2023

To Dream of Shadows by Steve N Lee


Blurb:

"She will save hundreds of lives. But can she save her own?

Inspired by a previously untold true story.

1943. 18-year-old Czech, Inge is torn from her family and imprisoned in some godforsaken hellhole. There, she suffers month after month of torturous labor while praying for liberation by the Allies. But rescue never comes. And her dream of surviving the war dies.

Heinz, an SS Sergeant, has been force-fed the Reich's poison since childhood, but nowadays, he covertly helps prisoners.

So when a random act of kindness thrusts Inge and Heinz together, they can't resist being drawn to one another. Unable to deny their feelings, they dare to dream of a future, a life — together.

But their relationship does not go unnoticed. For Inge and Heinz, falling in love becomes a death sentence. And not just for them, but for all those they care about.

Unless…

Inge makes an unthinkable sacrifice.

Set during history’s darkest hour, “To Dream Of Shadows” is an epic tale of compassion, sacrifice, and the strength of the human spirit.

Discover one of the most heartwarming, heartbreaking, and heroic tales of the Holocaust. Discover “To Dream Of Shadows."

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Oh my word ... what a story!! I don't think there are adequate words that capture adequately how I felt about this book and how good it was ... it was absolutely gripping and I was rivetted from the very first to the very last word ... and it's inspired by a true story.

To Dream of Shadows is a powerful story of survival, loss, resilience, hope and the power of friendship and love; it is a difficult book to read in parts but I was absolutely gripped and devoured it in quick time and have no problem recommending this to those of you who love getting totally immersed in a wonderful book that will have your emotions in tatters and your eyes glued to the words.

Many thanks must go to the author, Steve N Lee, for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of To Dream of Shadows.

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Connect with the author:




 

Sunday, 26 March 2023

The Stable Boy of Auschwitz by Henry Oster & Dexter Ford [Audiobook]


๐ŸŽค๐ŸŽค๐ŸŽค Narrated by William Hope ๐ŸŽค๐ŸŽค๐ŸŽค

Description from Goodreads:

"This heart-wrenching memoir from a Holocaust survivor reveals the terrible realities of life in Auschwitz—and how a courageous young stable boy survived against all odds to tell his story.​ 

“ I couldn’t last much longer. But just as I was beginning to give up, I found myself in the Auschwitz stables, with rows of stalls filled with horses.” 

Henry Oster was just five years old when Adolf Hitler took power in 1933. He was the last survivor of the 2,011 Jews who were rounded up by the Gestapo and deported from Cologne. Assigned to back-breaking labor in the Auschwitz horse-breeding stables, Henry clung to the belief that if he made himself hard to replace, he might stay alive.
 
Henry was one of the 2,011 Jews who were deported from Cologne, through it all, he found the strength to survive and was one of only 23 to emerge alive from the concentration camps after the war.
 
How did one starving boy, alone and forgotten, survive this ultimate hell on earth?

The Stable Boy of Auschwitz is the heart-breaking, mesmerizing, and unforgettable true story that will destroy your faith in humanity . . . and then build it back up again."

Previously published as The Kindness of the Hangman.

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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.

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Learn more about Henry Oster:

USC Shoah Foundation which links to a YouTube recording of his testimony







 

Sunday, 5 February 2023

The Stolen Twins by Shari J. Ryan


๐Ÿ‘‰due to be published 14-Feb-2023๐Ÿ‘ˆ

Description from Goodreads:

"Auschwitz, 1944: “You can’t leave me,” I whisper, my hand trembling as I reach for her cheek. “You can’t. We’re in this life together, always, just you and me.” This utterly heartbreaking yet beautifully hopeful World War Two page-turner tells the story of identical twin sisters in Auschwitz. Born minutes apart, Arina and Nora have never left each other’s side—until now…

The cattle car is dark, except for the light filtering through the boarded windows. There are too many of us to count, crushed up against each other. The air is stuffy, carrying the scent of our terror—none of us know what awaits us when this train stops. I cling onto Mama’s hand and Nora, my twin sister, clutches Papa’s.

After what feels like forever, the train stops. We spill out of the carriage, the sun blinding us after being imprisoned in darkness for so long. There are people everywhere, soldiers separating children from their parents, husbands from wives.

We’re in some sort of queue, and a man in a dark-green SS uniform walks by, glancing at everyone he passes. “Twins, twins,” he shouts. My heart falls into the pit of my stomach.

“Right here,” says Mama, hesitation in her voice. “My daughters are twins.” My eyes widen, and Nora trembles. Papa tries to tell Mama to be quiet, but it’s too late.

The Nazi catches sight of us. “Twins,” he says again, pausing to inspect Nora and me. “Yes, you are, aren’t you? You two are going to come along with me.

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Oh my word ... what a story!! I don't think there are any superlatives that captures adequately how I felt about this book and how good it was ... I was breathless and on pins from the very first to the very last word.

The story is told from the viewpoints of Jewish twins Arina and Nora and from multi timelines from their life with their parents in Hungary, through the horrors of being twins at the hands of the monster that was Mengele in Auschwitz and their road to rebuilding their lives in France and the USA.

It is a powerful story of survival, loss, resilience, hope and the power of love; I was absolutely rivetted and devoured it in quick time and have no problem recommending this to those of you who love getting totally immersed in a wonderful book that will have your emotions in tatters and my thanks must go to Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Stolen Twins.

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Connect with the author:




 

Saturday, 1 October 2022

The Daughter of Auschwitz by Tova Friedman and Malcolm Brabant

 


“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.”
ELIE WIESEL


Description from Goodreads:

"A powerful memoir by one of the youngest ever survivors of Auschwitz, Tova Friedman, following her childhood growing up during the Holocaust and surviving a string of near-death experiences in a Jewish ghetto, a Nazi labor camp, and Auschwitz.

Tova Friedman was only four years old when she was sent to a Nazi labor camp at the start of World War II. While friends and family were murdered in front of her eyes, the only weapon that Tova and her parents possessed was the primal instinct to survive at all costs. Fate intervened when, at the age of six, Tova was sent to a gas chamber, but walked out alive, saved by German bureaucracy. Not long afterwards, she cuddled a warm corpse to hide from Nazis rounding up prisoners for the Death March to Germany.

In this heartrending, lyrical account of a young girl's survival during the Holocaust, Tova Friedman, together with Malcolm Brabant, chronicles the atrocities she witnessed while at Auschwitz, a family secret that sheds light on the unpalatable choices Jews were forced to make to survive, and ultimately, the sources of hope and courage she and her family found to persist against all odds."

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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.

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Connect with the author:



Sunday, 14 June 2020

The Young Survivors by Debra Barnes




⭐⭐⭐ out 23 July 2020 ⭐⭐⭐



Description from Goodreads:

"What if everyone you loved was suddenly taken away?

Five siblings struggle to stay together as the tides of war threaten to tear them apart. When Germany invades and occupies France in the Second World War, the five Laskowski children lose everything: their home, their Jewish community and most devastatingly their parents who are abducted in the night. There is no safe place left for them to evade the Nazis, but they cling together, never certain when the authorities will come for what is left of them.

Inspired by the poignant, true story of the author’s mother, this moving historical novel conveys the hardship, the uncertainty and the impossible choices the Laskowski children were forced to make to survive the horrors of the Holocaust."


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This is not your usual memoir about the Holocaust ... well not one I have ever read before anyway ... it's the true story of what is was like for a family of Jews living in France during World War II.

Written from the perspective of three of the children, the story tells of their harrowing experiences during the German occupation of France and having to move from place to place, losing the adults in their lives and being separated from their siblings.

This is a heart-rending story but also a story of survival, bravery and hope and I want to thank the Duckworth Books Group via JellyBooks for my copy in return for them analysing my reading data and an honest review although this wasn't compulsory.


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Some of the books being provided may have been from uncorrected proofs, not the final pages or audio files (“advance reading copies”). You may see typographical or grammatical errors that will be corrected in the finished book.

The full Jellybooks Privacy Policy can be found here: https://www.jellybooks.com/about/legal/privacy and further specific details about how your data will be used during this particular campaign are set out below:

What data will be collected about me during this campaign?

Jellybooks will be collecting certain elements of your personal data, such as your name, email address, gender and age as well as information about your reading behavior and your feedback on the ebooks.

Who will we share your data with?

Jellybooks will assign you a unique identity number and will share this identity number as well as your reading data with the Sponsor. No information which can identify you personally will be shared with Sponsor. Other than this, your data will not be shared by Jellybooks with any other third parties.

How will my data be used?

The data you send us will be used to help Jellybooks and the Sponsor to better understand the book’s audience, as well as to help improve future content.

The full Privacy Policy for the project’s Sponsor can be found here: [website of publisher's privacy policy].

With that in mind, YOU AGREE AND ACKNOWLEDGE that by clicking the “Sync Reading Stream” button or using the Jellybooks Cloud Reader that the data collected in your reading device or reading application, through your interaction with the eBook, will be sent to Jellybooks, which will analyze the information for the purpose of this project and share it with the Sponsor as described above. If you do not wish your data to be collected and shared in this way, please do not take part in this project.