The Children of Berlin by Sharon Maas

Synopsis from the Publisher:

"‘I will never forgive you! You had a choice. You could have listened to your mother, your brother, your father, but you chose to listen to those monsters. And that choice remains with you. Forever.’

Berlin, 1933. Leah and Magda have been inseparable for as long as they can remember, and one beautiful summer’s day in their courtyard, they vow nothing will ever come between their friendship. But Leah could never have predicted the darkness looming just around the corner…

As Hitler comes to power and the Nazi Party gain even more influence, Magda proudly tells Leah she has decided to join the Hitler Youth. Leah’s blood runs cold before she begs Magda to change her mind – because Leah is Jewish. Magda refuses, and heartbroken Leah knows this will not only destroy their friendship, but put her life in mortal danger. Suddenly, the only light in her life is Magda’s brother Markus, who is furious at his sister and vows to do everything he can to keep Leah safe.

As Magda becomes more entrenched in the Nazi Party, Leah’s life starts to shatter as the Gestapo raid her home, sending her beloved brother Aaron to a concentration camp. Devastated, Leah and her parents are forced to flee and hide. Desperate to save Leah, Markus decides the only way he can help stop the Nazis and his sister is to infiltrate the party as an undercover resistance fighter. But will Magda see through his lie, and how far will she go to prove her loyalty to her Führer?"

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I am becoming a fan of historical fiction and this book has only cemented that opinion.

Leah and Magda grew up as best friends but their friendship is put to the ultimate test when the monster that was Hitler came to power and everything changed.

The story is told from both Leah's and Magda's perspectives; Leah's from her memories and Magda's in letter form.  I have to admit that I preferred Leah's story as Magda's was a little repetitive and 'wordy' however it did show how easy it was for people to be brainwashed and to take a path in their lives that has far reaching and devastating consequences for them and those they love.

The Children of Berlin is a gripping and powerful story of love, loss, bravery and forgiveness and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to those who enjoy this genre and many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this book.

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Don't Swipe Right by L.M. Chilton

Synopsis from Goodreads:

"Finding true love can be murder.

Gwen Turner, 29, entrepreneur and part-time barista.

Likes: true-crime podcasts, cheese-based snacks (the more unnaturally orange the better) and constantly refreshing her dating apps.

Dislikes: two-day hangovers, people who refer to themselves as entrepreneurs... and discovering her latest match is actually a serial killer (probably should have put that top of the list).

They say romance is dead – but if Gwen can’t catch the mystery killer who’s targeting every man she’s ever dated – it’s about to get a whole lot more deadly…"

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This is a debut novel for the author and, in my opinion, a pretty successful one at that.

Gwen is trying to move on after the end of a long-term relationship and she does this by throwing herself into finding a new man by using a dating app.  Unfortunately, things don't work out quite how she would want with her experiencing some pretty dodgy dates but when those dates start turning up dead, Gwen comes under the spotlight of the police.  

Gwen, for me, wasn't the most likeable character and she did do things that made me roll my eyes at times but I did like her sarcasm and sense of humour which made me giggle.

The plot is intriguing and engrossing, the writing is easy to read and the pace is good.  There are twists and turns which kept me guessing who the murderer was until the end and it all came together very nicely.

Overall, a pretty good debut novel and one I would recommend and thank you to Aria & Aries, Head of Zeus and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of Don't Swipe Right.

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The Trial by Rob Rinder

 

💥💥💥 due to be published 22-June-2023 💥💥💥

Description from Goodreads:

"ONE MURDER. ONE IMPOSSIBLE CASE. WHO IS GUILTY?

When hero policeman Grant Cliveden dies from a poisoning in the Old Bailey, it threatens to shake the country to its core.

The evidence points to one man. Jimmy Knight has been convicted of multiple offences before and defending him will be no easy task. Not least because this is trainee barrister Adam Green's first case.

But it will quickly become clear that Jimmy Knight is not the only person in Cliveden's past with an axe to grind.

The only thing that's certain is that this is a trial which will push Adam - and the justice system itself - to the limit . . ."

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I like reading the odd court room drama but find they can be a little dry and lacking in excitement sometimes but The Trial isn't one of those books and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

In Rob Rinder's debut novel, he has created a veritable smorgasbord of excellent characters, a totally engrossing story with twists and turns and all written at a good pace.  I particularly liked the chapters given over to conversations and messages between Adam and his mother, who is determined to marry him off to a good Jewish girl, which adds humour to the story.

Although a work of fiction, it is clear that Mr Rinder has put a lot of his own experiences into the book which added a level of authenticity and realism without it being dry and boring and I, for one, hope there is more to come as I want to know how Adam develops as a barrister and to make sure he is eating enough and/or whether he finds a nice Jewish girl!!!!

Many thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Trial.

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Terminal Threat (A Leine Basso Thriller #13) by D.V. Berkom

💥💥💥 due to be published 12-July-2023 💥💥💥

Description from Goodreads:

"A former assassin makes a new start in a small town on the coast of Italy, but puts herself squarely in the sights of an old enemy when she helps the townspeople fight back against the local crime boss.

Leine Basso is settling into her new life in a quiet village in Italy when a small-time crook threatens the town. Leine steps in to help, drawing the attention of an old adversary who she thought was long gone.

When her enemy learns that Leine is still alive, he orders her assassination. But Leine is not an easy target, and she eliminates the hired guns sent to kill her. Frustrated by his failed attempts, her adversary vows to take vengeance and kill her himself.

As tension builds and the threat escalates, Leine's past collides with her present, blurring the line between friend and foe. In a breathtaking showdown, Leine unleashes her deadly skills to protect not only herself but the tight-knit community she has grown to love. Will she succeed--or will her enemy destroy everything she holds dear?

With adrenaline-pumping action and a formidable female lead, D.V. Berkom takes readers on a thrilling ride as Leine fights to protect her new home and herself from the ultimate terminal threat."

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Once again, DV has surpassed herself and created another enthralling adventure to add to the already amazing Leine Basso back catalogue which just keeps getting better and better.  I think with this one, it works well as a standalone but I would recommend reading the rest of the series as you won't be disappointed.

Ava (aka Leine) has decided to retire and move to a village in Italy to open a book shop.  Sounds idyllic and simple?  Well ... with Leine nothing is that straightforward and when she gets embroiled in the death of a local villager and a local racketeer, it's not only her life that is under threat but the life of the entire village and so she engages her colleagues from her previous life to help out with heart-stopping consequences.

As with DV's previous books, it is littered with excellent characters with Leine being one of my all-time favourites; she is strong, brave, not afraid to kick bottoms but with a soft side that is endearing.  The story is exciting, the pace is fast and the setting is perfect.

All-in-all, this is another hit for me and one I won't hesitate to recommend to lovers of books that are full of action with a strong female lead.  I can also highly recommend this series and once again, thank you to D.V for accepting me as a member her ARTeam and for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of Terminal Threat and my hungry eyes can't wait to read the next!

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More of D.V. Berkom's books I have read and reviewed:

The Body Market (Leine Basso #4)

The Last Deception (Leine Basso #6)

Dark Return (Leine Basso #7)

Absolution (Leine Basso #8)

Dakota Burn (Leine Basso #9)

Shadow of the Jaguar (Leine Basso#10)

A Plague of Traitors (Leine Basso #11)

Fatal Objective (Leine Basso #12)

Making Leine (A Leine Basso Prequel)

Retribution (A Claire Whitcomb Western #1)

Gunslinger (A Claire Whitcomb Western #2)

Legend (A Claire Whitcomb Western #3)

 

Conviction by Jack Jordan

🌟🌟 Due to be published 21-June-2023 🌟🌟

Description from Goodreads:

"TO STEAL A MAN'S FREEDOM ALL IT TAKES IS . . . CONVICTION

Wade Darling stands accused of killing his wife and teenage children as they slept before burning the family home to the ground. 

 

When the case lands on barrister Neve Harper’s desk, she knows it could be the career making case she’s been waiting for. But only if she can prove Wade’s innocence. 

A matter of days before the case, as Neve is travelling home for the night, she is approached by a man. He tells her she must lose this case or the secret about her own husband’s disappearance will be revealed.

 

Failing that, he will kill everyone she cares about until she follows orders.

 

Neve must make a choice – betray every principle she has ever had by putting a potentially innocent man in prison, or risk putting those she loves in mortal danger."

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This is a really good legal thriller that had me flicking my Kindle screen at break-neck speed to find out what further twists were to be revealed.

Neve is a top lawyer so when she is handed the case of defending Wade Darling after his original barrister jumped in front of a train, she sees the opportunities open before her to make her name as a top barrister.  Unfortunately, she has a secret that she is desperate to keep hidden but someone knows and threatens to reveal it if she doesn't lose the trial.  What should she do?  Throw the trial and destroy herself or defend her client to the best of her ability and threaten not only herself but those she loves?

Conviction is a rollercoaster of a ride that builds and builds with tension, full of twists and turns that had me hanging on every page not knowing what was going to happen next.  Full of great characters and written at a fast pace, I would recommend to lovers of great thrillers and courtroom dramas.

Definitely one of my reads of 2023 and thanks must go to Simon & Schuster UK and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of Conviction.

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Read my review of the audiobook "Do No Harm" also by Jack Jordan: