In this post are two shorter reviews of books that are set in other countries that I highly recommend. Both provided two things I love: rich historical detail and strong, interesting characters. Both are also set in places I’ve visited: Budapest and Pompeii. The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper Recommended by Lory at Entering the…
In some ways, every Holocaust story is like every other: the horrors endured, the unbelievable cruelty, watching family members die, and having to make unimaginable decisions to survive. But in other ways, every Holocaust story is unique, as is this one. Born in 1927 in Tarnograd, Poland, Mala had a happy childhood until 1939, when…
The first time I heard about this book, I was struck by how much it sounded like my own family. Neumann grew up in Venezuela, but her father was born in Czechoslovakia. He survived the Holocaust but never talked about it, and she grew up not knowing any of his family, except for her father’s…
If you’re looking for a book that explores the horrors of the Holocaust but does so in a really beautiful way, I recommend this book. It begins in Berlin, where a mother, Hanna, is trying desperately to save her daughter Lea. She learns that there is a rabbi in town who knows how to create a…
I didn’t have a chance to review any of the books I read in December because I was traveling, so I’m posting some mini-reviews of the more interesting books I read during my trip: Lethal White by Robert Galbraith: I will only say here that I was disappointed with this entry in the series, which…
This month I torpedoed my 20 Books of Summer list by signing up for a pile of NetGalleys and ARCs. I’m not saying I regret those reads, which were quite good; something just made me go “off-list” this month. Otherwise, my July was all about my sister – I got to visit her in Wisconsin…
I always love reading Newbery award winners, and Lois Lowry has written many great books for children, including The Giver. So this book has been on my TBR list for a while. Considering my family’s history, learning more about the Holocaust is important to me. So many books have been written on the subject, but…
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the Disney Book Group. The book will be released September 10, 2013. Rose Justice is a nineteen year old American pilot who is ferrying Allied fighter planes in Britain for the Air Transport Auxiliary Service. Rose is young enough that, unlike her fellow…
I feel like the last person to read this book, so there isn’t too much I can add to the conversation. This is a book that pops up on most bloggers’ “best book” list. I worried that it wouldn’t live up to such high praise, but it absolutely does. I started this book twice and…
“It’s Monday! What are you reading?” is a weekly event hosted by Sheila at Bookjourney to share with others what you’ve read the past week and planning to read next. Happy Monday everyone! I for one am still recovering from our long and tortured trip back to the U.S. Let’s just say our travel day lasted…
Greetings from Budapest! It’s hard to believe our two week vacation will be drawing to a close in a few days. It’s been an exhausting and enriching experience. We’ve explored three major European cities in the last nine days, each with its own language, history, and currency. My math skills have been sorely tested on…
I felt a little bad putting this book down halfway through — it is, after all, a book about the Holocaust. But I will just say this: even if a book is about the Holocaust, it still ought to be well-written. Those Who Save Us is about Anna and her daughter Trudie, and begins in…
The Book Stop 