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TRIGGER WARNING: Nazi brutality and Holocaust detail

Author Etty Weil is prevented from publishing any more books after the anti Jewish laws in France are revealed. She is determined that her voice won’t be silenced but a stay in Drancy leads to deportation to Auschwitz…

The Storyteller of Auschwitz is an historical novel which begins in France in the early 1940s and then follows Etty’s journey as the Nazi ideology is enforced.

Etty is a brave young woman who has abandoned her Jewish faith due to her unhappy childhood. But now she finds herself ostracised for being Jewish and meets others of her faith who restore her belief in the good in the world despite the evil of the Nazi doctrine. Her safety is endangered at every turn and she is eventually captured and sent via Drancy to Auschwitz.

The book is written in the first peron from Etty’s perspective. It is hugely emotive and deeply personal. Etty’s life almost leaps from the page, vividly described and graphically detailed about her experiences and feelings. Amongst the horror of her experience, Etty learns about the strength of human spirit. This book is incredibly powerful and I was swept up in her life. She maintains her hope and therefore so did I, despite the awful things she witnesses and endures.

The strength of friendship, community and faith are important themes in the book. I liked the inclusion of traditional stories to inspire and console. Forgiveness is also crucial to the plot as Etty and Tomasz meet sporadically throughout the book, misunderstanding each other.

The Storyteller of Auschwitz is both beautiful and terrible, full of the brilliant light of spirit whilst not shying away from the hideous depravity of the Holocaust.

Book Description:

Author Bio:

Siobhan Curham is an award-winning author, ghost writer, editor and writing coach. She has also written for many newspapers, magazines and websites, including The Guardian, Breathe magazine, Cosmopolitan, Writers’ Forum, DatingAdvice.com, and Spirit & Destiny. Siobhan has been a guest on various radio and TV shows, including Woman’s Hour, BBC News, GMTV and BBC Breakfast. And she has spoken at businesses, schools, universities and literary festivals around the world, including the BBC, Hay Festival, Cheltenham Festival, Bath Festival, Ilkley Festival, London Book Fair and Sharjah Reading Festival.

https://www.facebook.com/Siobhan-Curham-Author-398343120181969
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https://twitter.com/SiobhanCurham

Buy Link:

Amazon:   https://geni.us/B0C6MF3Z9Rsocial

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TRIGGER WARNING: suicide, child deaths

A teenager is considering suicide, egged on by internet ‘friends’. She is unsure whether to jump when she is helped by a supposed friend. Lexi is quickly on the scene and believes it to be suicide but her nephew knew the victim and is sure that the girl would not have killed herself. Then another suspected suicide’s body is discovered…

The Girl’s Last Cry is the second book in the Lexi Bennett series and I recently reviewed the first book: The Girls On Chalk Hill. There are some mentions of events from the last book but no major spoilers or detail.

The premature deaths of young people is hugely emotive. Lexi understands the pain of grief so is very conscious of how the families will be feeling. Her empathy also underpins her resolve to fully investigate the deaths even though they are probably suicides.

The book is fast paced and full of drama. I was hooked from the very start as the sinister messages encourage teens to take their own life. It is very dark in tone at times but this is softened by Lexi’s compassion. There are plenty of twists as the investigation proceeds and the suspense was maintained until the end.

The Girl’s Last Cry is an engaging and emotive police procedural and crime thriller.

MEDIA PACK

Book: THE GIRL’S LAST CRY 

Author: ALISON BELSHAM

Pub Day: JULY 11th 2023

Buy Link(s):

https://geni.us/B0C1P64PJZsocial 

About the Book: 

The girl lies on the dark ground, one arm flung out as if she is still looking for someone to help her. But her wide eyes are staring upwards, and Lexi knows that it is too late…

Detective Lexi Bennett is walking through the quiet Canterbury streets when she hears screaming. Rushing towards the sound, she finds the body of a teenage girl lying beneath one of the city’s ancient towers. Lexi looks up at the cold grey stone, and vows that she will find answers. Did the girl jump or fall… or was she pushed?

Olivia’s distraught parents say their daughter was a talented musician with everything to live for. Lexi’s nephew, Sam, who knew Olivia, tearfully insists that she would never have taken her own life. But when a note is found, Lexi reluctantly wraps up the case.

Then another teenager is found dead on a deserted path beneath a cliff. Lexi is certain there’s a link, especially when she learns that the boy was a musician too. His note uses the same phrases as Olivia’s, and when a second person’s footprints are found at the scene, Lexi realises she is on the track of a master manipulator… and ruthless killer.

With her boss still unconvinced that the deaths are murders, Lexi races to find proof to back up her hunch, and to understand what lies behind these evil attacks on vulnerable children.

And then she gets a call that fills her with dread. Her nephew Sam is missing.

Can Lexi outsmart a truly brutal monster, or will her own family pay the price?

A totally gripping crime thriller that will have you reading late into the night. Fans of Karin Slaughter, Rachel McLean and J M Dalgliesh will love The Girl’s Last Cry.

Author Bio

Katya dreams of a brighter future as she experiences war. She falls in love with a soldier but they are cruelly separated by her family when she becomes pregnant and is forced to give up the child. Her hopes for the future are embodied in her son but will they ever be reunited…

The Soldier’s Child is an historical novel showing the generations of a family torn apart by war and lies.

I felt so sorry for Katya. She has such passion and determination and wants a better future for herself. Falling in love wasn’t on her radar but was irresistable when she met Sasha. She knows her family won’t approve of the relationship and is prepared to run away to be with him. However, the plan is foiled by her sister in law and Katya is forced to watch her child being raised by others.

There is a sinister and dangerous plot twist as Katya is sent to a prison camp, yet she never loses her hope and focus on her son. The book then changes dynamic as it follows her son Alexander’s story as we hope for a happy reunion.

I felt that the descriptions of the geographical and historical settings were vivid and brought the plot to life. The characters were richly complex which gave an authenticity to their actions and opinions. There is a lot of emotion in this book and I really felt strongly for Katya as she struggles to survive physically and emotionally.

The Soldier’s Child is an emotional and vividly described historical novel. I have previously reviewed The Child of Ukraine by Tetyana Denford.

The Soldier’s Child: A powerful and heartbreaking WW2 saga based on a true story

“He is mine, he is ours,” she whispers, as the tears in her eyes gather in the corners. She holds her baby tightly, her breath coming out in ragged gasps, knowing that she needs to give her child to her brother forever. But will she ever be able to tell her child the truth about who his real mother is?

Ukraine, 1941. War has ripped Katya’s country and heart in two. When two soldiers knock down her door and force her into a truck, she knows deep down that this might be the last time she ever sees home. As she is driven away to a labor camp, she looks out the tiny window at the barren winter landscape and thinks only of her son Alexander, who she was forced to leave behind and may never see again…

Decades later, Katya has tried to rebuild her life after the horrors of war, but she still clings on to the hope of being reunited with her precious son. But whilst Katya has stayed in Ukraine, little does she know that her son moved his family to America years before in search of a better life.

Can she find peace without knowing what happened to him? Will Katya ever be able to reunite with Alexander and tell the truth about who she is? Or will they be defeated by the war that has already taken so much from them?

Based on the incredible true events of the author’s family, this is an emotional and gripping story of family, struggle, and the unwavering strength of hope. Perfect for fans of The Four Winds, Beneath A Scarlet Sky, and All the Light We Cannot See.

Buy link: https://geni.us/B0C37H35WNsocial

About the author

Tetyana Denford grew up in a small town in New York, and is a Ukrainian-American author, translator, and freelance writer. She grew up with her Ukrainian heritage at the forefront of her childhood, and it led to her being fascinated with how storytellers in various cultures passed down their lives to future generations; life stories are where we learn about ourselves, each other, and are the things that matter most, in a world where things move so quickly.

Author social media

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https://www.tetyanadenford.com/

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https://twitter.com/denfordauthor

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Mae is working single handedly in a library with a second job in the evening. She is supporting her little sister and mother after their father is sent to prison and her mum had a stroke. One day she finds celebrity football player Chris asleep in her library and an unsual friendship develops…

The Fake Out is a wonderfully warm and funny book about finding love in unlikely places whilst staying true to yourself.

I loved the quirky and antagonistic relationship that develops between Mae and Chris. Mae is such a wonderful character, selflessly caring for her family. I genuinely cared about her and wanted her to find her ‘happy ever after’. Chris also seems like a thoroughly decent human being and supports charities; again, I really cared about him finding happiness.

Mae is self deprecating and very down to earth. She is just soooo easy to like! I have to mention her friend Ali who is hilarious in the way she stands up to Mae’s ex. There were several laugh out loud moments and the tone of the whole book is lighthearted despite dealing with serious topics such as the aftermath of a stroke and the desperate need to pay medical bills (thank goodness for our NHS!)

The book is written from Mae’s first person perspective so we can understand her huge emotions and dilemmas. I also enjoyed the realistic dialogue especially the banter between Mae and Chris. Every chapter starts with a chat up line (they are so cringe but fun!)

The Fake Out is a hugely enjoyable romantic comedy which carefully balances big emotions with laugh out loud moments.

The Fake Out: An utterly hilarious and totally heart-warming romantic comedy

I can’t lock up the library until the guy asleep at his desk leaves. Thank the universe for audiobooks because I could be here all night. But I see his mouth twitch at the exact moment a steamy kiss takes place. My face burns when I realize my headphones aren’t plugged in and my phone is at full volume.

It’s not every day you see a new face in my small hometown of Two Harts, let alone one belonging to an annoyingly handsome all-star NFL player. But for some reason Chris Sterns has decided that the library where I work is his go-to spot to hide from his mega-fans, and unfortunately, winding me up is his new favorite sport.

Being crowned “world’s sexiest man” has done little to curb his confident charm and when he somehow ropes me into his two-person book club, I can’t help warming to his endless positivity.

But when a photo of him stumbling out of a Las Vegas club with a woman in tow is leaked to the press, I can’t help but question whether his good boy persona is just an act.

And that’s far from the only answer I’m left searching for when Chris pops the question I’ve only ever heard in my favorite romance books. Did he really just ask me to marry him?

It’s not the proposal I was expecting, but with my mom’s medical bills piling up faster than I can pay them, and with the scandal threatening to ruin everything Chris has worked for; could an engagement be the perfect fake out for us both? Or is this a game we’ll both lose?

A totally uplifting and addictive friends-to-lovers romance full of laugh-out-loud moments. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Sarah Adams and Olivia Dade.

Buy link: https://geni.us/B0C5MN74P1social

About the author:

Sharon M. Peterson is a former middle school teacher and has the personality to prove it. One of her favorite quotes is from Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath: “It was her habit to build up laughter out of inadequate materials.” She strives to tackle life that way and create characters who do the same. She lives in Washington with her husband and four children, including two autistic sons. Sharon has one cat, two dogs, one tattoo, and an intense fear of poodles (don’t ask). She can usually be found hunched over her computer, creating characters and stories she hopes you’ll love as much as she does.

Author social media:

Website

https://sharonmpeterson.com/

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https://www.facebook.com/SharonMPetersonAuthor/

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https://www.instagram.com/stone4031/

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Katie is frustrated with her family life. Taken for granted by her husband and children, she becomes fixated on a local doctor which has dangerous consequences…

The Bad Wife is a psychological thriller and domestic drama set in the UK.

Katie is really struggling with her relationships with her husband and kids. Communication has completely broken down and she desperately wants some meaningful human contact. A chance encounter with a caring doctor leads her to imagine what she is missing out on and gradually she inserts herself into Joe’s life.

The book is written in the third person which helps to provide a distance from the emotion and events. There is plenty of tension as the plot progresses and Katie struggles to find her way. I felt dreadfully sorry for Katie to start with. Her emotion and unhappiness are easy to relate to and sympathise with. Yet her actions become increasingly irrational and unacceptable. Things spiral and escalate out of Katie’s control.

I was completely absorbed by this story and eager to keep reading to find out how things would work out. The style of writing is easy to read and the characters felt authentic.

The Bad Wife is an enjoyable book about trying to find happiness but getting lost in a lie.

The Bad Wife

A married woman’s lust for a stranger compels her to risk everything, in this new suspense by the bestselling author of His Other Woman.

It’s just a small picture in the local paper—Katie can’t explain why it sets her heart racing. But hiding the photo of local GP Joe Harvey in her bag sets in motion a chain of events that will dramatically alter her life forever.

Driven by a unhealthy desire for a man she hardly knows, the mother of two begins to worm her way into Joe’s life, knowing it’s reckless but still unable to control herself. As her obsession intensifies, Katie’s world becomes increasingly stressful and she’s forced to cover her tracks by lying to everyone around her. Katie’s dancing with danger, and there will be consequences. And while she can’t live without him, Joe barely knows she exists . . . yet.

Purchase Link – loom.ly/g0p0SUU

Author Bio –

Sarah Edghill worked as a journalist for many years, before turning to fiction. She has been short-listed in several short story and novel competitions and lives in Gloucestershire with her husband, three (mostly grown-up) children and far too many animals. Her debut novel, A Thousand Tiny Disappointments, was published in September 2021 and her second novel, His Other Woman, followed in May 2022 and was a Kindle Best Seller.

Social Media Links –

FB – https://www.facebook.com/SarahEdghillAuthor

I – https://www.instagram.com/sarah.edghill/

T –  https://twitter.com/EdghillSarah

www.sarahedghill.com