Book Title: The Secret Holocaust Diaries: The Untold Story of Nonna Bannister
Author: Nonna Bannister
Version: ebook
Published: April 1st, 2009
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Number of Pages: 244
ISBN: 9781414330242
Genre: Holocaust Non-Fiction
Voice: First Person Diary
I want to do this review a little differently, mainly because this was a very different type of book. Nonna Bannister was a holocaust survivor. She lost her entire family, went through quite a number of the various work camps, and almost lost her life on more then one occasion. Through it all she kept diaries, scraps of paper hidden taped to her body or tucked into the straw of a mattress. She wrote everything down, the last good times she had with her family, the day her brother was taken away and never seen again, the death of her father, the baby she watched being killed. Every detail of her time was written down and remembered vividly.
When she was an old woman living in America with her husband, her children long moved out, she finally revealed to her husband what she had been hiding from him all their lives together. She showed him her diaries, that she had been slowly translating into English. What he learned shook him to his core and made him love and respect his wife all the more.
I have always been morbidly fascinated with WWII, mainly because I just don't understand it. I can't understand how it happened or why it did. Many people feel this way but I seek to learn all I can about it in order to understand any part of it that I can. Once I learned that this was about the holocaust I was intrigued. To tell the truth I hadn't yet read anything about what it was like for Russians during WWII and so I was doubly intrigued about this.
I started to read it and I was slightly disappointed. As it was a diary, mainly a child's diary, the writing was slightly disjointed and not all that great. To make matters worse there were interjections from the editors explaining a phrase or word that broke up the flow of the story in rather uncomfortable ways. All of that is not to say that this wasn't an incredible story. Because it really was an intense and moving story. Reading about all that Nonna saw and went through was tough but inspiring because she survived it. She wasn't bitter or overly depressed about any of it, Nonna Bannister was a really amazing woman.
When she passed away her family made sure that her tale was told, not to seek retribution or fame but just so that her amazing story was shared with the world and so that the world would know what a truly beautiful survivor she was. I'm glad I read it, it is a story that should indeed be read by all. It is rather hard to describe what it was like reading this because it is such a personal story and each reader has to experience it for themselves. This book is one that everyone has to decide on their own if they want to read it or not. I will say these things though, it is an intense read, it isn't all that well written or put together, but it is beautiful in many ways and very inspiring. Nonna Bannister was a woman to look up to in many ways and her diaries show the truth of that over and over again. "The Secret Holocaust Diaries" is something that needs to be shared and so I am sharing it with you dear readers and I hope that you find the time to read it because seeing how Nonna Bannister makes it through is truly mind boggling.
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In The Garden of Beasts
Book Title: Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Author: Jennifer Rardin
Version: Mass Market (Pocket sized) Paperback
Published: July 1st, 2009
Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 9780316043540
Genre: Paranormal Ficiton
Voice: First Person
Number of Pages: 335
DISCLAIMER: I know that I have mentioned this series once or twice before. But I have never reviewed the books one by one or in full and I love this series and seem unable to go long without reading it again. So here is the first in a series of reviews where I plan to review each book in the series in order from the first to the last. They will not be one right after the other but I will get to all eight.
SYNOPSIS: Meet Jaz Parks a wise cracking, tough talking, bad ass assassain who happens to work for a vampire. Vayl, her vampire boss, is one of the most skilled assassins the CIA has. Together the two of them, along with the many voices in Jaz's head, make up the most elite paranormal team the CIA employs. And although their styles clash a lot of the time, he's a proper gentleman born, raised, and born again in the 1700's, and she's more of a loose cannon type enjoying to kill all the bad guys and ask questions and do paper work never, they always get the job done.
In the first adventure they are after a very wealthy plastic surgeon who has ties to terrorism. They think that it's going to be an open and shut assassination, go in kill and be done with it. When they discover that his ties are a little less human and much more deadly they find themselves in rather murky waters. They discover that not only are their enemies more of the supernatural, mainly of the vampire variety, but they also have a much more deadly plan then just kill off a few innocent bystanders. What they discover can very easily turn into the end of the world if Vayl and Jaz (and her many personalities) don't stop it in time.
Along the way to saving the world in a timely manner Jaz and Vayl meet some new friends. Cassandra, a very old, beautiful, and amazingly right on psychic. As well as the childlike super sleuth Cole who has a fondness for high tops and bubble gum and unfortunately for him a strange fondness for Jaz. Together the four of them embark on one of the most intricate and interesting adventures that Jaz and Vayl have been on yet. The only question is can they survive it?
REVIEW: I found this book by accident to tell the truth. I was in this amazing used bookstore in Northern California called The Almost Perfect Bookstore with a friend and we were searching around rather aimlessly. I found this book stuffed between a couple others and I was intrigued by the description on the back cover and so for about $2 or so I decided to pick it up. I read it and all I could think was "I want more!" This entered me into a world of trying to find every Jaz Parks book I could. But this was the beginning of the obsession.
The writing was slick and quick, funny, and utterly engaging. Jennifer Rardin's style is a wonderful blend of humor and simplicity. In fact it's the perfect blend of the two a blend that I found I couldn't get enough of. I found that her way of telling a story is one that engaged me so much I would find myself unable to do really anything other than read. And that really is the mark of a truly fantastic book.
The story is sharp and full of mystery and a whole new take on the vampire genre. Really a whole new take on the paranormal genre and that really is something that is hard to find. So my hat goes off to Jennifer Rardin for finding a new way to tell a tale. The fact that it is told through Jaz's perspective makes it even more enjoyable. Watching the way Jaz thinks and processes information makes it so tangible and almost delectable in it's telling. Jaz has a wonderful mind, even if she has more then one inhabitant in it, and spending time there is utterly delightful.
I didn't go into that much detail in the synopsis because the book is so rich and full of surprises and tastey tidbits that I really didn't want to give too much away. It's just one of those books that you have to read to really find out about. I highly recommend this book to everyone just because it's that fun, witty, and great. It's a truly fantastic read, the whole series is, and I can't see anyone not enjoying it as a fun, quick read!
Book Title: The Raven Boys
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Version: ARC
Publication Date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Number of Pages: 908
Genre: Teen/YA Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: In a world where the most important thing in a teens life is whether or not they have the right car and the most up-to-date cell phone, Blue Sargent can be considered an outsider. For her the most important thing in life is making sure she never falls in love and never kisses a guy, there-by avoiding killing him. Living in a house full of seers and psychics has become run of the mill for Blue just as having everyone of them warn her that her first kiss with her true love will kill him. Although Blue has never had the same talents as her mother she has a rather unique talent of her own. While in the presence of Blue whatever magic is around is magnified making it easier for her mother or whichever psychic is using her to do a reading or see the dead on St. Mark's Eve.
Every year Blue has sat next to her mother in the cemetery enhancing Maura's ability to see the line of soon-to-be-dead souls. This year one of Blue's 'aunts' Neeve has taken up the watch and brought Blue along with her. Thinking this is just going to be a year like any other Blue is startled when she actually sees a spirit boy on the line. Surprised and a little unnerved Blue goes up to the boy and asks his name, he at first seems to be so dazed that he wanders off without responding. Following him Blue asks again for his name, finally at the entrance to an abandoned church he looks right at her and mutters 'Gansey.' With this knowledge Blue becomes determined to find out all she can about this mysterious boy and hopefully prevent his death.
Meanwhile the real, very much alive Gansey, a rich, intense, student at the very prestigious Aglionby School, is trying to figure out the very strange experience he had. He went out on St. Mark's Eve with a tape recorder hoping to record some ghostly voices. What he recorded instead was a girl's voice asking 'what's your name' and his voice replying 'Gansey.' Putting this on his list of things to figure out he calls his best friends and tells them all about it. They decide to make an appointment with a psychic named Maura to get some answers.
When Blue hears that a boy named Gansey has made an appointment with her mother she begins to get nervous. Wondering who this boy is and what it could possibly mean that she saw him on St. Mark's Eve. When Gansey shows up to her house with his friends, Adam and Ronan, they all realize who's voice it was on the recorder. Joining together the new friends embark on an adventure that is not only an adventure of a lifetime but one that takes all of them into a darker and deeper place then they ever expected.
REVIEW: I know that there isn't much to the synopsis but this is such an intricate book and so full of mystery that I felt as if I had to keep a lot hidden. I guess you'll just have to go out and buy it in September to find out the details.
This was a surprisingly great book. I got it at the book expo that I attended last month and although I was interested it didn't scream out at me. As I have said before I don't usually read YA/Teen books so I was sceptical. But as soon as I started reading and realized it was dark and full of mystical and spiritual stuff I was hooked. The story was full bodied and amazingly put together. It was the perfect blend of fantasy, fiction, darkness and mystery. I found that the story hooked me so well that I was unable to put the book down. The mark of a truly great read.
The writing was superb and that's really all there is to that. Maggie Stiefvater has a voice that is unlike any that I have come across before. It is dark and beautiful in a perfect combination that makes it extremely difficult to put the book down. Ms. Stiefvater's writing was so well balanced and put together that this is a book that I will not only remember for a very long time but made it a book that I am sure to pick up again.
I highly recommend this book to everyone. It is a book that I think will speak to people of all ages and of all temperaments. I have to say that this is one of those books that you should mark your calender about and go out and buy as soon as it's released. Spend the money on the hardback or the ebook and let yourself in for a really fantastic adventure.
Book Title: Between the Lines
Authors: Jodi Picoult, Samantha van Leer
Version: Hardback
ISBN: 9781451635751
Published: June 26th, 2012
Publisher: Emily Bestler/Atria/Simon Pulse
Number of Pages: 358
Genre: Teen Fantasy
SYNOPSIS: Have you ever wondered what happens when you close the covers of your favorite book? What if it wasn't as simple as when you read the words 'the end' everything really did stop? Imagine that there was a whole cast of characters that every time the pages of their story were opened went to work and put on a play that as a Reader we found fascinating and full of adventure. Wishing we could switch places with the princess trapped in a tower or the prince that saved her. Imagine that they thought we had the life of adventure and would do anything to switch places with us.
Meet Oliver a prince who was born never knowing his father and without courage. When he grows up and is told about a princess in distress he knows that despite never learning how to fight Oliver decides to go in search of Princess Seraphima to save her from the evil Rapscullio. And so with his trusty steed Socks and his sidekick Frump the dog he sets off on the adventure of his lifetime. This of course is only what happens when the fairy tale Between the Lines is being read by a Reader. When the tale is closed however Prince Oliver is more likely to be found playing chess on the beach and trusty Frump, who can actually talk, is usually found mooning over Princess Seraphima and ordering everyone around. Evil Rapscullio is more likely to be found catching butterflies. But as soon as the pages open every one knows their places.
Although Oliver puts up a good front for his fellow actors he is really quite miserable doing the same thing again and again. And though actually kissing Seraphima is pleasant he finds her rather annoying. For years he has tried, with no success, to contact a Reader on the outside. All he wants is to experience what life is like in the real world. He is sure that the adventures awaiting him there have to be better than playing the same part over and over again.
Meet Delilah a teenage girl perpetually on the outside in high school. After a small accident involving a baseball bat and the most popular girl in school Delilah has sort of become the cautionary tale. She seems to find her place amoungst books and stories and when she finds Between the Lines stuffed between some books in the school library she is intrigued. Taking it home she reads it cover to cover and despite the fact that it is a children's story she falls in love with it. Delilah reads it over and over again falling in love with the story and mostly in love with Prince Oliver. When Delilah notices an image of a chess board on the beach that hadn't been there before Oliver thinks that she just might be the one to save him.
Oliver attempts to make contact and when Delilah responds Oliver knows that he has found his ally. Together the two of them embark on an adventure to try and get Oliver out of his world and into Delilah's. In the process they find themselves falling in love and forming a connection that Delilah had only ever read about. This connection that both of them feel make it even more important to get Oliver out of the book and into real life. A challenge that seems impossible but one that they are determined to overcome together.
REVIEW: As I have stated a couple of times on here I love all things Jodi Picoult. So when I found out that she was coming out with a teen book co-written by her daughter I was intrigued. As soon as it came out I went to work and borrowed it. I read it in a few days and I actually really, really enjoyed it. The idea that a book comes to life after the pages are closed is something that makes me smile. And because I love books so much I am naturally inclined to read and love books about books. So from the beginning I was excited and couldn't wait to see what happened next.
Going into it knowing that not only did Samantha van Leer co-write the book but also came up with the idea for the book intrigued me even more. I found that the story was well imagined and well thought out. It was an interesting story that I haven't come across before, and with all I have read that is saying something. I loved the story because of the newness of it and of course it was all about the real lives of the characters in books.
I get nervous when there are two or more writers because I worry that the writing won't be cohesive. But I guess being related and working side by side must have helped because the writing was excellent all around. Each chapter flowed easily into the next and the chapters that were part of the fairy tale within the book were perfectly put together. I loved that they added those chapters in because it gave us, as readers a chance to see Oliver playing his role, we read what Delilah was reading and found out just why she loved the tale so much. I thought that the writing, all of it, was brilliantly done, extrememly seamless and well put together.
I found that the more I read the more I wanted to read. I couldn't put it down once I picked it up. I mark that as a very successful read. This is a book that I would recommend to everyone. I think that it will appeal a great deal to teens but also to anyone who really loves books. I also think that this will be a great book to give someone who is on the fence about reading. I feel that this is a book that is fun and interesting enough to tip those unsure readers into the 'yes I love to read' column. It's a fabulous book that you just have to go pick up today. Believe me it is a fun enough ride that it will be worth it.
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