Posted on February 16, 2022 Leave a Comment
Seven decades after arriving in New York from war-torn Europe, Jay Sommer is losing his memory, erasing stories of his family, his escape from a labor camp, the important memories of his past. This has his son, Jason Sommer, reflecting on the trip he took with his father in 2001 to retrace his father’s steps across Eastern Europe and to visit the place where members of his family were murdered, Auschwitz.
This is an incredibly touching memoir that seeks to serve two purposes. The first is to preserve the story of Jay Sommer, a survivor the Holocaust. The second is a son’s search for understanding of and connection to his father. A relationship made more complex as the result of generational trauma.
It was very moving to see the growth in connection between father and son as they made their way across Eastern Europe, as they made discoveries and recovered Jay’s buried memories of lost family members.
I’d like to thank the author for the free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. Shmuel’s Bridge is scheduled for release on March 15, 2022.
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By Elan Barnehama Escape Route, set is 1960s New York, opens with Zach’s Bar Mitzvah. As the Vietnam War reaches it’s peak, Zach becomes fixated with the war. As the son of first generation Holocaust survivors, Zach is fearful of history repeating itself and his family being rounded up. So, with the help of his…
By Judy Bolton-Fasman Judy Bolton-Fasman’s memoir details her investigation into her family’s past, in an effort to uncover answers to her long-held questions about her parents, including their unlikely union. Separated by a seventeen year age gap, Bolton-Fasman’s father, an Ashkenazi, was 40-years-old when he married his Spanish and Ladino speaking, Sephardic 24-year-old bride. After…
By Anne Montgomery Kate Butler maintains her investigative journalism career by freelancing. Her latest project, focused on the discovery of a tomb in the Arizona desert, is near Flagstaff. Artifacts found at the site indicate the individual buried was a magician. When inconsistencies in the magician’s appearance raise questions about his origins, Butler is carried…
Welcome to my November Wrap-Up! I’ve exceeded my 2021 Goodreads reading goal and discovered some wonderful new authors. If you’ve missed any of my weekly reading lists or reviews, here is your chance to catch up. It has been a fantastic month of books. I’ve enjoyed some of the best books of the year this…
Welcome to my December Wrap-Up! I’ve exceeded my 2021 Goodreads reading goal and discovered some wonderful new authors. If you’ve missed any of my weekly reading lists or reviews, here is your chance to catch up. I’ve continued to make progress on my Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ list, although, a few new titles have been…
Welcome to my January Wrap-Up! I managed to cross twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already one third of the way to my reading goal for the year. I’ve had the opportunity to review three wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation.…
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Posted on February 15, 2022 Leave a Comment
With thirty-eight books complete so far this year, I am now fifty-one percent of the way to my reading goal of seventy-five books. I probably should have set a higher goal for myself this year!
First on my list The Prophetess by Evonne Marzouk. I normally will not accept YA literature for review but I made a rare exception in this case because the premise of this story intrigued me. Some of my studies lately have been focused on discovering the soul’s purpose in this world which is a central theme in this story.
I’m also spending a little time on non-fiction this week with the audiobook edition of Appeasement by Tim Bouverie exploring the time period between Hitler’s rise to power in Germany and Germany’s invasion of Poland. Bouverie explores the failed diplomacy and policies that led to world conflict.
My other three audiobook selections are suspense and thriller stories. Two genres that are guilty pleasures for me. I enjoy trying to piece together the author’s clues and figure out the conclusions before I reach them. This week, I’ll be enjoying Lies by T.M. Logan, Under My Skin by Lisa Unger, and Three Little Lies by Laura Marshall.
Join the conversation! Tell me your thoughts on any of your favorites on this week’s list in the comments.
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The Prophetess tells a modern story about Rachel, an American teenage girl called to join a secret community of Jewish prophets. The story weaves Jewish tradition, mysticism, modern Jewish American life, and discovery of Israel into a coming-of-age story of a girl discovering her power and purpose in life. The book is targeted at young adults but is also very appropriate for all ages.
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When Sasha disappears, Ellen fears the worst. Then long-buried secrets resurface, Ellen realizes she may not know Sasha — or what she’s capable of — at all.
2005: 17 year old Ellen falls under the spell of glamorous newcomer, Sasha. As Ellen is welcomed into Sasha’s family, she doesn’t see the darkness that lies beneath their musical, bohemian lifestyle. At a New Year’s Eve party, events come to a dramatic head, resulting in a court case (in which Ellen is a key witness) that means family life at the Corner House will never be the same again.
2018: Now 30, Ellen and Sasha are still entwined in each other’s lives and sharing a flat in London. When Sasha disappears, Ellen fears the worst. She has gone missing like this before and the police won’t take it seriously, but long-buried events in their shared past mean that Ellen has good reason to be frightened – not only for Sasha, but also for herself. Finding out the truth about what really happened on New Year’s Eve twelve years ago puts Ellen in terrible danger, and forces her to confront not only the past, but how well she really knows her best friend.
What if the nightmares are actually memories?
It’s been a year since Poppy’s husband, Jack, was murdered during his morning run through Manhattan’s Riverside Park. In the immediate aftermath, Poppy spiraled into grief, disappearing for several days only to turn up ragged and confused wearing a tight red dress she didn’t recognize. What happened to Poppy during those lost days? And more importantly, what happened to Jack?
The case was never solved, and Poppy has finally begun to move on. But those lost days have never stopped haunting her. Poppy starts having nightmares and blackouts, unable to distinguish between what is real and what she’s imagining. When she begins to sense that someone is following her, Poppy is plunged into a game of cat and mouse, determined to unravel the mystery around her husband’s death. But can she handle the truth about what really happened?
book for review, please visit Contact Me and complete the form. I’ll review your request and respond within 48 hours. I’m also happy to work with authors on interviews. To set up an interview, please use the same form.
Six days ago, Joe Lynch was a happily married man, a devoted father, and a respected teacher living in a well-to-do London suburb. But that was before he spotted his wife’s car entering a hotel parking garage. Before he saw her in a heated argument with her best friend’s husband. Before Joe confronted the other man in an altercation where he left him for dead, bleeding and unconscious.
Now, Joe’s life is unraveling. His wife has lied to him. Her deception has put their entire family in jeopardy. The man she met at the hotel has vanished. And as the police investigate his disappearance, suspicion falls on Joe.
Unable to trust the woman he loves, Joe finds himself at the mercy of her revelations and deceits, unsure of who or what to believe. All he knows is that her actions have brought someone dangerous into their lives—someone obsessed with her and determined to tear Joe’s world apart.
What if your whole life was based on LIES?
A gripping new history of the British appeasement of the Third Reich on the eve of World War II
On a wet afternoon in September 1938, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain stepped off a plane and prepared to address the crowd of journalists, Cabinet Ministers and well-wishers waiting at Heston airfield. Chamberlain had just returned from Munich, where he had averted the greatest crisis of the century. Under his leadership, Britain and France had conceded the German-speaking fringe of Czechoslovakia to Hitler, after which the Führer was persuaded to sign a joint declaration symbolizing “the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again.” The cost had been high, but Chamberlain’s eleventh-hour gamble had, the Prime Minister boasted, secured “peace for our time.” Less than a year later, Germany invaded Poland and the deadliest conflict in human history began.
Appeasement is a groundbreaking history of the disastrous years of indecision, failed diplomacy and parliamentary infighting that enabled Hitler’s domination of Europe. Drawing on deep archival research and sources not previously seen by historians, Tim Bouverie has created an unforgettable portrait of the ministers, dukes and debutantes who, through their actions and inaction, shaped their country’s policy and determined the fate of Europe.
Beginning with the advent of Hitler in 1933, we embark on a fascinating journey from the early days of the Third Reich to the beaches of Dunkirk. Bouverie takes us inside the 10 Downing Street of Chamberlain and Stanley Baldwin and into the backrooms of Parliament–where an unusual coalition of Conservative rebels, including the indomitable Winston Churchill, and opposition MPs were among the few to realize that the only real choice was between “war now or war later.” And as German troops enter the demilitarized Rhineland, march into Austria and threaten to invade Czechoslovakia, he takes us into the drawing rooms and dinner clubs of fading imperial Britain, where Hitler enjoyed surprising support among the ruling class and even members of the Royal Family.
Both sweeping and intimate, Appeasement is not only an eye-opening history but a timeless lesson on the challenges of standing against authoritarianism–and the calamity that results from failing.
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Read Along with Me I chose an incredibly ambitious reading list this week but there were just too many good choices! The first book on my list was submitted for review by the author, Asylum: A Memoir of Family Secrets. Judy Bolton-Fasman details her quest to uncover secrets long hidden by her father. Next on…
Read Along with Me This week’s reading list includes an exciting new release by Roni Robbins, Hands of Gold. A story of overcoming to terms with past traumas and seeking silver lines. Also on my list this week are four audiobooks. The first is a rom-com, The Unhoneymooners. This is an unusual choice for me.…
Read Along with Me Another week, another ambitious reading list. I’m making excellent progress on my reading goals and finally making progress on my ‘Want to Read’ list. So far, I’ve crossed twenty-five titles off my list putting me one third of the way to my goal of seventy-five books for 2022. My ‘Want to…
Posted on February 14, 2022 Leave a Comment
One of my writing goals for 2022 is to create more short stories. They’re a good creative exercise and sometimes lead to bigger ideas for novels. Or who knows, maybe an eventual collection of short stories in the form of a new book.
The story I’ve selected for this month is one I’ve been working on for a couple of months now. While I do have some experience working behind a bar, this story is purely fictional. As they say, any similarities to actual people or places are coincidental. Please considering sharing your thoughts in the comments!
“Thanks guys. Get home safe,” she said as the last two customers gathered their keys and tucked a few singles next to their empty beer bottles.
She gathered up their bottles, with one hand, gripping the necks between her fingers. Upending them over the dump sink, she let the last few drops drain out. Then turning, she casually tossed them into a half full pail of empties. The sharp crash of the glass rang out through the empty bar. The corner of her mouth turned up in a satisfied half smirk. She tucked the singles into the pocket of her jeans and moved the coasters to the stack on the rail.
Turning back to the sinks, she flipped the switch on the top of the glass washer. The water swirled and churned around the rapidly spinning brushes, creating a thin layer of foam across the top of the water. One by one, she took the pint and rocks glasses from the edge of the sink, rhythmically forcing each one up and down as the center brush spun inside. Then she dunked each one through the rinse water in the next sink, followed by a single dip in the sanitizer and over to the drain board on the opposite side to dry.
“Keep driving,” she thought as the hum of the washer came to a stop with the flick of the switch. She pulled a white rag from her belt loop to dry her hands as her eyes followed the glow of the headlights out the windows. The car continued past. The red glow of the taillights faded, swallowed up by the dark.
She turned then, glancing at the clock on the wall. Closing time. She moved swiftly out from behind the bar to the front door, flipping the deadbolt, hearing the thud as it moved into place. Her hand automatically swiped across the light switch, feeling it snap down as the light of the sign hanging above the parking lot extinguished. She moved to the neon signs hanging in the front windows, sharply yanking each pull chain, putting out the colorful glare with each click.
Then she clicked of the switch of the power strip for the video poker machines. The five screens went simultaneously black. The lights over the bar were already dimmed, to give a more intimate atmosphere, not that such a thing was really necessary in a small-town dive bar.
She went back behind the bar, grasping the remote from the counter next to the cash register. Without looking up, she hit the power button. The room was completely quiet for the first time all night. As she dropped the remote back onto the counter, she laid her head back and let out a long, slow breath.
It had been a long evening. She came in at five tonight, two hours earlier than normal because her boss needed back up to cover a surprise birthday party. It was a mature crowd and not as large as he was expecting. She managed serving everyone by herself while her boss just got in her way, mingling with the guests. She hated when he did that. As the birthday crowd thinned, the regular crowd started making their way in along with a brief appearance from a bachelorette party. Obnoxious girls, not used to drinking in the country, with their ‘I don’t know what I want’ and ‘can you make me a [some made up drink with twelve ingredients, but they can’t tell you a single one of them]’. Then they plug the jukebox full of their crappy bubblegum pop music that isn’t going to run out before closing time but leave after two songs and you’re stuck listening to that shit all night. Somewhere around 9pm, she sent her boss home with his wife. Neither was in any shape to be driving but she was a little more sober than he was. He started before noon and didn’t let up all day long. He normally claimed he was fine but somehow, she’d convinced him she could handle closing up tonight and he should just go home. And not a moment too soon. Much longer and someone likely would have
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said something to set his wife off and they’d start arguing in front of customers again. Not that she wanted to work. She’d had a long week at her nine to five and really just wanted to sack out on her couch, put on some old movie she’d seen a hundred times with a glass of white wine and no one to bother her. But that rarely happened anymore. Not since she started picking up hours at this place. Her boss was a family friend. It was complicated.
She glanced around to see what was left to do before she could go home. The other bartenders were expected to mop at the end of the night. But as she had to bail out her boss for the evening when he got too drunk to stand, the floor was just going to stay dirty. He could mop when he opened in the morning. At least everything else was cleaned up. She couldn’t count the times she’d been called to open on a Saturday and found the remnants of the night before left all over the bar. Empty bottles, dirty shot glasses stuck to the bar, overflowing sinks of glassware to wash, a cooler in need of stocking, and stinky buckets of bottles that didn’t get taken to the dumpster.
That’s when her eyes rested on the pails under the edge of the bar. They were only half full, but the residue of beer would stink up the place for opening the next day. She reached for the handles on the two pails and headed for the side door to the parking lot. She shivered as she moved out into the cool night air. Her footsteps crunched on the crumbling pavement and loose gravel as she carried the buckets to the dumpster along the fence. All was quiet at the restaurant next door. Her eyes scanned the shadows cast by the moonlight on the trees.
Glass shattered and crashed as she dumped the first pail into the dumpster. The noise was nearly deafening as glass smashed into glass and crashed against the metal sides of the dumpster. Her ears were still ringing as she set the first pail down and reached for the second. So, she didn’t hear his footfalls as he ran up, crashing into her and knocking her to the ground.
The ringing in her ears was replaced by her blood rushing through her veins as she registered what was happening. His hand covered her mouth and nose. She tried to scream but a muffled groan was all she could manage. He kept her pinned underneath him with his body as his other hand fumbled with the fly of her jeans. She squirmed, trying to free an arm or a leg to fight he pressed down on her harder. She couldn’t move. He lifted off her but only enough to flip her onto her stomach. His hand was at the back of her head and neck, forcing her face into the muddy gravel. Stones pierced into her cheek and temple. Thick mud oozed into her mouth as she tried to scream. He pinned her legs with his as his free hand gripped the back of her jeans and underwear. His jagged nails scraped against her skin as he roughly started to yank them down.
“Shut up,” he growled in her ear. His moist, hot breath was heavy with the smell of liquor. He shoved the side of her head harder into the ground.
She shook off the image as she finished dumping out the second bucket. Then she quickly retreated to the side door. Being out here at night always made her jumpy. Anything could happen, in the dark along a deserted county highway in the middle of the night. She the buckets back in place. She emptied the till into the cash bag from their bank. Then gathered her keys, phone, and purse. She picked up the other cash bags for the poker machines, sports pools, and rolls of quarters, taking them to the back room and locking them in the safe. She flipped off the remaining lights, leaving only the glow from the clock to light her way out. Once outside, she locked the door. Then got in her car and pulled onto the highway without stopping to check traffic and drove home for the night.
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As part of getting in shape to begin writing again, I started with a writing prompt per day writing challenge. If you’ve never tried something like this, I highly recommend giving it a try. Your challenge is to set aside one hour each day to take a prompt and just write. Don’t overthink this. No…
In this new world of ‘safer at home’, I’m finding keeping myself motivated to write more and more of a challenge. Apparently, my muse is also practicing social distancing! If you’re finding it difficult to get the creative juices flowing, here are five new writing prompts to help! Join the conversation! Add your own writing…
Visit the Contests page for this month’s theme and full contest rules.
There is an entry fee of $5.00 USD. The winning entry receives a prize based on the number of entries, not less than $25.00 USD.
Don’t wait, enter today!
Posted on February 14, 2022 Leave a Comment
Attention writers! This month’s short story contest theme is:
Entries must be received by midnight Monday, February 28th, cst. Selected stories will be featured during the month of January. Read on for further guidelines.
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Stories are to be 1,500 to 3,000 words. All genres welcome. Please keep it ‘R’ rated or less. No discriminatory themes, explicit violence, or explicit sexual content.
The winning entry will be published in a guest post the first Monday of the following month.
You retain exclusive rights to your work and are free to republish. Republished stories are welcome.
There is an entry fee of $5.00 (USD). The winning entry will be awarded a prize via PayPal. The amount of the prize is based on the number of entries, with a minimum of $25.00 (USD).
Writers must be 18 years old or over to enter. By submitting your entry, you are certifying you meet this requirement.
Please complete the form below with your submission, including a brief bio, which may include social media handles and the titles of any published works you would like to promote. Your website URL will also be included, if provided.
[contact-form-7 id=”1189″ title=”Short Story Contest Form”]
If you answered yes to both of the questions above, your entry and payment have been submitted. Thank you for participating in the contest!
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This month, I’m featuring a second work from the submissions in the September short story contest. The second feature is: Rough Waters by J. Trevor Robinson When J Trevor was young, he received a well-worn stack of mystery and horror novels from his older brother, and it instilled in him a lifelong desire to be…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the September Short Story Feature Contest. The featured entry is: The Fire Within by John Ethier John Ethier has been writing fiction off and on for the better part of twenty years. What started out as a collection of short fiction, essays and narrative non-fiction eventually resulted…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the August Short Story Feature Contest. The winning entry is: Becoming Italian…Or Trying To by Kyra Robinov A native New Yorker, Kyra is an author and lyricist. Her first novel Red Winter was inspired by the true story of her family and their escape from Red partisans…
Thank you to everyone who participated in the April Short Story Contest! The winning entry is: The Unexpected Vacation by John Scott John’s entry is based on this visual writing prompt: Please Enjoy The Unexpected Vacation By John Scott Tom and Kathy had met their freshman year of high school. Tom was brilliant beyond his…
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Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the July Short Story Feature Contest. The featured entry is: The Cathedral Bell by Violetta Toth About herself, Violetta says, “I consider myself a book enthusiast and budding author. i have written many short stories and other works throughout my life and career, but I have been…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the October Short Story Feature Contest. The 1st place featured entry is: The Foundation by S. J. Schwaidelson New York born, but living in Minnesota, S. J. Schwaidelson is a playwright, political blogger, and novelist. Her blog, The Wifely Person Speaks, has been around since since 2010.…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the October Short Story Contest. The 2nd place featured entry is: Money for Dinner by Rita Ashley First published when she was nine – a tiny story in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The dye was cast. Rita Ashley has been writing all her life for business and…
Posted on February 9, 2022 Leave a Comment
Kate Butler maintains her investigative journalism career by freelancing. Her latest project, focused on the discovery of a tomb in the Arizona desert, is near Flagstaff. Artifacts found at the site indicate the individual buried was a magician. When inconsistencies in the magician’s appearance raise questions about his origins, Butler is carried back in time to when a volcano changed the landscape of the high desert. But her investigation is not without its perils as she faces the black market world of antiquities sales.
Montgomery crafts a very well-researched narrative with some interesting twists and turns. I found myself getting increasingly invested in the story through the duel storyline, incorporating elements of tribal life into the modern investigation of Kate Butler and the archeological team.
Kate Butler’s character has a nicely layered complexity. The story is very well-paced, reaching a page-turning, action-packed climax to the end. I enjoyed the relationship between Kate and Cooper.
This story has all the elements of a great suspense drama centered around a historical mystery. I’d like to thank the author for a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Anne Butler Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, and amateur sports official. Her first TV job came at WRBL‐TV in Columbus, Georgia, and led to positions at WROC‐TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP‐TV in Phoenix, Arizona, and ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award‐winning SportsCenter. She finished her on‐camera broadcasting career with a two‐year stint as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Montgomery was a freelance and/or staff reporter for six publications,
writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archeological pieces. Her novels include The Castle, The Scent of Rain, A Light in the Desert, and Wild Horses on the Salt, Montgomery taught high school journalism for 20 years and was an amateur sports official for four decades, a time during which she called baseball, ice hockey, soccer, and basketball games and served as a high school football referee and crew chief. Montgomery is a foster mom to three sons. When she can, she indulges in her passions: rock collecting, musical theater, scuba diving, and playing her guitar.
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By Elan Barnehama Escape Route, set is 1960s New York, opens with Zach’s Bar Mitzvah. As the Vietnam War reaches it’s peak, Zach becomes fixated with the war. As the son of first generation Holocaust survivors, Zach is fearful of history repeating itself and his family being rounded up. So, with the help of his…
By Judy Bolton-Fasman Judy Bolton-Fasman’s memoir details her investigation into her family’s past, in an effort to uncover answers to her long-held questions about her parents, including their unlikely union. Separated by a seventeen year age gap, Bolton-Fasman’s father, an Ashkenazi, was 40-years-old when he married his Spanish and Ladino speaking, Sephardic 24-year-old bride. After…
By Roni Robbins Based in part on real events, Roni Robbins’ novel follows the life of Sam Fox, a character based on a Hungarian grandfather as he navigates a tumultuous life in the early 20th century. Sam and his wife Hannah’s lives a filled with secrets from their past which they’ve kept from their children.…
Welcome to my November Wrap-Up! I’ve exceeded my 2021 Goodreads reading goal and discovered some wonderful new authors. If you’ve missed any of my weekly reading lists or reviews, here is your chance to catch up. It has been a fantastic month of books. I’ve enjoyed some of the best books of the year this…
Welcome to my December Wrap-Up! I’ve exceeded my 2021 Goodreads reading goal and discovered some wonderful new authors. If you’ve missed any of my weekly reading lists or reviews, here is your chance to catch up. I’ve continued to make progress on my Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ list, although, a few new titles have been…
Welcome to my January Wrap-Up! I managed to cross twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already one third of the way to my reading goal for the year. I’ve had the opportunity to review three wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation.…
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Posted on February 8, 2022 Leave a Comment
February is off to a great start! I’m very happy to report the lowest level of my two-be-read cart is now empty. And my ‘Want to Read’ list on Goodreads is down to sixty-two titles. I’ve completed thirty books so far in 2022. I don’t want to set myself up for failure but I am on track to finish my ‘Want to Read’ list this year!
My list this week includes two books I’ll be reviewing: Shmuel’s Bridge by Jason Sommer and The Foundations of Judaism by Akiva Aaronson. In Shmuel’s Bridge, the author travel’s to Europe with his aging father who is losing his memory. The two embark on a journey, retracing Sommer’s father’s escape from a labor camp during the Shoah and visiting Auschwitz to remember family members lost there.
The Foundation of Judaism is a comprehensive guide to all things Judaism. Encompassing everything from the Jewish calendar, laws of kashrut, and Halachah to basics of Hebrew and Jewish thought. Just an initial thumbing through this rather compact volume has me intrigued as I see various maps and charts. I am really looking forward to digging into that one!
In honor of Black History Month, I’ll also be reading All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson. This is a YA memoir in which the author details their journey through childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood as a queer person of color. I first discovered this book when I came across an article in Time about it being banned. Representation in literature is critical to the human experience and in my effort to be a better ally, I am adding books to my reading list that represent diverse voices.
The remaining books on my list this week are audiobooks. First, The Brothers Ashkenazi was originally published in Yiddish, in the 1930s. Unfortunately, my language skills are not strong enough to tackle it in the original Yiddish so I’ll settle for an English translation. If the Shoe Fits is also very interesting to me as the story centers on a woman exploring her sexuality and realizing her aversion to commitment with the string of men she’s dated may be a clue that something has been missing. And finally, The Secrets We Kept is set at the height of the Cold War when a Russian-American woman is pressed into service by the CIA for an unbelievable assignment.
Join the conversation by adding your comments at the bottom of the page! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the books I’m reading this week, your recommendations to add to my list, even your progress on your reading goals.
This page contains affiliate links. This means for any purchase made, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Jason Sommer’s father, Jay, is ninety-eight years old and losing his memory. More than seventy years after arriving in New York from WWII-torn Europe, he is forgetting the stories that defined his life, the life of his family, and the lives of millions of Jews who were affected by Nazi terror. Observing this loss, Jason vividly recalls the trip to Eastern Europe the two took together in 2001.
As father and son travel from the town of Jay’s birth to the labor camp from which he escaped, and to Auschwitz, where many in his family were lost, the stories Jason’s father has told all his life come alive. So too do Jason’s own memories of the way his father’s past complicated and impacted Jason’s own inner life.
Shmuel’s Bridge shows history through a double lens: the memories of a growing son’s complex relationship with his father and the meditations of that son who, now grown, finds himself caring for a man losing all connection to a past that must not be forgotten.
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The fundamentals of Judaism in one book!
The Foundation of Judaism deals with the basics of Judaism ― Jewish thought, Jewish history, Jewish year and more, in one succinct yet comprehensive book. Written in a clear and readable style, with a wealth of maps and charts, it has been widely acclaimed as an essential teaching aid and a vital asset in every Jewish home and school.
In the Polish city of Lodz, the brothers Ashkenazi grew up very differently in talent and in temperament. Max, the firstborn, is fiercely intelligent and conniving, determined to succeed financially by any means necessary. Slower-witted Jacob is strong, handsome, and charming but without great purpose in life. While Max is driven by ambition and greed to be more successful than his brother, Jacob is drawn to easy living and decadence. As waves of industrialism and capitalism flood the city, the brothers and their families are torn apart by the clashing impulses of old piety and new skepticism, traditional ways and burgeoning appetites, and the hatred that grows between faiths, citizens, and classes. Despite all attempts to control their destinies, the brothers are caught up by forces of history, love, and fate, which shape and, ultimately, break them.
First published in 1936, The Brothers Ashkenazi quickly became a best seller as a sprawling family saga. Breaking away from the introspective shtetl tales of classic nineteenth-century writers, I. J. Singer brought to Yiddish literature the multilayered plots, large casts of characters, and narrative sweep of the traditional European novel. Walking alongside such masters as Zola, Flaubert, and Tolstoy, I . J. Singer’s premodernist social novel stands as a masterpiece of storytelling.
In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys.
Both a primer for teens eager to be allies as well as a reassuring testimony for young queer men of color, All Boys Aren’t Blue covers topics such as gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, structural marginalization, consent, and Black joy. Johnson’s emotionally frank style of writing will appeal directly to young adults.
If you would like to submit your book for review, please visit Contact Me and complete the form. I’ll review your request and respond within 48 hours. I’m also happy to work with authors on interviews. To set up an interview, please use the same form.
Jana Fleischer loves her life―wonderful family, best sister in the world, awesome soon to be sister-in-law, fabulous job, and a never-ending stream of men to chew through and spit out. So what if everyone says she’s too picky and she’s never had a real relationship?
When a chance meeting with Brooke Donnelly leaves Jana literally and figuratively off-balance, it doesn’t take long for her initial annoyance to turn into the first sparks of friendship. Jana always thought she was happy with her life, but the more time she spends with Brooke, the more she realizes something is missing. And maybe not just in the friendship department.
But how do you make that leap when you’ve never even considered kissing a woman, and have spent your whole life avoiding romantic commitments? Being brave, taking the first step, and admitting she wants to try to make things work with Brooke is only the beginning. Whether it’s the beginning of a disaster―or everything Jana hadn’t realized she wanted―depends on if Brooke can also be brave enough…
At the height of the Cold War, Irina, a young Russian-American secretary, is plucked from the CIA typing pool and given the assignment of a lifetime. Her mission: to help smuggle Doctor Zhivago into the USSR, where it is banned, and enable Boris Pasternak’s magnum opus to make its way into print around the world. Mentoring Irina is the glamorous Sally Forrester: a seasoned spy who has honed her gift for deceit, using her magnetism and charm to pry secrets out of powerful men. Under Sally’s tutelage, Irina learns how to invisibly ferry classified documents—and discovers deeply buried truths about herself.
The Secrets We Kept combines a legendary literary love story—the decades-long affair between Pasternak and his mistress and muse, Olga Ivinskaya, who inspired Zhivago’s heroine, Lara—with a narrative about two women empowered to lead lives of extraordinary intrigue and risk. Told with soaring emotional intensity and captivating historical detail, this is an unforgettable debut: a celebration of the powerful belief that a work of art can change the world.
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Read Along with Me I chose an incredibly ambitious reading list this week but there were just too many good choices! The first book on my list was submitted for review by the author, Asylum: A Memoir of Family Secrets. Judy Bolton-Fasman details her quest to uncover secrets long hidden by her father. Next on…
Read Along with Me This week’s reading list includes an exciting new release by Roni Robbins, Hands of Gold. A story of overcoming to terms with past traumas and seeking silver lines. Also on my list this week are four audiobooks. The first is a rom-com, The Unhoneymooners. This is an unusual choice for me.…
Read Along with Me Another week, another ambitious reading list. I’m making excellent progress on my reading goals and finally making progress on my ‘Want to Read’ list. So far, I’ve crossed twenty-five titles off my list putting me one third of the way to my goal of seventy-five books for 2022. My ‘Want to…
Posted on February 7, 2022 Leave a Comment
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the December Short Story Contest. The winning entry is:
Phyllis Babrove, a semi¬retired clinical social worker, has resided in Florida since moving there as a newlywed from Wisconsin forty-six years ago. She likes to travel with her husband and has fallen in love with New England, with much of her writing set in Vermont. Phyllis has published two full-length novels, two novelettes, one nonfiction book, and two short stories. She has also written a series of articles for a social work magazine. Learn more about her work at mirikalblog.com.
As I lie in bed listening to the battering of hail on the roof, I wonder how the years passed by so quickly. Here I am, eighty-three years old with the spot next to me empty, as it has been for too long. I’ve been alone and lonely for such a long time that I’ve lost track of how long Joe has been gone.
Joe and I got married young, like people did back in those days. I was nineteen and he was twenty-two. I may not recall how long he’s been gone, but I can see as clear as day the way Joe looked the first time I saw him.
It was Valentine’s Day in 1946 and our soldiers had returned from the war. The USO was having a dance in Milwaukee for the veterans and I went with my best friend. It was a bitter cold afternoon, with temperatures in the twenties; inside, the hall was warm and cozy, filled with people laughing and talking. Large pink and red hearts, along with carnations, transformed the room into an enormous valentine card. Sitting on the sidelines and watching couples dance, I hadn’t noticed anyone approach. Turning around to look for my friend, the best looking man I had ever seen was sitting next to me. Tall and thin with brown hair and twinkling blue eyes, Joe introduced himself and thus began a lifelong relationship. We talked and danced as though the world had stopped with just the two of us in it. Joe took my name and phone number, promising to call me.
I thought about Joe constantly until he called me two days later. We made arrangements to meet at Monument Square in downtown Racine that afternoon. Over hot coffee, Joe and I shared stories about ourselves, feeling as though we’d always known each other. After that, we saw each other every day for the next two months until he proposed. And, of course, I said yes.
Mama and Papa were against me marrying Joe. Oh sure, they said they liked him well enough and that he was a good guy, but insisted he had no future and they wanted better for me. I knew what they really meant. They didn’t like the fact that Joe practiced a different religion. I didn’t care what they said. Joe and I were in love, and we were going to get married whether they liked it or not. So, we eloped. That’s exactly what we did. We went to Milwaukee and a justice of the peace performed the ceremony. After all, it was 1946 and we could darn well do what we wanted.
When we told our parents that we were married, they threw a fit, especially mine. They told me to pack my stuff and get out, that I had disobeyed them, and they were done with me. So I did. Joe’s parents did the same thing, so he packed his stuff, too. We had a little money and went to the train station, since we didn’t have a car at the time. After all, Joe had just gotten back from the war. We sat on a bench trying to decide where we would go, and finally decided on Chicago. I can’t tell you why, except that it was far enough away from Racine, and our families wouldn’t be able to bother us. And since it was a big city, Joe figured it would be easy to find jobs and a place to live. I sure don’t recall how much money it cost to take the train, but I do know that we didn’t have very much. Between us, we probably had about $1,500 from my job and the money Joe came
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home with from the army. It was a lot in those days, but still wouldn’t last for too long. We stayed in a hotel the first night we were in Chicago. The next day we found a cute little furnished apartment for forty-five dollars a month and then figured we’d better find jobs. And we did. I found one in an insurance office as a receptionist (I had typing experience) and Joe found one working in a grocery store.
Joe’s plan was to go to school under the GI Bill, something the government started for servicemen to help them get an education. The government would pay for Joe to go to school, pay our living expenses, and give him unemployment benefits for a year. Joe signed up for classes at the university to become a teacher; I kept working while Joe worked and went to school. We stayed in our little apartment. Life was good—we were in love, doing okay with money, and had everything we needed or wanted. We could even go out to a movie and to dinner on the weekend if we wanted to, but most of the time we stayed home.
I got sick six months before Joe was supposed to graduate. Just as things were going well for us, something hit me. After it lasted about a week, I went to the doctor without telling Joe. He was so busy working and studying that I didn’t want to bother him. Women sure were a lot tougher in those days. Anyway, the ‘something that hit’ me was the news when the doctor told me I was two months pregnant. At first, I didn’t believe him because we had been careful. Well, we thought we had been careful. After I got my thoughts together and stopped crying, I remember thinking that maybe it was a good thing. We both had talked about having children but just not quite yet. But it was okay. Things don’t have to go exactly like we plan, do they?
Annie was born a month after Joe got his teaching degree. With his new salary and the GI bill helping veterans get houses, we were able to buy a three-bedroom ranch style house in Elmhurst. Joe got a job teaching in the high school and life was good. Three years later little Jimmy came along, and two years after that came Paula. Our family was complete.
The years went by and all three children were in school before we knew it. Joe’s job was good, and he was happy. I was bored and ready to go back to work, so I got a job in the local library. The hours were perfect because I worked while the kids were in school. During the summers, we went on camping trips and to national parks. We loved to visit different states and learn about the history of our country. One year we even drove to Canada and spent a month traveling to historic sites.
I remember that the world changed in the early 1960s. The music became loud and wild; there was talk about people smoking marijuana and using drugs that caused hallucinations. Protests were taking place in cities like Milwaukee and Chicago so that people could have equal rights for housing and jobs.
It was on November 22, 1963 that the most shocking thing that could possibly happen did when President John Kennedy was assassinated. The whole country watched his young family in mourning and cried for their loss and ours. We were all shocked that something so tragic could take place in the United States. By the end of the 1960s, it seemed as though everything was out of control all over the place. In April of 1968, a man by the name of Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated in Tennessee. Dr. King, thirty-nine years old, was a leader in The Civil Rights Movement and he also left a wife and young children. Two months later, in June, Robert Kennedy was assassinated in California. A presidential candidate and the brother of John Kennedy, he was only forty-two years old and left behind a family.
The Vietnam War had started in 1955 and was still going strong in 1970. Demonstrations were taking place on college campuses across the country to protest the war. I’ll never forget the day that Jimmy got his draft notice in the mail. Although we had been expecting it since his eighteenth birthday, it was still a shock to actually see it in writing. After all of the anxiety about my child going off to war, it turned out they wouldn’t take him because he had poor vision. The draft ended in 1973 and the war ended in 1975.
It was in the ‘80s that Joe got sick with cancer. He hadn’t been feeling well but thought it was from stress at work. I kept thinking it was his age because, after all, he was almost sixty years old. But when the doctor came back with the news that it was prostate cancer, I almost passed out. But my Joe was brave, just like he had always been. The doctor said it was in the early stages and he was going to remove the prostate. He didn’t think Joe would even need any treatment, which he didn’t. Joe recovered quickly and was able to dance at Annie’s wedding four months later.
I never regretted marrying Joe or giving up my family because they rejected him. We had a wonderful marriage, raised a good family and taught them not to judge people because of what race they are or where they worship. We taught them to believe in God and practice religion the way they wanted to. The kids had done well. Annie married a doctor and gave us four grandchildren, two boys and two girls. Jimmy became a teacher like his dad, got married and had two beautiful girls; and Paula decided to become a lawyer and not get married. Our children have always been good to us. Like Joe always said, we were lucky to have such a wonderful family.
The cancer was more serious when Joe got sick the second time. The doctor said that it was in his pancreas and even I knew that there was no cure. Joe had retired ten years or so before, so I guess he was about seventy-five when he got sick. All we could do was support his decision to not undergo treatments, and to make him comfortable for the time that he had left. I never left Joe’s side while he was sick. We didn’t need nurses or anyone else to help. Joe and I had always taken care of each other and had promised that we would until the end. And we did.
Now I remember. It’s been about ten or eleven years since Joe was taken from me. It was a day just like this one, in the middle of winter, with hail hammering the roof. Joe opened his eyes, looked at me and told me he would always love me. And then he was gone; my Joe was gone.
I’m looking out of the window now, from my bed. The hail has stopped and snow is falling gently from the gray sky. The tree outside of my window is bare but soon the snow will cover it. I’m still in the house that Joe bought with the VA loan; the one our babies came home to from the hospital; the one where Joe and I laughed and loved; and the one in which Joe died in my arms. I’ve had plenty of arguments from Annie and Jimmy about living with them, but Paula has stayed here with me. Maybe that’s why she hasn’t gotten married; who knows.
I keep wondering when Joe and I will be together again. It probably won’t be long now. I must have dozed off for a few minutes because the sun is shining and I feel warmth that I haven’t felt in ten or eleven years. But now I see why. Joe is standing at the foot of our bed smiling at me. I call his name, but he doesn’t answer. It’s been so long since I have seen him or we have talked. Holding his hand out to me, I sit up and put my hand in his. Holding me closely, he whispers that it’s time for us to be together. I whisper back that we have never been apart.
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Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the December Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: Been There, Not Doing That by Ellen Scolnic and Joyce Eisenberg Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic write, speak, blog and tweet together as The Word Mavens. They’ve been award-winning writing partners for 20 years – dispensing their advice…
Visit the Contests page for this month’s theme and full contest rules.
There is an entry fee of $5.00 USD. The winning entry receives a prize based on the number of entries, not less than $25.00 USD.
Don’t wait, enter today!
Posted on February 7, 2022 Leave a Comment
Attention writers! This month’s short story contest theme is:
Entries must be received by midnight Monday, February 28th, cst. Selected stories will be featured during the month of January. Read on for further guidelines.
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Stories are to be 1,500 to 3,000 words. All genres welcome. Please keep it ‘R’ rated or less. No discriminatory themes, explicit violence, or explicit sexual content.
The winning entry will be published in a guest post the first Monday of the following month.
You retain exclusive rights to your work and are free to republish. Republished stories are welcome.
There is an entry fee of $5.00 (USD). The winning entry will be awarded a prize via PayPal. The amount of the prize is based on the number of entries, with a minimum of $25.00 (USD).
Writers must be 18 years old or over to enter. By submitting your entry, you are certifying you meet this requirement.
Please complete the form below with your submission, including a brief bio, which may include social media handles and the titles of any published works you would like to promote. Your website URL will also be included, if provided.
[contact-form-7 id=”1189″ title=”Short Story Contest Form”]
If you answered yes to both of the questions above, your entry and payment have been submitted. Thank you for participating in the contest!
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This month, I’m featuring a second work from the submissions in the September short story contest. The second feature is: Rough Waters by J. Trevor Robinson When J Trevor was young, he received a well-worn stack of mystery and horror novels from his older brother, and it instilled in him a lifelong desire to be…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the September Short Story Feature Contest. The featured entry is: The Fire Within by John Ethier John Ethier has been writing fiction off and on for the better part of twenty years. What started out as a collection of short fiction, essays and narrative non-fiction eventually resulted…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the August Short Story Feature Contest. The winning entry is: Becoming Italian…Or Trying To by Kyra Robinov A native New Yorker, Kyra is an author and lyricist. Her first novel Red Winter was inspired by the true story of her family and their escape from Red partisans…
Thank you to everyone who participated in the April Short Story Contest! The winning entry is: The Unexpected Vacation by John Scott John’s entry is based on this visual writing prompt: Please Enjoy The Unexpected Vacation By John Scott Tom and Kathy had met their freshman year of high school. Tom was brilliant beyond his…
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Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the July Short Story Feature Contest. The featured entry is: The Cathedral Bell by Violetta Toth About herself, Violetta says, “I consider myself a book enthusiast and budding author. i have written many short stories and other works throughout my life and career, but I have been…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the October Short Story Feature Contest. The 1st place featured entry is: The Foundation by S. J. Schwaidelson New York born, but living in Minnesota, S. J. Schwaidelson is a playwright, political blogger, and novelist. Her blog, The Wifely Person Speaks, has been around since since 2010.…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the October Short Story Contest. The 2nd place featured entry is: Money for Dinner by Rita Ashley First published when she was nine – a tiny story in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The dye was cast. Rita Ashley has been writing all her life for business and…
Posted on February 2, 2022 Leave a Comment
Based in part on real events, Roni Robbins’ novel follows the life of Sam Fox, a character based on a Hungarian grandfather as he navigates a tumultuous life in the early 20th century. Sam and his wife Hannah’s lives a filled with secrets from their past which they’ve kept from their children. The book focuses on Sam’s efforts to come to grips with his history and finding silver linings in his tumultuous past.
Robbins is a brilliant storyteller, incorporating detailed and moving scenes throughout the narrative. The book is an intimate look at her large extended family while remaining relatable to anyone who is a descendant of immigrants. Each character is a distinctive thread woven into the whole of this story. I especially enjoyed the description of the romance between Sam and his wife, which led to a marriage spanning six decades.
I was engrossed from beginning to end. This is a truly inspiring story of triumph over tragedy and a life well lived.
I’d like to thank the author for the free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. Hands of Gold is scheduled for release on February 4, 2022.
Hands of Gold capitalizes on award-winning author Roni Robbins’ 35 years as a published writer. Currently an editor/writer for Medscape/WebMD after serving as associate editor of the Atlanta Jewish Times/The Times of Israel, she has a seasoned history as a staff reporter for daily and weekly newspapers and as a freelancer for national, regional and online publications.
Robbins’ freelance articles have appeared in The Huffington Post, Forbes, the New York Daily News, Adweek, WebMD and Healthline. She wrote for the Mother Nature Network; The Forward; FromTheGrapevine; and Hadassah magazine, among others. Robbins was also a staff writer for Florida Today/USA Today, The Birmingham News and the Atlanta Business Chronicle/American City Business Journals.
In addition to major CEOs and politicians, she has interviewed such celebrities as Wolf Blitzer, Andy Gibb, Hank Aaron and Usher.
In 2009, Hands of Gold was a quarterfinalist for historical fiction in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. Robbins also won three Simon Rockower Awards for Jewish journalism from the American Jewish Press Association, including an investigative piece about Jewish seniors who feel “Out of Touch” in nursing homes. Other prestigious news-writing awards come from The State Bar of Georgia, the Alabama Associated Press and the South Carolina Press Association.
Hands of Gold is her first novel.
For more on Robbins and her writing career, visit www.ronirobbins.com.
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By Michelle Cameron Based on the author’s own ancestor, The Fruit of Her Hands is the story of Rebbetzin Shira, wife of Rabbi Meir ben Baruch of Rothenberg. Shira was the daughter of a widowed rabbi, raised in Paris in the thirteenth century. A rebellious child, she shirked the conventions of her gender, favoring the…
By Elan Barnehama Escape Route, set is 1960s New York, opens with Zach’s Bar Mitzvah. As the Vietnam War reaches it’s peak, Zach becomes fixated with the war. As the son of first generation Holocaust survivors, Zach is fearful of history repeating itself and his family being rounded up. So, with the help of his…
By Judy Bolton-Fasman Judy Bolton-Fasman’s memoir details her investigation into her family’s past, in an effort to uncover answers to her long-held questions about her parents, including their unlikely union. Separated by a seventeen year age gap, Bolton-Fasman’s father, an Ashkenazi, was 40-years-old when he married his Spanish and Ladino speaking, Sephardic 24-year-old bride. After…
Welcome to my October Wrap Up! It’s been a great month, getting back to sharing my passion for literature with all of you. I hope you’ve discovered some new reads along with me. In case you missed any of my updates, here’s your chance to catch up. Authors, are you interested in having your book…
Welcome to my November Wrap-Up! I’ve exceeded my 2021 Goodreads reading goal and discovered some wonderful new authors. If you’ve missed any of my weekly reading lists or reviews, here is your chance to catch up. It has been a fantastic month of books. I’ve enjoyed some of the best books of the year this…
Welcome to my December Wrap-Up! I’ve exceeded my 2021 Goodreads reading goal and discovered some wonderful new authors. If you’ve missed any of my weekly reading lists or reviews, here is your chance to catch up. I’ve continued to make progress on my Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ list, although, a few new titles have been…
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Posted on February 2, 2022 2 Comments
Welcome to my January Wrap-Up! I managed to cross twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already one third of the way to my reading goal for the year.
I’ve had the opportunity to review three wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation. Comment on your favorites and make suggestions of books I should consider for my list.
Authors, are you interested in having your book reviewed? Interested in an interview about your work? Visit the Contact Me page and complete the form. Guest posts are also welcome. Visit the Contests page for submission guidelines. Requests receive a response within 48 hours.
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Based on the author’s own ancestor, The Fruit of Her Hands is the story of Rebbetzin Shira, wife of Rabbi Meir ben Baruch of Rothenberg. Shira was the daughter of a widowed rabbi, raised in Paris in the thirteenth century. A rebellious child, she shirked the conventions of her gender, favoring the study of sacred texts with her father and his yeshiva students. She then meets her husband and flourishes as a wife and mother. After enduring persecution and violence from the Parisian Catholics, the family resettles in Germany.
Cameron crafts a well-told story of her early ancestor. I found a number of interesting parallels between Shira of Ashkenaz and Queen Esther. Both are vivacious in their youth, seeking to push the limits of their sex in their early days. Both find love in their respective marriages and are confronted my vengeful men seeking to destroy the Jewish people.
The book is very well researched and places the reader at the center of Jewish life in thirteenth century Europe. It was a perilous time in history. The frequent references to scholarly commentators like Rashi and Maimonides helps to frame the time period of the setting.
If you enjoy the writings of Anita Diamant and Maggie Anton, this should be your next read.
Escape Route, set is 1960s New York, opens with Zach’s Bar Mitzvah. As the Vietnam War reaches it’s peak, Zach becomes fixated with the war. As the son of first generation Holocaust survivors, Zach is fearful of history repeating itself and his family being rounded up. So, with the help of his friend, Samm, he crafts a plan to allow his family to escape.
Barnehama sets a coming-of-age story against a tumultuous backdrop of war and the civil rights movement while exploring the generational trauma of the Shoah. All wrapped up in a witty protagonist who has just celebrated his Bar Mitzvah. Zach embodies Tikun Olam, a concept in the Jewish faith, seeking to repair the world.
This is an emotional story of friendship and hope.
Escape Route is currently available for pre-order and scheduled for release on May 4, 2022. I’d like to thank the author for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
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Judy Bolton-Fasman’s memoir details her investigation into her family’s past, in an effort to uncover answers to her long-held questions about her parents, including their unlikely union. Separated by a seventeen year age gap, Bolton-Fasman’s father, an Ashkenazi, was 40-years-old when he married his Spanish and Ladino speaking, Sephardic 24-year-old bride. After her father instructs her to destroy his old records, Bolton-Fasman spends decades tracing her family lineage in an effort to discover her past.
Bolton-Fasman paints a captivating picture of growing up in a household where silence and secrets were the norm. She gives an in-depth discussion of the paradox of her parents’ union, given their age difference and the differences in their cultures. While both are Jewish, their backgrounds created clashes and conflicts on a regular basis.
I appreciated Bolton-Fasman’s dedication to uncovering her family’s based and need for truth in order to better understand herself. Despite the challenges her parents’ conflicts created in her childhood, Bolton-Fasman’s portrays them with empathy and sensitivity. This well-written memoir is both a quest for understanding an individual spiritual identity and relatable tale of the family detective.
I’d like to thank the author for the free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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Make planning your next reading list fun and easy! Download a free copy of Reading Bingo! Thirty fun ideas for selecting your next read.
Are you an authority with a book you’d like to submit for review? Please visit Contact Me and submit your details.
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Welcome to my October Wrap Up! It’s been a great month, getting back to sharing my passion for literature with all of you. I hope you’ve discovered some new reads along with me. In case you missed any of my updates, here’s your chance to catch up. Authors, are you interested in having your book…
Welcome to my November Wrap-Up! I’ve exceeded my 2021 Goodreads reading goal and discovered some wonderful new authors. If you’ve missed any of my weekly reading lists or reviews, here is your chance to catch up. It has been a fantastic month of books. I’ve enjoyed some of the best books of the year this…
Welcome to my December Wrap-Up! I’ve exceeded my 2021 Goodreads reading goal and discovered some wonderful new authors. If you’ve missed any of my weekly reading lists or reviews, here is your chance to catch up. I’ve continued to make progress on my Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ list, although, a few new titles have been…
Heidi Slowinski 