Memory is Our Home: Loss and Remembering: Three Generations in Poland and Russia 1917-1960s

Memory is Our Home: Loss and Remembering: Three Generations in Poland and Russia 1917-1960s by Suzanna Eibuszyc
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A powerful historical memoir...

Memory is Our Home by Suzanna Eibuszyc is a stunning literary achievement. It’s a book that re-creates an overlooked part of history of the thousands of Polish Jews who survived the Holocaust by escaping to the Soviet Union. The book's epic sweep and grasp of detail are exemplary, while some scenes could make even a stone weep. The book reconstructs that horrific period of time in human history not as something abstract, but as felt knowledge thanks to the author’s mother, Roma Talesiewicz Eibuszyc.

To paraphrase the author, she bases her book on her mother Roma Talasiewicz-Eibuszyc’s diary, her writings about Warsaw, Poland during the years following World War I and the six long years of World War II, and how she was able to survive in Soviet Russia and Uzbekistan. Interwoven with her journals are stories she told to her throughout her life, as well as her own recollections as her family made a new life in the shadows of the Holocaust in Communist Poland after the war and into the late 1960s. By retelling this story, she sheds light on how the Holocaust trauma is transmitted to the next generation, the price her family paid when they said good-bye to the old world, and the challenges they faced in America.

This was a fascinating and captivating read that had me engaged from the beginning. The author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling and there are plenty of emotional highs and lows in this page turner that will take the reader on a truly mesmerizing and emotional journey. The author weaves a well-crafted and all-encompassing human dramatization that serves as a memorial to all those who suffered, died and survived during this tragic period of human history.

Highly recommended reading and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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The Dance Towards Death

The Dance Towards Death by Tejas Desai
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Final instalment of this riveting international crime trilogy...

The Dance Towards Death by Tejas Desai is the final instalment in The Brotherhood Chronicle trilogy. The Dance Towards Death is a well written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are expertly woven in this gripping crime thriller that had me engaged from the opening chapter. This book will have you turning the pages from beginning to end.

I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the story in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a first-class crime thriller with perfect pacing.

Highly recommended series and a well-deserved five stars from me.


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Daddy's Curse 2: A Young Boy Who Has Survived Child Slavery

Daddy's Curse 2: A Young Boy Who Has Survived Child Slavery Remembers… by Luke. G. Dahl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my second time reading this author. His previous work, Daddy's Curse: A Sex Trafficking True Story of an 8-Year Old Girl was a gripping first-person account of organized crime and human trafficking. This book is about a young boy, named Od, who has also survived child slavery.

It’s worth stating here again what I had previously said about this authors’ last book: Human trafficking is thought to be one of the fastest-growing activities of trans-national criminal organizations. It is condemned as a violation of human rights by international agreements. ‘Human trafficking is a crime of such magnitude and atrocity that it cannot be dealt with successfully by any government alone. This global problem requires a global, multi-stakeholder strategy that builds on national efforts throughout the world.’

The book description gives a poignant preview: ‘When Od was growing up with his grandfather in the mesmerizing yet poverty-stricken countryside of Mongolia, he didn’t know that his life was about to turn into a living hell. His own grandparents sold him to child traffickers who took him away from his village and turned him into a slave, along with other children from the region.

Od, Altantsetseg, Chinua and Khulan were all held captive by child traffickers, but Od, being the oldest and smartest, managed to come up with an escape plan. Altantsetseg and Chinua escaped but Khulan didn’t make it. A shot was heard from behind and it was the last time they saw Khulan. But they had to keep on moving.

Yuna. Od’s only love was going through the same hell. She managed to escape from her abusers, only to find herself back in the hands of traffickers. When she finally found her way to freedom, Od found her. That was a moment of happiness in a lifetime of sorrow.

In this eye-opening child abuse story, Luke G. Dahl, author of the best-selling book “Daddy’s Curse” offers us a different perspective. Od is a young boy and his experiences in Mongolia, China and Thailand, his efforts to overcome his emotional wounds and his struggles to find Yuna will give you a unique way to truly understand child abuse and respect for life.’

Author Luke. G. Dahl writes a significant but harrowing story – based on true events - of sexual abuse, human trafficking and organized crime. It’s an emotional story that will take you on a journey to the dark side of human nature. The author must be commended for highlighting this truly appalling crime against the future of mankind…OUR CHILDREN.

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The Last Minder: The Chronicles of Majjen

The Last Minder: The Chronicles of Majjen by Fish Phillips
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A completely involving sci-fi thriller...

Forty-some years ago my uncle gave me a science fiction anthology. It was a thick red hardback that I read from cover to cover. It inspired a lifelong love of the genre. The stories in that book made me think outside the box. They filled me with awe for the imagination it took to write them. That book still remains in my collection today. The title is OMNIBUS OF SCIENCE FICTION, edited by Groff Conklin, a well-known and prolific editor of the genre. It was published in 1952, the Golden Age of Science Fiction. It’s a substantial volume, 562 pages, with 43 stories divided into sections relating to a common theme. Some stories are fun, some are thought-provoking, and some are adventurous. I love them all.

The Last Minder: The Chronicles of Majjen by Fish Phillips is a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The author weaves a well-crafted science fiction story that draws the reader in from the opening chapter. Skillfully constructed, this sci-fi is infused with historical fiction and fantasy elements that will have you turning the pages from beginning to end. There’s plenty of imagery in the writing style that makes you feel you are right there in the story, and that’s something I look for in a good book.

The plot is intricately sculpted as the synopsis suggests: ‘A high concept, futuristic, social science fiction thriller where the life and death of humanity hangs on the actions of a lone man well past his prime… An elderly war hero with rejected superpowers must overcome a broken mind to survive his last mission on an alien-controlled earth in the distant future… Benny is a damaged man at the end of life. A hero of World War II, he just wants to live out his final days and die in peace… Majjen is a time-traveling alien. He has spent centuries searching for someone like Benny to fulfill his covert mission… Majjen flashes him forward centuries to an earth ruled indirectly by benevolent aliens. They foster global tranquility with the help of humans and androids committed to the roadmap for peace. The deeper this world draws in Benny, the more he realizes that everything is not as it seems. Despite this, Majjen has presented him with one opportunity he never thought possible. The chance at redemption.’

I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a well-written and fast-paced sci-fi thriller. Highly recommended and looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

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The Past

The Past by Kenneth Thomas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A well-crafted intergalactic, dystopian space adventure...

VanWest: The Past by Kenneth Thomas is book 1 in the VanWest series. I thought the book was superbly written, with brilliantly drawn settings and characters. The author weaved a well-crafted intergalactic, dystopian space adventure that will captivate the reader from the opening chapter. There’s plenty of imagery in the writing style that makes you feel you are right there in the story, and that’s something I look for in a good book. The vivid descriptions of the settings, situations, and the people were stunning. The author’s use of genuine dialogue further added to the overall atmosphere of authenticity. Highly recommended.

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PACKFIRE: Simon Pack # 9

PACKFIRE: Simon Pack # 9 by John M Vermillion
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A crime thriller will have you turning the pages from beginning to end...

Just Pack: Simon Pack Novel # 9 by John M. Vermillion is another superbly written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are so expertly woven in this exciting thriller that it had me engaged from the start. Skillfully constructed, this suspenseful crime thriller will have you turning the pages from beginning to end. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction. It’s a fast-paced novel that will keep you engaged from the first page to the last.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘Tetu Palaita, American-Samoan giant, has been US Marshal Simon Pack’s most trusted friend for longer than any man. Someone murders Tetu’s family. Why was he the target? Or was he? Pack wants to avenge Tetu’s loss. His top priority becomes finding the blackguard who did this. Suspects abound. Join Pack as he drives to resolve a case that’s filled with futility until his crew discovers a valuable clue…an Elder Futhark, a ring which leads them to a Nordic religious sect that paves the investigative path ahead. At the end of the line, the Marshals close in on the man behind the murders in Montana. The man takes Pack prisoner and casts him into ‘The Room of Shame’. As the story winds down, see how the evil perpetrator punishes his own 250 followers, as well as Pack. Will Pack survive? Will the executioner survive?’

I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the story in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much.

The story had every element a good story should have. A solid plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that’s something I look for in a good book.

Non-stop action, precarious situations, hair-raising suspense, and heroic characters all exemplify the best that thrillers have to offer, and John M. Vermillion delivers again with this novel. Highly recommended.

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Maggie Dove's Detective Agency

“Maggie Dove’s Detective Agency is a delightful mix of mystery, heart-felt drama, and crazy antics. Maggie uses her skills as both a Sunday School teacher and PI to solve the case - a quirky combination from author Breen that works perfectly!”

–Marty Wingate, USA Today Bestselling Author

As Susan Breen’s compelling cozy mystery series continues, Maggie Dove’s budding detective agency has given her a new lease on life. Only one thing stands in the way of success: her clients—or lack of them.

After catching the killer who shook her small Hudson River town, former Sunday School teacher Maggie Dove stumbled onto an exciting new career and found a way to take her mind off her own tragic past. Now, despite her best efforts to promote the agency, Maggie can’t seem to land any new cases—until Racine Stern, one of the village’s wealthiest residents, offers her a thousand dollars to convince her “evil” sister, Domino, to stay out of town.

While Maggie’s business partner thinks she’s crazy for turning down a potential client, she doesn’t want her agency to get a reputation for accommodating bizarre requests. However, Maggie is soon caught up in the family drama anyway. Racine may fear for her life—and her inheritance—but it’s Domino who takes the fall when she plunges to her death from a tower at Stern Manor. Was it an accident or something more sinister? Maggie’s investigation will test her faith—and her ability to survive.

Available on  Amazon  Amazon UK