Category: World War Two
+ 1930s, 1940s, Historical fiction, poland, review, World War Two, WW2
Finding Ida by Marya Burgess
1930s Warsaw. Two privileged sisters: Ida—glamorous and self-assured—and Luiza, the spirited tomboy striving to fulfil the ambitions their German-born father once held for the son he never had. At just seventeen, Luiza’s world is upended when her Polish homeland is occupied. Caught between two identities—raised speaking both German and Polish—she must now decide where her true allegiance lies. Meanwhile, Ida, newly married and expecting … Read More Finding Ida by Marya Burgess
+ 1930s, 1940s, childhood, family, family drama, female friendship, fiction, germany, grief, Historical fiction, holocaust, jewish history, love, memoir, nazi germany, relationships, review, secrets, sisters, World War Two, WW2
The Nowhere Sisters by Jan Casey
Berlin, 1938. One journey will change their lives forever. Twelve-year-old Margarete has lost everything — her parents, her home, and the fragile safety of the orphanage she once knew. When the Nazis target Jewish families across Germany, Margarete is placed on a Kindertransport train bound for England. She expects to face the terrifying journey alone. Until a small, frightened girl is thrust into her … Read More The Nowhere Sisters by Jan Casey
+ 1930s, 1940s, friendship, germany, guest post, Historical fiction, holocaust, jewish history, jews, nazi germany, non-fiction, twins, World War Two, WW2
Kalman & Leopold: Surviving Mengele’s Auschwitz by Richard K. Lowy
A rare, eyewitness account of survival inside Mengele’s Auschwitz, told in the voices of two teenage boys¬ An intergenerational project preserving living memory as survivors pass away¬ A son carrying forward his father’s testimony with urgency and care¬ A book designed for education, classrooms and younger readers as well as adults¬ A story of survival, friendship and moral resilience amid systematic cruelty¬ A warning from history that speaks directly … Read More Kalman & Leopold: Surviving Mengele’s Auschwitz by Richard K. Lowy
+ art, audio book, austria, fiction, Historical fiction, Italy, review, World War Two, WW2
The Seeker of Lost Paintings by Sarah Freethy
An unforgettable story of love and betrayal across the decades from the author of The Porcelain Maker – perfect for fans of Christy Lefteri and Victoria Hislop. Rome 1939Arriving in Rome to work for the wealthy Montefalco family, Maddalena is homesick and alone. She finds solace – and love – in the beauty of the city, but as the war in Nazi-occupied Italy rages, she must … Read More The Seeker of Lost Paintings by Sarah Freethy
+ 1940s, 1980s, family, gay, Historical fiction, nazi germany, poland, war, World War Two
The Last Orphan by Carly Schabowski
1939, Poland: Would you save a child in a warzone? Marcin is just hoping to keep himself safe during the Nazi invasion. But once he befriends his Jewish neighbors, his fate is sealed, and when their building is raided by the Nazis, Marcin finds himself hiding their son, Adam.Marcin vows to keep Adam safe at all costs. But as he starts an impossible journey … Read More The Last Orphan by Carly Schabowski
+ crime fiction, folklore, Historical fiction, List, murder mystery, Nordic noir, Scandi noir, supernatural, superstition, thriller, World War Two, WW2
My Top 10 Books of 2025 – Part One
Here are my favourite ten books of 2025 Part One, not counting audiobooks. Quite a disparate selection for a change. Audiobooks to follow. Late Venetian by GN Lawson If you are looking for a fast paced thriller, Late Venetian is not for you. But it’s already one of my favourite books of 2025 so far. I’m not sure why – maybe because the two main characters … Read More My Top 10 Books of 2025 – Part One
+ 1940s, 1950s, fiction, guest post, Historical fiction, loss, love, review, Victorian Britain, World War Two, WW2
The Butterfly Girl by Tania Crosse spotlight post
A heart-wrenching tale of wartime spirit, love, loss and the courage of a young nurse during the Plymouth Blitz. 1941. The midst of the Blitz. Bombs are raining down on the city. In one terrifying moment, trainee nurse Pippa Luscombe’s life is turned upside-down when her hospital takes a direct hit. As Pippa comes to terms with the full extent of the tragedy, she … Read More The Butterfly Girl by Tania Crosse spotlight post
+ crime fiction, dark humour, feel-good, gothic, gothic horror, Gothic mystery, Historical fiction, humour fiction, List, Magical realism, murder mystery, mystery, supernatural, superstition, thriller, Victorian Britain, World War Two, WW2
My Top 10 Books of 2024 – Part Three
Here are my favourite ten books of 2024 Part Three, not counting audiobooks. Quite a disparate selection for a change. Audiobooks to follow. Gallows Wood by Louisa Scarr I read this in ten staves with the Pigeonhole online book club. It was almost unbearable waiting for the next instalment. The book was so exciting, the suspense nail-biting. While this is the first in a … Read More My Top 10 Books of 2024 – Part Three
+ austria, germany, jewish history, jews, review, Russia, secrets, spy story, World War Two, WW2
Parallel Lives by Maryam Diener
When Maryam Diener began to research Edith Tudor-Hart and Ursula Kuczynski, she noticed the many parallels running between their lives… Edith Tudor-Hart was a Bauhaus-trained photographer, and Ursula Kuczynski a writer and polyglot. Both were immigrant dissidents fighting fascism throughout the turbulent 30s and 40s. They never met, and yet communist agents, radical activists and devoted mothers both, their lives regularly crossed on the leafy streets … Read More Parallel Lives by Maryam Diener
+ cult, dark humour, feel-good, gothic, gothic horror, Gothic mystery, Historical fiction, humour fiction, List, Magical realism, murder mystery, mystery, thriller, Victorian Britain, World War Two, WW2
My Top 10 Books of 2024 – Part Two
Here are my favourite 10 books of 2024 Part Two, not counting audiobooks. Quite a disparate selection for a change. Away Weekend by Lesley Fernández-Armesto Geraldine is divorced. Her military ex-husband Jonty has run off with Sally, leaving Geraldine with only her apricot poodle Bolly. She now lives in a tiny mews house in St John’s Wood. Then she meets Ellis, smooth, handsome, American, … Read More My Top 10 Books of 2024 – Part Two
The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy
Germany, 1929.When Max, a Jewish architect, and Bettina, a beautiful and celebrated German avant-garde artist, meet at a party, their attraction is instant. In love with each other and the art they create, their talent transports them to the dazzling lights of Berlin. But Germany is on the brink of terrible change, and their bright beginning is soon dimmed by the rising threat of … Read More The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy
+ family, fiction, friendship, grief, Historical fiction, history, holocaust, jewish history, jews, loss, nazi germany, obsession, revenge, review, war, World War Two, WW2
The Girl from Berchtesgaden by Alistair Birch and Kim Rigby
In early 1930s Germany, life for the Stiepermann family was simple yet idyllic. Artistic Ingrid and her inventive brother Dieter loved the freedom of the Bavarian Alps, but that was before the Jew haters surfaced in their society. Fuelled by Nazi ideologies, Stefan Weiss and his friends suppress and destroy anyone who opposes their beliefs. #TheGirlFromBerchtesgaden X(Twitter) @ABirchAuthor #KimRigby @ZooloosBT #ZooloosBookTours #blogtour #BookX Instagram #alistairbirch @kimrigby27 @zooloosbooktours #bookstagram While one family battles for … Read More The Girl from Berchtesgaden by Alistair Birch and Kim Rigby
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