Tag: WW2
+ 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
The House of Mystery by Joy Ellis
A missing boy. Three extraordinary children. And a darkness that will stop at nothing. Fourteen-year-old Ollie Cruise is missing. He was last seen two nights ago, down by the river, with an older boy. DCI Bob Foreman suspects something very nasty has happened to him – and there’s only one person who can uncover the truth: Ellie McEwan, a healer with a rare psychic … Read More The House of Mystery by Joy Ellis
+ 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
+ 1940s, audio book, diary, fiction, ghosts, love, Magical realism, Paris, review, secrets, stories, WW2
The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris by Evie Woods
This is the magical tale of Edith Lane, who sets off to find her fortune in the beautiful city of Paris. Fortune, however, is a fickle thing and Edith ends up working in a vintage bakery in the positively antique town of Compiègne. Escaping heartache and singledom in Ireland, Edith discovers that the bakery on Rue De Paris is not exactly what it seems … Read More The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris by Evie Woods
+ 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
+ 1930s, 1940s, fiction, friendship, grief, Historical fiction, history, holocaust, jewish history, jews, loss, love, nazi germany, non-fiction, review, WW2
The Teacher of Auschwitz by Wendy Holden
‘Haunting and beautiful. Excruciatingly vivid, The Teacher of Auschwitz is rigorously researched and true to the history, powerfully conveying what a smart, loving and energetic man Fredy was.’ Dr Elizabeth Baer, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum ‘The closest possible narrative a person who did not experience those times herself, could have written… which will do justice to Fredy and all those victims.’ Dita Kraus, the real-life … Read More The Teacher of Auschwitz by Wendy Holden
+ 1940s, childhood, fairies, fiction, Historical fiction, Ireland, Italy, List, Magical realism, nazi germany, review, USA, whimsical, WW2
My Top 6 Books of 2024
As we slip quietly into 2025 it’s time to reflect on my absolute favourite books of 2024. It’s six this time, four of which are audio books. It’s always hard. There were instant standouts again. I have tried to include a mix of genres but failed yet again. I read a lot of crime fiction, which occasionally make my quarterly selections, but my Top books of … Read More My Top 6 Books of 2024
+ 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
+ alcoholism, childhood, coming-of-age, family, family drama, fiction, grief, loss, love, motherhood, relationships, review, secrets, WW2
Junction of Earth and Sky by Susan Buttenwieser
A sweeping and emotional debut from a dazzling new voice – for fans of The Paper Palace, The Dutch House and Betty. Coming of age in 1940s England, Alice’s life is thrown into chaos under the shadow of the war. Forced to let go of her hopes and dreams, she finds herself uprooted to America and a life she never could have imagined. Decades later, it is … Read More Junction of Earth and Sky by Susan Buttenwieser
+ 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
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