"Anne Frank has long been a symbol of bravery and hope, but there were two sisters hidden in the annex, two young Jewish girls, one a cultural icon made famous by her published diary and the other, nearly forgotten.
In the spring of 1959, The Diary of Anne Frank has just come to the silver screen to great acclaim, and a young woman named Margie Franklin is working in Philadelphia as a secretary at a Jewish law firm. On the surface she lives a quiet life, but Margie has a secret: a life she once lived, a past and a religion she has denied, and a family and a country she left behind.
Margie Franklin is really Margot Frank, older sister of Anne, who did not die in Bergen-Belsen as reported, but who instead escaped the Nazis for America. But now, as her sister becomes a global icon, Margie’s carefully constructed American life begins to fall apart. A new relationship threatens to overtake the young love that sustained her during the war, and her past and present begin to collide. Margie is forced to come to terms with Margot, with the people she loved, and with a life swept up into the course of history."
RATING 5 STARS
Unbelievably good.
Margot is the heartbreaking, breathtaking story of Margot Frank, Anne Frank’s older sister. The heartbreaking part is knowing that she is dead. That she and her sister and so many other WW2 victims died a horrible death, and should not have. The novel brings light onto what could have been, what should have been, but what never was. And that is what makes it all so sad.
In the book Margot {Margie Franklin} escaped the cattle cars on the way to camp. She ran and never looked back, and made a new life for herself – in secrecy. She is ashamed of who she is and who has become, and finds herself guilty of her sister’s death because of running.
In reality both girls did die just before Germany was liberated from Hitler’s reign.
Margot Frank’s diary was never found, but since Anne’s was she is the only one we really know anything about. And there are several things that happened to Anne Frank that are not mentioned in the diary she wrote during here two year stay in the secret Annex. For instance, in Anne’s diary, we get a feel for what things were like in the Annex, and how they had to hide from the Nazi’s and how that strained or strengthened the family’s previous relationships, but Anne does not speak an awful lot of how things were before she and her family were forced into hiding. There also is not a lot of information on what happened to the girls after they were taken away from their hiding place in Annex to the dreaded cattle cars. We don’t get a lot of information on what it was like for both sisters to be together, but unable to help each other. We have Anne Frank locked into our minds as the young girl who is bright and happy and well fed and healthy and inquisitive and who desperately wants to be movie star and have a life outside of hiding. I have never let my mind go to such places as to imagine Anne being tattooed with a number, shaved, starved, diseased, and shriveled.
And Margot never had her own voice in the first place! Barely even a thought as her sister became known throughout the world.
Jillian Cantor let her mind go there.
And that is what makes this novel so brilliantly beautiful.
When we meet Margie Franklin she is working as a secretary to a handsome lawyer in Philadelphia. She has told no one that she is Jewish, that she is from Germany, or her real name. Even her closest friends, and she swallowed up almost entirely by self doubt and regret. We move with her character through her journey to become whole again. To stop hiding, to stop hiding the tattooed numbers on her arm with her ridiculous sweaters. To be happy. And of course that is what we would have wanted for Margot Frank. Happiness, and the bravery to be her true self, instead of hiding in the shadows.
The characters are absolutely enthralling and lovable, Margie Franklin is so lovable and gives voice to who Margot could have been, had she survived the horrors of war. Some are annoying, but all well meaning and true {even if they don’t fully understand Margie Franklin’s ways}, and even when they blatantly say things that Margie might have taken a bit of offense to had they known her true identity or had she told them anything.
The text, written from Margie’s voice and perspective, is simple but grounded and deep with so much more meaning than what is just on the surface. Which makes the writing all the more lovely. Margie’s voice, I felt, was a true testament to Margot and in keeping her alive just as much as her sister.
Fictitious or not, this book brings to light the reality of the Frank family, the reality of war, and the emotions beyond the ties that bind a family together – even when they are apart. It also brought to life the fact that just because we read Anne’s famous diary doesn’t mean we understand the full story. Or that we ever will. We will never ever really truly KNOW what these sisters went through, or what happened after the family was found that dark night in the Annex. History is defined by the perspective of the person who writes it. And this book is the perfect example of how that can happen.
An easy read, a brilliant story, and a tiny window into the life and heart of Margo Frank,Margot is a must read.
"Katherine Warren, M.D., is a no-nonsense pediatrician who serves the small and suffering in a Texas barrio clinic. She thinks she’s seen it all, but then it all hits home. Her ten-year-old son is brought to the edge of death by a medical accident in a dentist’s office.
Katherine, her CPA husband, Sam, her grandmother, her best friend, her scientific colleagues – the finest minds and biggest hearts – rally to the aid of the boy, who is locked in darkness.
Sam and Katherine, twin towers of rationality, must come to terms with difficult yet sustaining truths. When all seems lost, this is what remains: Below hope, beyond the reach of religion or science, at the point of surrender lies something in our trembling center that keeps us going. A small, quiet mystery. A little something."
RATING 5 STARS
Beautifully written.
A Little Something is beautifully written and designed, each character seems to have their own voice in the narration.
We meet Justin first thing, a typical 10 year old boy with a lot of energy, but also a boy who is hit in the face with a foul baseball during a game. Not too much trouble there - maybe a slight concussion and a loose tooth - and Justin, like any ten year old boy, wears those battle wounds proudly. But therein lies the beginning of the story when(view spoiler)
Haddaway's narration is absolutely flawless, and has a certain indescribable flow to it. The characters were so vivid and real, and I was impressed by how well the essence of a ten year old boy was portrayed throughout the book. And without us ever really meeting Justin too! I thought it interesting that Justin was actually only really in the first chapter, and anything else we learn about his personality is through flashbacks of his parents or Granny.
I found myself laughing at quite a few moments in the book, though the storyline is actually pretty dark and depressing. Haddaway’s interpretation of a family moving through fear, hope, guilt, anger, and remorse and so many other emotions that come with grief was so moving and tender and handled with deep emotion, but also with understanding.
The entire story was so bittersweet and (view spoiler) the ending followed that theme right out to the end.
I think the most touching scenes were the ones that involved Toady, Justin’s best friend, and the scenes with the firefighters, and I loved the fact that all of the staff over at the fire department ended up (view spoiler).
I had such high hopes for reading this book and was not disappointed – definitely a book worth reading.
**I won a copy of A Little Something for free through a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway**
"Michelle doesn’t believe in fairy tales. She’s a hard-headed businesswoman, making a fresh start in a new town. And when she decides to take over a neglected book shop, she knows the perfect manager.
For book-loving Anna, it’s a dream come true—and not just because it gives her an escape from her three demanding step-children and their adorable but hyperactive Dalmatian. Although she’s been thinking that her own fairytale ending hasn’t really turned out the way she hoped, Anna’s passion for the classics is transforming the shop. The customers, and even Michelle, are falling under the spell of the magical stories of romance, adventure, and lost dogs.
But when secrets from her past threaten Michelle’s new beginnings, and trouble strikes at the heart of Anna’s household, can the wisdom and courage of the stories in the bookshop help the two friends—and those they love—find their happy ever after?"
RATING 5 STARSI really didn't know what to expect when I picked this book up at the library last week, having never read a Lucy Dillon novel. I was nothing short of completely satisfied. Mrs. Dillon has a way of telling a story in a narration that made me forget everything around me and lose track of time completely. By the title, I expected somewhat of a simple, easy, cliche read, and relished at the thought of perhaps not having to be so emotional at a book since recently the only thing I've done is pick up books that make me want to bawl my eyes out. That recent track record was not broken, however. I felt like such a sap crying my eyes out at this simple "fairy tale for adults" as the cover put it. Actually, I think I can picture this book being made into a Hallmark movie. Yeah. I know.Dillon has absolutely brilliant character development, and I loved Anna - she was my ultimate favorite. The sweet laid off librarian who cries at children's stories, has a dog named Pongo, and three bratty stepdaughters at home along with a husband who isn't as on track as she'd hoped he'd be about having a child of their own. And then there is Michele - the practical sales woman who won't let anyone into her heart and is running from an emotionally abusive husband who has tricked her entire family into thinking that he prince charming, and *SPOILER ALERT HERE* harboring the emotional secret of being sexually assaulted as a teenager. How's that for a fairy tale?Seriously though, this book is one of my new favorites. I thought it was brilliant and sweet and heartfelt - and like I said, the characters turned me into a total blubbering sap. But in my defense - when I picked up the book I wasn't expecting anything emotional.Can't wait to see what else Lucy Dillon has to offer!
"Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.
Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart."
RATING 4 STARS
I have wanted to read this book for a while now, and only recently had the chance to finally get the guts up to do it.
It is not a good story. It is not an enjoyable read. For the majority of this book I was either tearful or nauseous. But it is beautifully written in a way that gives hope for survival and love above all other human emotions. That being said, I think this is something that everyone should read at least once in their lifetime, but I don't think I'll be re-reading it.
This is a story that needs to be shared with the world. And I hope that, eventually, it will be.
I would have loved nothing more than to have read this book in high school. I wouldn't mind it being a required reading for everyone. Of course, I learned about Stalin and Hitler and WW2, but mostly just the "Hitler vs. the rest of the world" that predominately is told. I wish we gone into more detail about Stalin and his evils, which is exactly what this story brings to light.
I think what made this story so riveting and unforgettable is knowing that most of it happened. Even where the characters were fictional, the things that happened to them and a lot of the kindness that is shown between them is not fictional.
"National best seller and Today show Book Club selection, Broken for Youis the story of two women in self-imposed exile whose lives are transformed when their paths intersect. Stephanie Kallos's debut novel is a work of infinite charm, wit and heart. It is also a glorious homage to the beauty of broken things. When we meet septuagenarian Margaret Hughes, she is living alone in a mansion in Seattle with only a massive collection of valuable antiques for company. Enter Wanda Schultz, a young woman with a broken heart who has come west to search for her wayward boyfriend. Both women are guarding dark secrets and have spent many years building up protective armor against the outside world. As their tentative friendship evolves, the armor begins to fall away and Margaret opens her house to the younger woman. This launches a series of unanticipated events, leading Margaret to discover a way to redeem her cursed past, and Wanda to learn the true purpose of her cross-country journey. Both funny and heartbreaking, Broken for You is a testament to the saving graces of surrogate families and shows how far the tiniest repair jobs can go in righting the world's wrongs."
RATING 3.5 STARS
This was a book that I truly enjoyed. I fell in love with {most} of the characters, and it was just a really great read. By the first chapter I really expected something good but depressing. In actuality it was quite funny. The people and plot are just as quirky as the author's writing style, but still within reach enough to be relatable. I didn't see a lot of the plot twists coming, and really enjoyed being on the emotional roller coaster ride with each individual character. I do wish that the author would have written more into the emotion of Tink in relation to her issues with her father. I felt that particular part of the book was rather sketchy. I wanted her to be as angry with him as I was, but other than that it was a great read that I would recommend to most anyone.
Two women collide lives on a Nigeria beach. One must make a terrible choice. Two years later, they meet again and the story starts …
RATING 3.5 STARS
I truly enjoyed this book, and was completely engulfed in little bee's character. This was one of the most heartbreaking stories I could have picked up, but the way that little bee stood strong throughout the story and thevperspective that little bee had was so heartfelt and light at the same time that the heartbreaking root of the plot was over taken by sweetness in the most precious of ways.
When I first picked up the book I wasn't quite sure how well I would relate to the characters, me being American not British and White not Black. However, Cleave does a terrific job with character development and it wasn't an issue at all. Also, I have worked one on one with refugee students so this book was a magnificent insight. Things that I really wouldn't have thought about were exposed, and looking at our western culture from a third world perspective was extremely eye opening.
There has been some discussion on the fact that this male author is writing in voices of two women in this book, and I see that some felt as if the text wasn't "womanly" enough. I didn't find that much of an issue with that either, in fact he was very brave to do so.
*SPOILER ALERT HERE*
Okay just a few spoiler-ish things.
I loved little bee. But I wasn't sure about how I felt about Sarah. She saved little bee's life of course so that was great, and I felt like she had good intentions, but most of the time I was pretty annoyed with her character, and her affair, and her choice in men. I didn't think either of the male characters in this book were likable.
Sarah's narration was great, but I think I would like to read the story completely in little Bee's character. I think it might have been more relevant to the story had it been that way.
And I wanted little bee to have her happy ending! After everything, I felt, she deserved it. That being said, I wasn't completely happy with the ending it seemed a bit open ended...but that's okay, I made up my own...but I thought it was sweet too and I really loved that Sarah and batman followed bee back to Africa.
All in all it was magnificent and well crafted story written by an extremely talented author.
"For fans of The Kite Runner and Slumdog Millionaire, a rags to riches epic.
By the banks of the River Yamuna in northern India, where rice paddies of basmati merge into fields of sugarcane, twelve-year-old Madan arrives with his family in the factory town of Gorapur. Madan’s father, drunk and abusive, threatens the family’s already tenuous, lowly position in Gorapur, finally committing an unforgivable crime. But when Madan’s sharp mind and hardened determination catch the attention of Avtaar Singh, his father’s employer and the most powerful man in town, everything seems to change for Madan and for his family. Avtaar Singh becomes a father to Madan in every way except in blood.
In his journey from impoverished boy to powerful man, Madan will have to bargain for his life and for the lives of those he loves. A novel about fathers and sons, the ties that bind, and the barriers of class that even love cannot break, Three Bargains is a stunning debut."
Expected Publication: August 11th, 2014
RATING 5 STARS
I am not sure I know exactly what to say about what I just read but I am going to try.
This "rags to riches" tale was extremely heartbreaking to read, but also beautiful in ways and beautifully written. It is is difficult for me wrap my mind around the fact that this is Malik's first novel.
We start out on our journey through Madan's life when he is twelve years old. He is dirt poor, is living with his family and grandfather in servant's quarters under the man {Avtaar Singh} who pretty much owns the entire town and the people in it, and his father is an abusive drunk. He has an extremely rough start in the world.
It starts to get better when Avtaar Singh notices Madan's intelligence, and takes a liking to him, but soon after they make acquaintance trouble with his father starts brewing. His father has debts to pay, and to pay them off he commits the unforgivable crime against his family of (view spoiler)
Avtaar Singh then takes Madan in, pretty much, as a son of his own, but also introduces Madan to a slick spiral down to a life of crime. And Madan, who is intelligent, lacks common sense and hangs on to the Avtaar's every word.
…And that is where the real story begins.
This book started out as being a gruesome tale of the life of poverty, then for the majority of the book it becomes the story of poverty and crime. I really wasn't sure where this book was going to end up, but the way Malik writes made me feel like I was right in the heart of India. I have not had much experience or knowledge about the culture of India, and Malik still did an amazing job in keeping me caught up and in explaining the story right through those pesky cultural barriers.
I was amazed at how well the ending came together, even though I really didn't like that(view spoiler) I really LOVED the ending and how bittersweet Madan's (view spoiler) I wasn't sure if I liked Madan at all throughout the majority of the book, just because of how much he got himself into trouble and how willing he was to heed Avtaar Singh's every command - even when it involved the murder of, what seemed like, innocent people. I LOVED Jaggu, and that love just kept growing. I HATED Avtaar Singh and was extremely disappointed when Madan (view spoiler)
All in all I am extremely satisfied with this book, it is a new favorite of mine, I will be re-reading it. After all of the violence and troubles, I did not expect for this book to end up so bittersweet and heartfelt, but was happily surprised.
**I won an ARC of Three Bargians for free through a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway**
**This review is based on an uncorrected proof, the novel is subject to change until publication**
"Selene grew up in a palace on the Nile under parents Cleopatra and Mark Antony - the most brilliant, powerful rulers on earth. But Roman Emperor takes the country and princess to Rome. She finds herself torn between two young men and two possible destinies - until she reaches out to claim her own."
RATING 5 STARS
Once upon a time there was Cleopatra the seventh, Queen of Egypt. She allied herself with her lover, Julius Caesar. We all know how THAT story ended.
Then there was the lovely Marcus Antonius. We know how that story ends too. They all died.
But these Great Ruler’s children are often forgotten, in fact, I didn’t even know Cleopatra had so many children. We are often so enticed by the “magic” and so-called “romance” of Ancient Egypt and Rome that everything else hides in the shadowed background of history. Everyone has heard of the tragic love triangles that took place in Cleopatra the seventh’s lifetime, but history fails to mention anything that went on after they all died.
Cleopatra the seventh was lover to Julius Caesar. She had his son {her first born}, Caesarian, before Caesar was assassinated {which wasn’t long after}. She then went on to marry Marcus Antonius {who was first married to Octavia, Caesar’s adopted son and nephew Octavianus’s sister}. She had three children with Antonius; twins Cleopatra the eighth Selene and Alexandros Helios, and her youngest, Ptolly.
Octavianus succeeded his uncle and adopted father Julius Caesar as conqueror of Rome – and eventually Egypt and Spain and all other surrounding territories – alongside his {current at the time} wife, Livia. When Marcus Antonius officially divorced Octavianus’s sister Octavia, Octavianus used the divorce as a smear campaign against Cleopatra the seventh and as an excuse to claim official war against Egypt as a means to conquer the city.
**I would recommend paying serious attention to the character list before reading this book.
As a last resort to save their family Cleopatra and Antonius sent her first son, Caesarian {cousin and step brother to Octavianus} to India. He was hunted down and executed by Octavianus’s men. Eventually, after the death of both her husband and her son, the great Cleopatra the seventh killed herself.
And that is usually where the story ends.
But Cleopatra left her youngest children to fend for themselves in the midst of the war between Rome and Egypt. The children {the twins were eleven at the time} were left to pick up the pieces left by their parents. Which is the story the book is centered around.
Told in Cleopatra the seventh Selene’s voice and view, the story is a masterful telling of the lives of these three children in the aftermath of Rome’s takeover of Egypt and their strong will to live. This book is enchanting. Between Roman Politics, the leaders, the Ancient Egyptian rituals and religion, the war, the love triangles, etc., this book is impossible to put down. History, especially ancient Egyptian history, has been extremely romanticized and misconstrued throughout the years. There is a little bit of romance, and of course, and all of what has been mentioned above is included in the story, but Vicky Alvear Shecter also leaves nothing out. From blood death rituals, to brutal assassinations, and several murder attempts using poison, strangulation, stabbing, suicide – it is all there, and it is all historically accurate. Parts of this book are brutal, but there is never a dull moment in reading and I was extremely pleased that the book had a {somewhat} happy ending.
The story starts when Cleopatra Selene is seven years old and travels through the course of years until she is about sixteen. For about three quarters of the book she is eleven and twelve years old, and at times it was hard for me to remember how young she was given everything that had happened to the poor girl.
An intense but enchanting read, Cleopatra’s Moon is a must read for historical fiction lovers.
"It’s 1950, and as the French Quarter of New Orleans simmers with secrets, seventeen-year-old Josie Moraine is silently stirring a pot of her own. Known among locals as the daughter of a brothel prostitute, Josie wants more out of life than the Big Easy has to offer.
She devises a plan get out, but a mysterious death in the Quarter leaves Josie tangled in an investigation that will challenge her allegiance to her mother, her conscience, and Willie Woodley, the brusque madam on Conti Street. Josie is caught between the dream of an elite college and a clandestine underworld. New Orleans lures her in her quest for truth, dangling temptation at every turn, and escalating to the ultimate test.
With characters as captivating as those in her internationally bestselling novel Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys skillfully creates a rich story of secrets, lies, and the haunting reminder that decisions can shape our destiny."
RATING 5 STARS
This is now one of my favorite books to date. The text was pretty simple, but the plot was full of some pretty deep stuff. Jo's narration of the story was, once again, simple, but also mesmerizing to me. And soooo relatable on so many different levels. This is such a brave girl, someone to look up to even she is completely fictitious. I think all girls should read this book especially. It really shows that no matter your situation, you can succeed in life, no matter what you've been given, or what you've been through, there is always hope.
I was deeply touched by the kindness that shown from Cokie, Sweety, Willie, Sadie, Charlotte, and even Jo herself. In the middle of all the catastrophe there still was some inkling of true kindness and hope.
I will definitely be re-reading this one over and over again.
"A pilot forced to land in the Sahara meets a little prince. The wise and enchanting stories the prince tells of his own planet with its three volcanoes and a haughty flower are unforgettable.
A strange and wonderful parable for all ages, with super illustrations by the author."
RATING 4 STARS
I absolutely adore this book and have ever since I first read it. It takes me to a different place. I think everyone should read The Little Prince at least once in their lifetime…but that is just me. The storyline is fabulous, especially for youngsters, and the characters are lovable. The only thing negative I have to say about this book is that I don't like the ending very much at all.
"In 1897, the French poet Edmond Rostand published a play, Cyrano de Bergerac, on the subject of Cyrano's life. This play, Rostand's most successful work, concentrates on Cyrano's love for the beautiful Roxane, whom he's obliged to woo on behalf of a more conventionally handsome but less articulate friend, Christian de Neuvillette.
The play has been adapted for cinema several times, notably in 1990 with Gérard Depardieu in the title role. That 1990 version's dialog is in French with subtitles written by Anthony Burgess in rhymed couplets, mirroring the form of the dialog in the original play. The most famous film version in English is the 1950 film, with José Ferrer in the title role, a performance for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Steve Martin wrote & starred in a contemporary retelling, Roxanne, earning himself the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 1988. Based on Rostand's play is the libretto by Wm James Henderson to the 1913 opera Cyrano by Walter Damrosch."
RATING 4 STARS
A timeless classic. I always get lost in this twisted but romantic {and almost heroic} love story. Enough said.
