A special thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The last thing that Joe Thorne wants is to return to his hometown. There's nothing there for him except regrets, painful memories, and tragedy. And he thought he would never go back, especially not after what happened to his sister, Annie, all those years ago. But Joe doesn't have a choice because it appears to be happening again and he needs to set things right. Joe is a bit of a mess—he's got a drinking problem and a gambling problem—and his former friends are not happy he's back, nor are his enemies. But the hardest part of returning home will be going back to the abandoned mine where it all went wrong and his life was forever changed. For Joe, the worst moment of his life wasn't the day his sister went missing, it was the day she came back. I assume this is a homage to Stephen King, otherwise, her plot twist was too familiar to anyone that has read Pet Cemetery. That being said, there were parts that were extremely clever and tight, and then there were times where the narrative rambled and completely went off the rails. But what caught me the most off guard were the supernatural/horror elements in a book that I assumed was in the thriller/mystery/suspense genre. If you like horror, and you are a fan of Stephen King, than this book will totally be your bag.

 

Impressive.

 

We were the lucky ones is this and much more.

 

At first I picked up this book for the beautiful, romantic cover and the title.

 

There are moments in our life close to the perfection and other ones where we can pronounce these words: "We were the lucky ones..."

 

A disgrace, some illness able to change the face of a family.

Life is long and can be plenty of events, sad and happy.

 

In this family these words can be used with a double meaning: in this case we don't analyze exactly the sad destiny of a family because of the departure of a beloved one for an accident or the illness of a person.

 

No.

 

In this case we talk of Holocaust.

 

In this case we are back to the atrocities of the last 1930s perpetrated by Adolf Hitler at certain people.

 

The idea of the creation of a pure white race and the suppression of all the Jewish existing in the world including sick people has meant the departure in the various camps established by the same Hitler of more than 6 millions of poor people and a total shame for the world.

 

So the title can have two meanings: "We were the lucky ones" because of course there will be a long period in which the family will suffer great pains because of the atrocities wanted by Hitler, but at the end when all that horror gone they can repeat this same phrase with a certain relaxation and a complete different meaning because in comparison with most of the people killed in lagers, camps wanted by Hitler this family survived at all of it.

 

Every time I read a book about the Holocaust is always a sufferance.

 

Georgia Hunter will introduce to you her family and the problematic that her relatives lived during the Second World War.

 

Her family lived in Lvov, a little village in Poland and during all the years of the war the reports of the facts of the various protagonists. The book is written with great class, culture and calm. There are not too many dialogues, nor a great sentimentalism although you will find memories, letters exchanged between the various protagonists.

 

What I love the most of this book, because I read various books about the Holocaust is a true happy end for once.

 

At the end of every chapter, the bulletins of what was going on in Europe, America and other part of the world in that tragic moments in which world was like suspended.

 

My favorite characters the one of Addy the granddad of the author and his mom.

 

What it is important to do with Holocaust and tragedies like these ones is to continue to tell, and never never never think for a second that atrocities like these ones won't never exist anymore. It's important to remember at the new generations that the freedom obtained has been the fruit of all the people who died during the last Second World War and the men who helped to set free again countries taken hostage by an absurd, absolutely cruel dictatorship.

 

 

 

I thank First to Read and Penguin Random House for this book.

 

 

 

 

Anna Maria Polidori

Leah Remini has been through it all and she will never let anyone walk all over her again.

 

In her tell-all book, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, she discusses growing up in a religion that taught her how to 'clear the planet' and how she still uses some of the positives from LRH in her life, even after splitting from the controversial religious group. 

 

Remini explains enough of what she and others went through to allow the reader to decide for themselves if Scientology is a cult or just a religion who request's your whole bank account when the plate is passed. 

 

For me, it was incredible to read how Remini grew up in this mindset, being as independent and smart-mouthed as she is. You would think someone as strong as her would have realized the atrocities happening within her own church sooner. 

 

That is not the case though, as she explains how tough it was to be audited every hour of every day for years and the commitment that had to be made in order to feel like she was a 'good person' by LRH standards. 

 

Definitely a great read with snarky comments on the people Remini thought were there for her, and how she has overcome her fear of being free. 

 

http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/253674/troublemaker-by-leah-remini/ 

Publication Date: 12th March 2015

 

Publisher: Penguin Random House

 

ISBN: 9780718180324

 

Source: Real Readers

 

Rating: 4½/5

 

 

Synopsis:

Young girls are bring abducted and murdered in the North-East. Out of favour Detective Constable Ian Bradshaw struggles to find any leads - and fears that the only thing this investigation will unravel is himself.

 

Journalist Tom Carney is suspended by his London tabloid and returns to his home village in County Durham. Helen Norton is the reporter who replaced Tom on the local newspaper. Together, they are drawn into the case...

 

When a body is found, it's not the latest victim but a decades-old corpse. Secrets buried for years are waiting to be found, while in the present-day an unstoppable killer continues to evade justice.

 

 

Review: 

As a lover of crime thrillers, an ARC of No Name Lane coming through my letterbox just about made my day, even though I had no prior experience of the author's work.

My interest piqued on reading the synopsis - this book promised suspense in bucketloads alongside some interesting characters. With high hopes, I settled down to read...

 

The fact that I read this novel in three sittings, broken only by sleep and unavoidable chores, speaks for itself. DC Ian Bradshaw is fantastic, journalists Tom and Helen have great chemistry, all three main characters work well together. They are believable and likeable, despite their flaws. If anything, this makes them more human. 

 

The case is so compelling. I was desperate to discover the identity of the corpse and find out their story. There are twists and turns that I didn't see coming and a real 'Whhaaat?!' moment. This may have been my first Howard Linskey read, but it definitely won't be my last!

Title: Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography

Author: Neil Patrick Harris

Genre: Autobiography

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Publication Date: October 14, 2014

Format: Hardcover via Blogging for Books

 

Synopsis

 

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

My review (published at Read, Run, Ramble):

 

Thank you Penguin Random House via Blogging for Books for providing me with an early copy of this book!

 

Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography was a fun and different read. As expected, the content was funny and lively. I did get a little lost when I tried to read it as a true choose your own adventure so about a quarter of the way through I gave that up and read it from start to finish. Reading it that way helped – I was sometimes a little out of synch, but at least things seemed to make sense!

 

I love NPH – I have since his days as Doogie. I love him in his roles as an actor, but I also enjoy him outside of those roles, as a person. That part of him was the part I was most interested in reading about in this book, and I’m happy to say it was provided and that he is still my kind of celebrity.

 

I enjoyed reading of his parents, his children, his partner, and his life outside of acting the most. It is interesting to read of all the people he’s had the pleasure of meeting, hanging out with, and working with, but I’m not too star-struck in personality so that info didn’t do much for me.

 

Reading of his struggle to identify himself and come to terms with that identification was interesting as well. He dealt with his sexuality in a very Doogie mixed with Barney served on top of a confused human being type of way and he kept it real in the book. There were men, there were women, there were non-cut and dry feelings to figure out and it was written well in the book. There was a perfect balance of humor, detail, and explanation so as not to overdo it or underdo it.

 

Interspersed throughout are letters written to NPH by those who know and love him best. I liked them, and I liked the light way they added depth and more character to the story.

 

All-in-all I enjoyed the read. It wasn’t has crack-up funny as I expected or as choose-your-own-adventure exciting as I expected, but it was an enjoyable and informative read that provided a few chuckles and definitely a little more insight into a celebrity of whom I’m already quite fond.

 

I was provided with an ARC of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I am not compensated for any of my reviews.