Tag Archives: Reading

10 Questions with…..Brian K. Larson

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So since is started to really get into reading a few years ago i’ve become a big fan of Brian’s work. He has fun ideas and his storytelling has always kept me hooked. Today happens to be release day for his latest work Time Squared. Look out for my review in the not to distant future!

Happy release day Brian!

Now, Brain has very kindly answered a few questions. Sit back, enjoy and at the end of it i hope you’ll be tempted to give Brian’s work a try if you haven’t already

Let’s talk about your latest released book. Tell us a short blurb about the book, please?

Time Squared is a book about, well, time travel. Here’s the synopsis:

Jonas Arnell, Tipper Montgomery, and a crew of seven launches from Jupiter Station on the Aevus. They’re sent to investigate a mysterious signal coming from the star Gliese 667.

Nearly destroyed from a surprise attack to prevent the mission, they retire into cryogenic sleep for the nineteen month journey.

When they awaken, their world is turned upside down as they discover the origin of this mystery signal; their own ship. Only the crew and the ship’s skiff are missing.

Landing on the planet, they discover a time chamber where an accident has altered their time-line. Now they must travel through time to stop the paradox from occurring.

Where did your idea for the story come from and how long did it take to write?

This book was originally inspired by the 1960’s TV show, “Time Tunnel” that I watched as a kid. I was enthralled by the idea, or, possibility, that we could travel through time.

Time Squared was one of my easiest books to write with a completed manuscript in two months. I love science fiction and when you toss time travel in, well, it becomes even more awesome.

How did you come up with the title?

Time Squared has several been inspired by many different works. However, one comes to mind is an episode on Star Trek: The Next Generation called Time Squared where Captain Picard discovers his shuttlecraft floating in space. When they bring it onboard, Captain Picard is inside. It’s a wonderful time travel episode. However, the crew in this book finding themselves and the title are the only things you will find familiar. The story does take on its own life and after ready a couple of chapters, you will be hooked.

 

 

 

Do you stick to one genre or do you dabble in others, too?

I mainly write Science Fiction. However, my last 3 book series titled ‘Warlords,’ mixed science fiction and fantasy. I had one review state that he loved the books and I didn’t trip over one genre over the other, it was blended nicely.

What are you currently working on?

Currently, I’m working on volume 2 in the ‘Time’ series titled, ‘Time Fractured.’

Which manuscript did you have the most fun working on?

By far, the manuscript I had the most fun writing was the third book in the ‘Warlords Series’ titled ‘Blood Scroll of Antares.’ The words flowed onto the page, and I had a clear understanding of every aspect of the story. I found my groove on this one for sure.

 

Let’s talk about you, the author, now. What do you do when you aren’t writing?

If I’m not sitting behind my keyboard writing my next best seller, I tend to binge watch Netflix series. My favorite one is newest ‘Battlestar Galactica,’ followed by ‘Fringe.’ Currently, I’m just starting season 3 of ‘Lost.’

 

 

Tell us about your favorite cause.

I support the International Dyslexia Foundation. They help others recognize and deal with Dyslexia.

 

Are you coffee or tea?

Most definitely a coffee person, but I do like tea as well.

And lastly, what is the one thing you wish people who DON’T write would understand about writing?

Writing is NOT an easy profession. Sure, the story ideas come fairly easy. However, it takes a lot of planning such as world building and creating unique character that reader will love. Lastly, it’s not all about writing. When you’re an independent, or Indi author, my job’s not done when the manuscript is done. Revisions, editing, doing the book layout, as well as all the marketing fall to author. Having some experience in business with project management does help a great deal.

Author Bio:

Brian was born and raised in Seattle in 1959. He grew up in the town of Mount Lake Terrace, a small suburb north of the city. Brian, being the youngest, had two siblings, his eldest brother, Mike and sister, Pam. School was challenging, as Brian suffers with Dyslexia, a learning disability that affects 1 in 15 Americans. That didn’t stop Brian. He was named “bookworm” in school because he always had his nose in a book.

Brian received his MBA in 2010 in Business, now writes for fun, living his lifelong dream of writing science fiction books. He enjoys his off time, with his seventh grade sweetheart, Diana Rose now for going on sixteen years. She has been by his side and continues to supports his writing. Brian says that without her encouragement, his dream would never have become a reality. They now live in Marysville, Washington, and enjoy three wonderful kids and eight grandchildren. They range from newborn to thirteen, and he says they are so special and great to have around.

It is Brian’s hope that through his writing he will fill hearts with joy to readers all over the world, sparking their imaginations.

Links:

Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/bklarson

Time Squared link US: https://amzn.com/B01F6A9I2Y

Time Squared link UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01F6A9I2Y/

Personal: www.secretofthecrystal.com

Games People Play by Owen Mullen – Review

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Title – Games People Play (Charlie Cameron #1)
Author – Owen Mullen
Genre –  Crime Fiction/Mystery
Length –    405 Pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

On a warm summer’s evening thirteen month old Lily Hamilton is abducted from Ayr beach in Scotland, taken while her parents are yards away. Three days later, the distraught father turns up at Glasgow PI Charlie Cameron’s office and begs him to help. Mark Hamilton believes he knows who has stolen his daughter. And why.
Against his better judgement Charlie gets involved in a case he would be better off without. But when a child’s body is discovered on Fenwick Moor, then another in St Andrews, the awful truth dawns: there is a serial killer out there whose work has gone undetected for decades. Baby Lily may be the latest victim of a madman.
For Charlie it’s too late, he can’t let go. His demons won’t let him.

The stunning first novel featuring Glasgow PI Charlie Cameron. Games People Play will have the reader guessing to the very last page.

Review

This book starts with a bang.. I literally felt compelled to keep reading just so I could find out the truth about what happened.

Charlie is a PI who’s tasked to find a missing person, he knows he should take this case since it’s too close to an ongoing police investigation but he just can’t help himself.

Along the way we find out more about the PI’s own past and his motivations which gave him some depth and made him likable, he’s flawed but you want things to go his way.

The book has two stories playing side by side, one being the investigation and the other Charlies own complicated life. This brought a freshness to the story.. with each turn of the page the story would shift focus seamlessly kept me engaged and interested in what was happening

The story was well written and planed out. I must admit I did not see the ending coming until the author put all the pieces together.. it really had a wow finish for me..the hand over mouth moment when you finally see what Charlie has figured out.

Suspense is the word that best describes this book.. it’s all about the build-up and Owen Mullen did this really well. Some books just make the suspense plane boring but not this book!

The characters were great and I really loved the development throughout of the main character Charlie as you slowly learn more about him

For me this definitely is one of the best Crime Fiction novels I’ve read, not only does it have the investigation side you’d expect but with the underlying story behind Charlie I couldn’t help but be hooked in.

I can’t wait to read the next book in the series

My thanks go to the author for the opportunity to read/review their work

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Darkness Descends by Peter Arvo & Lauren Arvo – Review

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Title – Darkness Descends (Elemental Kingdoms #1)
Author – Peter Arvo, Lauren Arvo
Genre –  Fantasy/Young Adult
Length –    317 Pages
My Rating – 3/5 Stars

Synopsis

Once there were many kingdoms of myth and legend, but six stood apart from the rest. They may have lost their origins, but they still possessed their elemental abilities of creation as well as destruction. Their rule was about to be threatened by an unseen group, who have waited patiently to make their move.

A group of powerful royal blooded teenagers are about to experience the time of their lives, but also have their lives turned upside-down. They will have to go beyond what they thought possible, stretching their skills, friendship, courage, love, and powers to the breaking point.

Review

I’m going to level with you, I requested to review this book for a couple reason. Firstly I liked the cover and the plot behind the book, who doesn’t love a bit of fantasy where people have powers. The second reason and also the main reason behind me wanting to review the book is I loved the story behind it.. I loved the fact Lauren came up with the idea and with the help of her father Peter has helped it come to fruition. I always love to see parents support their children.

I loved the story, the idea those with royal blood have elemental powers was a nice idea. I particularly liked the idea each kingdom had their own powers and these powers can be used in different ways or even combined.

The plot itself is pretty straight forward, Hawten sets out on his mission to get help for his kingdom and in the process is meets the teenage members of other royal households who join him. It was a fun read, although something like this wouldn’t happen in real life I did think the authors managed to get the rebellious and adventurous sides of teenagers across nicely.

I have to admit my favourite character was Ahmu and I loved  he had his own section at the end of the tale where his journal entries were listed

The story is a coming of age tale based on fantasy, these young boys and girls are out to find themselves and learn about their powers as well as help Hawten.

My overall impression of the book is that it is well planned out and very interesting to read, the only two things that could be improved for me were the chapter length and the amount of detail thrown in the story.

Some of the chapters were around 50 – 60 minutes in length and I just felt this was a little too long for a YA book.

The flow of the story was good but at times you had a lot of information thrown at you to describe a place or a person. The information was great at helping you visualise but at the same time it did slow the flow of the story and I think the story would have worked just as well with a little info left out

All in all I really enjoyed the book it was fun to read with lots of potential. I’m very much interested in reading the second book to see how the story progresses

If you’re a fan of YA novels then add this  to your TBR pile, I have a good feeling this series will only improve as it goes forward

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

The Flood by Steven Scaffardi – Review

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Title – The Flood
Author – Steven Scaffardi
Genre –  Lad Lit/Humour
Length –    359 Pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

One bet, four girls, eight weeks, multiple dates. What could possibly go wrong?

Following his traumatic eight month dry spell, Dan Hilles is back in the driving seat and ready to put his dating disasters behind him.

But if only it were that simple.

After a drunken afternoon in the pub, fuelled by the confidence of alcohol, Dan makes a bet with his three best pals that will complicate his love-life more than ever when he brazenly declares that he could juggle multiple women all at the same time.

With just eight weeks to prove his point, Dan is about to find out how hard it is to date a flood of women without them all finding out about each other, especially when they come in the shape of an ex-girlfriend, a stalker, the office ice queen and the one that got away.

The Flood is the hilarious follow-up to The Drought by lad lit author Steven Scaffardi, chronicling the adventures of unlucky-in-love Dan Hilles. Available at Amazon and all good book retailers from March 2016.

Review

The Flood is the second novel in the Sex, Love & Dating Disasters series. If you haven’t already read my review of The Drought, check it out here.

We are back with Dan Hilles and his very unfortunate love life..If you haven’t read the first book don’t worry, the author weaves such a good story they work well as standalone tales.

If possible this book was even better than the first, for me it had more cringy moments where I found myself laughing on public transport.. at one point I even let out a little snort..not my finest moment I’ll admit.

The guys in the story are a very likeable bunch. I think the author really does give a true male perspective. Yes we can be tits sometimes but for the most part we mean no harm.. we just don’t use our brain as much as we should… and we can end up in some awkward situations just like Dan.

From the opening chapters and synopsis I thought I had a good idea what the direction the story would go in but with all the twists and turns the author throws in I literally had no idea what would happen next.. the only thing I knew for certain is that I had to keep reading.

One of the things I liked most in this book is we are introduced to some very weird and fun new characters… some were so unpredictable you just had to keep reading to see what they got up to next

If you read my reviews you’ll know I’m not one for spoilers.. but the ending blow me away.. didn’t see it coming a mile off and I’m eagerly looking forward to more from the author.

I definitely feel the characters have grown a little since the first book, although not very much ha ha they’re still the fun bunch of lads that had me laughing in The Drought.

Overall I felt this was a honest, funny and clever tale that pretty much anyone will enjoy.. how can you not 🙂

If you’re looking for a nice fun read then this is the series for you. It keeps you hooked and leaves you wanting more..

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/review his work..it was my absolute pleasure

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Blog Tour – Soho Honey by A.W Rock – Review

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Title – Soho Honey
Author – A.W Rock
Genre –  Crime
Length –    356 Pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

3

Synopsis

This contemporary crime story takes place over three weeks in November and unfolds against the multi-cultural backdrop of Soho, London. Branen had to leave the UK six years before to escape his complex clandestine history and the consequences of a crime that achieved worldwide notoriety. When his daughter is brutally murdered in Soho he believes that he could be the reason. He returns to his old hunting grounds to find the killer. His search brings him into conflict with the British Secret Service and Soho’s underworld. He is forced to flee Soho again after a tragic meeting with his ex-wife. His past has caught up with him and the hunter becomes the hunted. Now forty years old Branen wants to stop running and to remove forever the continuing threat to his life. In an effort to get rid of his pursuers he is faced with the prospect that his only chance of survival could lead to his death.

‘I have now read the novel myself and I think it’s very good… I will not be the only publisher who finds it first rate.’ Christopher MacLehose, Publisher of ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ – part of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy.

Review

This book surprised me. The synopsis was interesting but I was hooked into the story quicker than I imagined I would be..the book just got better and better as it went on.

The very first part of the book is a bit of background on Branen.. all very interesting but I was waiting to get to the good stuff…and the author didn’t keep me waiting long.

As soon as Branen’s daughter is involved the fast pace of the story turns to suspense and a brilliant story builds up leading on from her murder.

For me two characters stood out, Snowman and Harry.. these guys play pivotal parts in the book and I just loved any scene with them in.

One of the best things about this book is how the author has decided to write it. Each part of the story is broke down into manageable chunks clearly stating who is involved. This style of writing made it very easy for me to read and helped reinforce the character info you’ve learnt as you can clearly see their progression. There is also a section at the beginning of the book which details each character.. I must admit I skipped this and don’t think it did me any harm.. the author explained each characters and their motivations well enough during the story

The plot line has twists and turns and was exciting to read.. with each page turn i was left wondering what else could possibly happen! I won’t lie there is a lot going on within the plot but for me it all worked. It’s a gritty crime drama full of suspense.. for me it was like James Bond.. but with a lot of drugs involved set in the seedy underworld of Soho.

I’d definitely like to see where the author goes next. If you enjoy crime gritty/dirty/dark crime books this book will work for you.

Thank you to Kate Appleton @ Authoright and Clink Street Publishing for this review copy.

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

 

I Can I Will – Debra Benson – Review

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Title –  I Can I Will
Author – Debra Benson
Genre –  Short Stories/Romance
Length –    52 Pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Andrea’s life fell apart when she was laid off from a good paying job, but she found comfort in church, and then in the gentle arms of the Reverend. That would have been the perfect solution if he wasn’t already married to her best friend, one thing led to another and things just happened. What happens when two people in need of love find each other? Can Andrea and Melvin find their way past sin and salvage their personal lives, as well as their standing with God?

Review

At 52 pages this book is short but like me you’ll be surprised how much has been crammed in.

One of the biggest issues you can have is leaving the reader feeling deflated like they haven’t got their monies worth from a short story.. well not this stories.

The author managed to weave what felt to me as a complete story in so few pages and actually had me feeling for the characters.  When each new character is introduced the author gives you a little insight but as the story progresses you get to see things from their point of view and things aren’t as clear cut as they might appear.

I think the story has done well to highlight what can happen in relationships; as much as we love someone everyone has the human need to feel loved. Romance is not a genre I tend to enjoy but this was a real treat

For me the way the author wrote this book was brilliant, with the story moving from one person’s perspective to another. This give the book a great feel and I constantly changed my views on the characters with every turn of a page

If you enjoy a good short story this is perfect, it didn’t feel lacking in anything. The pace of the story was perfect, the writing style made it all flow nicely and my biggest love in any story. Character development was there in abundance.

If you’ve not read a short story before then give this one a go! I doubt you’ll be disappointed

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read and review the book

To find out more head to Goodreads, Smashwords, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

The Theseus Paradox by David Videcette – Review

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Title –  The Theseus Paradox
Author – David Videcette
Genre –  Crime, Thriller.
Length –  438 Pages
Publication – Nov 2015
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

“I can’t tell you the truth, but I can tell you a story…”
How much is fact and how much is fiction, only YOU can decide…

‘A chillingly credible tale based on real circumstances.’
‘A five-star, explosive finale.’
‘Leaves the reader hungry to research this version of events!’
‘A believable conspiracy theory with an incredible ring of truth.’
‘This fictional thriller holds a lot of water. Do not miss!’
‘A powerhouse of a fact-fiction mash-up.’
‘A stunning ‘big reveal’ at the end.’
‘Brilliant stuff that smacks you in the face!’

July 2005: in the midst of Operation Theseus, the largest police investigation that the UK has ever known, Detective Inspector Jake Flannagan begins to ask difficult questions that lead to the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend and his sudden suspension from the Metropolitan Police.

Who masterminded London’s summer of terror?
Why can’t Flannagan make headway in the sprawling investigation?
Is Jake’s absent girlfriend really who she claims to be?

While hunting for the answers to the most complex case in British history, one man will uncover the greatest criminal deception of our time.

Terror, extremism and fear of the unknown,
Sometimes the answer is much closer to home.

The author: David Videcette is a former Scotland Yard investigator who has worked on a wealth of infamous cases, including the 7 July 2005 London bombings. He has twenty years of police and investigative experience as a British detective, specialising in counter-terrorist operations and organised crime. He currently consults on security operations for high-net-worth individuals and is an expert media commentator on crime, terrorism, extremism and the London 7/7 and 21/7 attacks.

David says, ‘I can’t tell you the truth, but I can tell you a story..’

Review

Ok so this was a really interesting one for me, based around the 7/7 bombings it gives you a very plausible, fast paced tale.

Jake the lead character is great, he relies on his gut instincts.. he’s a pain when it comes to his bosses and police procedure but he gets results… the line is blurred a but when it comes to Jake but this gives him great depth and makes him believable. He’s flawed and it makes you like him.. I hope there’s more to come as I’d love to see his character develop further

One thing I really enjoyed was that this book shows you there are lots of things going on behind the scenes that we never know about. There’s must have been so much evidence to collect that it did become more of a hindrance than helping with the investigation. This book gives a well rounded view of an investigation not just a clear cut line that some novels do

The fact the author is former Police works well for him, the book flowed so well. Credit to the author his knowledge made this such a good tale you could believe this is actually what did happen.. Everything is spot on.. everything is explained perfectly.

Another great feature in the book is the super short chapters, packed full of info that build in intensity as the book progresses. You could argue that some chapters didn’t really need to be split up but it made the story such a fast flowing ride that you barely notice you’ve been reading for an hour

In the end the plot, although about a sensitive subject worked well and I didn’t see the twists coming that the author through in. David clearly had put a lot of time into this tale and it pays off big style

If you’re a fan of the genre you’ll love this and for anyone who has never ready a crime book before this would be the prefect intro.

My thanks go to the author for the chance to review the book. In complete honesty I will be adding David to my “authors to watch list” so I don’t miss when he releases a new book

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

10 Questions With…… Nick H. Brown

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Ok folks so today Nick Brown released a new book containing 3 science fiction short stories called Dead Eyes (You can find my review here)

After reading the book i had a few questions on my mind which Nick very kindly offered to answer.. take a look

 

Q1 – So Nick, you have a new book out and it’s not a Historical Fiction book like we might have expected… What made you decide to write a Science Fiction book?

I’ve always written sci fi – in fact I wrote two novels before I even considered historical fiction. I enjoy having a blank slate to start with and the freedom that the genre gives you. This is just a short ebook but I might look to write a full novel in the near future.

Q2 – The book is made up of three short stories, all of which I thought were brilliant. You have a talent for writing short stories, you give enough of a story to make the reader happy and feel they take something away with them but hold back enough to encourage your readers to come back to you for more. Where do your ideas come from? Are they simply bigger ideas that don’t really come to full fruition?

Thank you. I try my best to resolve the stories in a compelling way. That doesn’t always mean a twist but really it’s not so different to a novel – the story just has to move a little more swiftly and reach a satisfying conclusion. The ideas come at different times. ‘Four Numbers’, for example, I wrote specifically for the collection. Whenever I have an idea for something, I note it down – I might come back to it the following week or five years later.

Q3 –Are there any particular books or authors you’ve enjoyed within the Sci Fi genre?

I’ve always been a big fan of Iain M. Banks and Douglas Hill, a Canadian author.

Q4 – Are there any other genres you might try your hand at one day?

Possibly fantasy; and I’d like to try something contemporary at some point.

Q5 – Who have been your biggest influences/supporters within the writing community?

Writers are very supportive of each in general and we can add to that bloggers and reviewers like yourself who are now a crucial part of the writing world. I also belong to the Historical Writers Association and have many friends in the industry who I keep in touch with via social media. When meeting in ‘the real world’, a few beers are usually involved.

Q6 – How important to you is the feedback from your readers?

I’m always very interested in what readers have to say and I can’t help reading every review. Fortunately most are positive! I don’t think I would ever alter anything because of feedback unless there was an obvious theme. Everyone has an opinion – including editors and agents. Of course I always listen to them but it’s very important as a writer to know your own mind.

Q7 – How do you deal with negative feedback?

Violence! No, honestly, if I read something that strikes a chord then it could be something to learn from. But usually I just disagree and swear about it! Over time you get used to it but unfortunately they tend to stick in your mind more than the positive comments.

Q8 – For anyone who is not familiar with Agent of Rome books how you would describe the series to them?

The series follows Roman ‘security service’ officer Cassius Corbulo – plus his ex-gladiator bodyguard Indavara and Christian servant Simo. Their adventures have taken them all over the eastern Empire and – hopefully – combine mystery, action and intrigue.

Q9 – If you had to pick, which of your books would you say you’ve most enjoyed writing or which are you most proud of and why?

I really enjoyed writing ‘The Far Shore’ – the third book of the Roman series. I suspect it was because I knew it was working out well. Like all novels, it turned out differently to the original conception but it was exciting to write and hopefully that translated for the reader.

As for ‘most proud’ – that probably goes to book two, ‘The Imperial Banner’. Second novels are traditionally difficult and this one took the series in a different direction. I was also working as a teacher and had less time due to the publishing deadline.

Q10 – Future plans? More Sci Fi? I’m sure we’d all like to know what you’ve got planned.

More sci fi, I hope; and some historical fiction too. Watch this space!

To connect with Nick head to his website, Twitter, Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Dead Eyes by Nick Brown – Review

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Title – Dead Eyes
Author – Nick Brown
Genre – Science Fiction
Length –   34 Pages
Publication – April 2016
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Three futuristic short stories from ‘Agent of Rome’ author Nick Brown.

‘Dead Eyes’ – an explorer and his crew face a deadly threat upon a remote world.
‘Four Numbers’ – a female soldier finds herself trapped by a relentless force.
‘Afflict’ – a mysterious visitor has a singular offer for the people of Earth.

Review

First off I’m a fan of Nick’s work but if you’ve read any of his work like me you’ll know him as a historical fiction writer..so what a nice surprise to see him turn his hand to a different genre.

Nick is a brilliant writer of short stories and these three tales confirm that for me. I often feel what’s the point when reading short stories.. they’re too short or don’t hook you in..NOT SO WITH THIS ONE!

The author manages to make you feel like you’ve read more than you have, it feels complete.. but at the same time he leaves you wanting more from him.

I’m slightly biased since I enjoy Nick’s work but I honestly feel if you want to write a short story you should read his as a starter.. he’s not got in wrong yet for me.

This book consists of three tales, my favourite being “Four Eyes” although I liked them all. They were all well written to engage the reader and it’s amazing how the author can catch the imagination of someone like me within 30+ pages.. it’s not a lot of time to make the reader happy but I certainly was.

If you enjoy Nick’s books.. read this one, If you’ve never heard of Nick before…read this book. You’ll see just how good Nick’s short tales can be.

It’s a perfect quick read that delivers a science fiction nut like myself the enjoyment I’m after

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

The Night I Danced with Rommel by Elisabeth Marrion – Review

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Title – The Night I Danced with Rommel
Author – Elisabeth Marrion
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length –   200 Pages
Publication – June 2013
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

‘May I have this dance, Hilde?’ asked Field Marshal

Rommel, opening the Grande Ball held in his honour.

Did this dance save the life of Hilde’s Polish friends?

Hilde had come a long way since her dream of becoming a singer was shattered when her father made arrangements for her to work as a housekeeper in Berlin at the tender age of fourteen.

Until then, although poor, Hilde led a happy and protected life with her family on their small-holding in East Prussia.

Hilde’s life is thrown into turmoil in Berlin during the late 1920’s, early 1930’s. Having Polish friends meant it was becoming increasingly unsafe for her to stay there and she finds a new life in the Harz Mountains. This taking her still further away from her home and her beloved younger sister, Erika.

In Goslar, Hilde meets her husband, Karl, a young officer in the German Army.

When he joins the 7th Panzer Brigade led by General Erwin Rommel at the beginning of WW II, Hilde is left to bring up their children in war-torn Germany.

After Rommel’s promotion to Field Marshal, Karl follows him to Africa, later Italy and ultimately Karl is posted to the Russian front. Hilde’s story is based on facts and is told by her youngest daughter, Elisabeth

Review

By the end of this book I was quite emotional to say the least. It’s a wonderful and interesting story to read. I was a bit conflicted with my feelings, finding the story so enjoyable when it’s based not such a horrible point in time for many…It show you the effects of war from a different perspective and leaves you contemplating what it must have been like for those innocents caught up in the war not to mention all those soldiers some of whom I’m sure felt forced into serving.. it must have been very hard on so many people.

The story follows Hilde, a very likable character and her life.. growing up, making friends, finding love..in the end I felt so much love for Hilde.

We all know what happened, we’ve all heard of Hitler or Anne Frank but there must be so many other tales out there.. untold. It’s really interesting and educational to have a story told the way this one is, reminds you that these things happened to real people.

The story was very well written, in short sharp bursts which made the book fast following and very easy to read. There were also great insights into German propaganda which I didn’t really know about until I read the book. It must have been so hard for the people not knowing who or what to believe.

Most people, including myself have a very 1 dimensional view of WWII. Germany bad.. plain and simple.. but it’s not that simple is it? The author has managed to make me think about what it must have been like not only for Jews but also German soldiers and citizens caught up in the war.

I couldn’t fault this book with anything.. all I know is I didn’t expect the emotional response it had with me as I read the last few pages. It really made me think how lucky I am to have my family to go home to every night.

This is a very emotional and thought provoking story which I highly recommend you read

My thanks go to the author for allowing me the chance to read/review her work. I have two more books from Elisabeth on the TBR list.. keep a look out for reviews on my blog in the near future!

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com