Lilac Girls

This debut novel by Martha Hall Kelly is an exquisitely heartrending read.  I know no other way than this oxymoron to describe it.  She expertly weaves a novelization of the true story of a group of  Polish young women who were held in Ravensbruck during WWII.  The story centers around Kasia Kuzmerick, who was held there, Herta Oberheuser, who became one of the doctors performing experimental surgeries and Caroline Ferriday, the woman responsible for bringing over 70 of the women of Ravensbruck to the United States for corrective surgeries, dental work, etc.
The story begins in 1939 on the eve of the war, with Caroline who holds a post at the French Consulate in the Rockefeller building on Fifth Avenue, New York City.  This volunteer position is a labor of love for Caroline.  She is head of family assistance for the French Consulate and as such, is charged with unraveling visa issues and other crimps in the refugee status of wealthy citizens that have fled the political uneasiness in France.  She also has a special place in her heart for the French children who were orphaned during the war.

Hitler has just declared war on Poland.  Kasia is the daughter of the postmaster in Lublin. We watch the progress of German troops across Poland and see Kasia, her mother Halina and her sister Zuzanna herded onto trains for the trip to Ravensbruck.

It is there that we see Herta turn from an idealistic young doctor to an emotionally frozen demon of a surgeon. Herta was raised in a normal middle class German home. That being one that mostly did not associate with Jews.  Although she has no disdain for them really, she has been raised on the Hitler anti-Jew propaganda, reading in her schoolbooks about the selfish traits of Jews and how they will take everything from Germany.  She is not a bad young woman at this point.  She has studied for the medical profession and earned her white coat.  She is almost a doctor. Herta does come with her own set of personal demons as a result of working in the butcher shop of her Onkle Heinz.  She is naive about the war.  She believes the reeducation camps are nice places where Polish (Jewish) citizens are treated fairly.  Upon seeing an ad for a doctor at Ravensbruck, she applies for the job knowing that it would bring a better salary for her and her mother and father to live on.  Her father has cancer and has become unable to work.  Her mother has to stay home to take care of him.  She is hired and packs her suitcase to move to Ravensbruck, coming home only rarely on holidays.

Ms. Kelly writes with such a natural conversational tone that you feel you are reading the diaries of these young women.  This is the life that the Poles, Jewish and otherwise, were conscripted to with the advance of Hitler and his anti-Semitic rhetoric and domination of Poland.

Ravensbruck was Hitler's only all female concentration camp.  It was there that experimental surgeries were performed on hundreds of women such as these that the author writes about in Lilac Girls.  Some of the women from Ravensbruck survived the horror of it to be released at the end of the war.  Their lives after the war were made so much better by Caroline Ferriday.  The title for the book comes from the Lilac gardens of Caroline at her home in Connecticut.  There is a story about that also, which I will let you read.

If you have read Holocaust novels before this, or seen documentaries, you may think you have seen and read enough of that horrible chapter in man's history.  I would suggest that you read this book.  It tells a story that you may not have heard or read about.  We know of Auschwitz, Dachau or Treblinka, one of the killing centers.  But the women of Ravensbruck have a story worth hearing and Martha Hall Kelly has written it well.  The author spent ten years in research and five years writing this book.  It is definitely a labor of love!
I give Lilac Girls five stars!
I received a complimentary e-book copy of this novel from Random House Publishing Group, in exchange for my honest review.  These words are my opinion.

If you would like to know more about Ravensbruck please check out this link Jewish Virtual Library/Ravensbruck
To read more about Martha Hall Kelly and her research and writing visit Martha Hall Kelly, The Journey

Miriam: A Treasures of the Nile Novel

 Mesu Andrews newest release is Miriam, in which she writes the story of Moses older sister, Miram during the time of the Exodus. This is Book 2 of the Treasures of the Nile series. She picks up the story from the time just before Moses returns to Egypt, after forty years in exile.  Let me give you the "cons" (for lack of a better word) of this story, for me, before the "pros."   From page one, actually from the prologue, the author uses the word inundations to mark age.  Taking this from the annual flooding of the Nile, as a way that time was marked.  I had never heard that type of reference before and it was puzzling to me which was distracting.  After a few chapters, I understood what she was doing, and that the Hebrews marked their age by how many times they had seen the annual flooding.  Possibly the Egyptians had the same practice.  The terms Doda, Ima, Saba, Savta were all new to me and I had to keep flipping back to earlier references to remind myself what those terms meant.  Such as Doda Miriam, Ima Jochebed, Savta Jochebed. I am very familiar with Abba being one of the names our Heavenly Father tells us to call Him, so Abba Amram was father if Aaron or Miriam was speaking, Savta Amram if Eleazar was speaking.  That allowed me to put meaning to the words for Aunt, Uncle, Mother, Father, etc.  None the less, this kept me from getting into the story from the start.  I "soldiered" through and it did become easier, but not to the point that I was able to be absorbed in the story and get lost in it.  It was more work than I want to do to read a book.
Having said that, I must say this is very well written grammatically with excellent sentence structure and I learned a few things from this book which I will talk about here. If you read my reviews at all, you know that I am a stickler for grammar and sentence structure.  These are the things that make for easy reading and when an author does those things well, he/she has at least 3 stars from me, right off the bat.
 Mesu gives a scriptural quote at the beginning of each chapter, which sent me to my Bible to look it up.  I was pleased to find that she has indeed done her research and written each chapter very closely tied to what God gives us in His Word. I had no idea Miriam was a prophetess, or if I did, I have forgotten.  And I have done my share of O.T Bible studies. My bad there.  I also appreciated that quote because it gave me a preview of what was coming next.  The author has added some fictional characters which are all within reason for the time and culture of ancient Egypt and the Hebrew slavery so they added character to her writing of this story.  I learned some spiritual truths from this writing as well, which is a real bonus.  The wisdom that she writes coming from Amram and Jochebed, tell me that Mesu has a strong relationship with God and spends time in His Word.  If you are going to write Biblical fiction, those are two really good things to have.  She writes about the culture and relations between men and women, slave and master which add a human reality to the book.  As Amram was dying, he gave understanding to Miriam and Moses when he told them "Greater suffering means deeper revelation as you near God's promise." God's promise of deliverance was real to Amram and that gave strength to his children.
This was my first time to read a novel by Mesu Andrews.  She is a good writer and this is a good book.  It may not be my cup of tea because of the issue I had with the names, but that does not keep me from recommending this book.  I give Miriam four stars.  I suggest you pick up a copy and give it a read.  I think you will be glad you did.  I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Blogging for Books for review purposes.  These words are my opinion.  If you would like to read and review books check it out at www.bloggingforbooks.com

Thanks so much for being here!

~Jeri

On Lone Star Trail

In the third and last book of the Texas Crossroads series, Amanda Cabot does not disappoint.  I read the second in this series last year, which was my first read of this author's work. I was pleasantly surprised that it was not just a romance novel.  She is able to bring real life situations with typical people working out their problems with faith at the center.  I appreciate that.
 Gillian Hodges was robbed of her lifetime passion for the concert piano by an automobile accident.  T.J. Benjamin was robbed of his life's work by a loss he felt he could not bear.  Gillian and T.J. meet when his motorcycle hydroplanes in the rain, narrowly missing Gillian's car.  She offers him a ride to her destination, Rainbow's End Resort.  There begins an uneasy stay on his part, waiting for repair to be done on the bike.  Gillian is there to visit Kate and Greg, owners of the resort.  Kate and Gillian are best friends and have been since high school.
As the story develops, we see Gillian and T.J. drawn together in friendship.  At this point enters another male interest, so....
Gillian and T.J. are both working out their disappointments and coming to terms with big changes in their lives.  Amanda Cabot weaves this tale in a very believable way.  I was trying to predict the ending as I read,  but just when I thought I had it figured out, another layer was peeled away.
This book was easy to read and absorbing at the same time.  Those two characteristics don't usually come together and it was refreshing.  I loved the descriptions of the Texas Hill country.  It sounds picturesque and engaging.  The author has a firm grasp of grammar and sentence structure (one of my sticking points!).  Her addition of multiple plot lines with secondary characters was spot on.   All in all, watching this story take place was interesting, engaging, absorbing, all of the good words that I associate with a pleasing read.
The first two books in this series are At Bluebonnet Lake and In Firefly Valley. I plan to pick up the first in this series to read next and suggest you do the same.
I highly recommend On Lone Star Trail and gladly give it five stars!
I received a copy of this book from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.  These words are my opinion.
Thanks so much for being here!

See you soon,
Jeri~

The Intern

Robert DeNiro and Ann Hathaway are delightful in this movie.  Of course, if Bob is in it, I am probably going to make a point of seeing it.  I like pretty much every movie he is in.  Ann is someone I like to see as well.  She has matured into an excellent actress, from the Princess Diaries (2001) all the way through LeMiserables (2012) to this flick.  

The premise is that Ann (Jules Ostin) is an entrepreneur as well as a married mother of one sweet little girl. Her husband was a rising star and gave all that up to be a stay at home Dad when her business took off.  He believes in her ability and her dream. She started an e-com fashion website, promising (and delivering) great service with integrity.
Her right hand man, Cameron, sets up an intern program for senior citizens.  Those who have business experience and are retired.  One qualification is to be over 65 years of age.  To apply, you have to submit a video instead of a cover letter which the ad says is "so old fashioned."  Robert plays Ben Whittaker, the man who gets the job.  He has a "hole" in his life that needs filled.  He is a retired widower and has done everything he can to explore new activities and is looking for something productive to do when he sees the ad for the Internship program on the bulletin board at his local Starbucks.  The comedic experience that ensues for the viewer during Ben's video episode is laugh-inducing and heart-warming.  Just as all the comedy in this movie is.  He comes to work for Jules who is suspicious of him as an older worker and does not want him involved in her work life.  She swears Cameron did not run this by her before he moved ahead with it-he insists he did and she agreed.  She is so frantic with her schedule as Pres, CEO, Head Honcho that she misses some things;  like this one!  She agrees to a limited time with Ben as her intern and brings him on giving him very little to do for her.  He finds ways to be useful and relevant, ending up with everybody in the company liking him, Jules included.  The friendship that unfolds with his well placed words of wisdom and dependability make for a tender camaraderie that is genuine and easy to watch.
You know I do not give it all away, so I am leaving it there.  There are some heartaches in this story as well as laugh out loud comedy.  It is easy to escape into, making for a pleasant interlude.  It is genuine, warm, real and I highly recommend it as one to be watched.  Written and directed by Nancy Meyers, the creator of Something's Gotta Give, The Holiday, What Women Want, it has her signature warmth and realism.
I give The Intern five stars!  Grab the popcorn and your beverage of choice and settle in!  You'll be glad you did!
Don't go far, I'll be back soon with a review of a  literary new release for your reading pleasure, Ann Cabot's newest and last in the Texas Crossroads series.
Thanks for being here!

Jeri~

                                                     

In The Heart of The Sea

Okay,  this was a good movie.  It was released in Dec. 2015.  No blockbuster here but still worth my time and money.  I think we moviegoers always expect a blockbuster from Ron Howard and when he under-performs, we are disappointed.  
This takes place in Nantucket, the whaling capital of the early 1800s.  One of the first things I was reminded of was the history of whaling.  We see the business side of whaling which was to produce the oil for lamps. Killing the whale was a living for men and could be a lucrative one.
Something I learned was that many Quakers lived there and they had the most successful oil processing business of the era.
This was based on the the book of the same name, by author Nathanial Philbrick.  The story is based on the tragedy that was the inspiration for Moby Dick which is still a classic even though we no longer live in a world where we are not being entertained 24/7.
Leading actor Chris Hemsworth played well (when doesn't he?) and brought the main character, Owen Chase, to life as a first mate who should have had his own ship long ago.  Even after being promised his next trip would be as captain on his own ship, he is told again, not just yet.  He sets sail on the Essex, stuck with Captain George Pollard,  played admirably by Benjamin Walker.  Pollard knows mostly nothing about sailing and was given the ship because his father owns the whaling company.  Howard weaves in human drama that adds life to the tale.  Owen must perform as captain when tragedy strikes,  filling in where Pollard lacks, which is everywhere.  The struggle between the two provides tension and watching that struggle, gives a picture of a crew waiting for their leader to shape up, knowing that the mate is the real captain.
In a nutshell they encounter the whale and the whale sinks the ship.  The action of fighting the whale with every fiber of their being, was exciting to watch.  Their survival after the ship sinks is nothing short of miraculous and they are forced to consider the unthinkable, to survive three months in life boats on the open waters of the Pacific.
The movie begins with the author of Moby Dick, Herman Melville interviewing the last living survivor of the Essex, Captain Pollard.  Pollard went to sea again after the tragedy, determined to slay the whale, but his ship wrecked and he was forced to retire.  He spends most of his remaining years sinking into an alcoholic depression and ends up as the town watchman.  It is at this point that Melville seeks to interview him and we see the movie through the eyes of Pollard reliving the epic journey as he tells it to Melville.
The movie has the personal stories of the main characters woven in which gave it plenty of depth for me.  It was entertaining and exciting enough that with a tub of popcorn and my fave movie-watching buddy (my husband) I was satisfied with the story.  After all, I watch movies to be entertained and this fit the bill well.
I give In The Heart of The Sea four stars.
Thanks for being here!

Jeri~

The Revenant

Leonardo DeCaprio just last night won a Best Actor SAG award for his portrayal of Hugh Glass, a Philadelphia born fur trapper.  The movie is based on the novel, The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge penned by Michael Punke in 2002.  It loosely follows the trek of Glass over 3000 miles to find and kill the man who left him for dead after a grizzly attack.  I viewed the film yesterday with my trusty sidekick hubby, at my local Marcus Cinema.
This movie is not for the faint of heart. It is raw and it is real. It portrays life as it was for fur trappers in the early 1800s. In the film, Glass is hired by Captain Andrew Henry to trap for furs in the Northern area of the Louisana Purchase.  Glass has his son, Hawk, on this trip with him.  Hawk's mother is Arikara Indian and she is dead.  Glass is also serving as guide to the party, departing from Fort Kiowa.  When scouting for the party, he is mauled by a female grizzly after disturbing her cubs. He suffers catasrophic injuries from the encounter and is laying nearly dead when the party finds him. They load him on a makeshift stretcher and attempt to continue their trek.  When they are unable to pull him up a hill in a wooded area,  he is left with two of the men, Fitzgerald and Bridger, played by Tom Hardy and Will Poulter,  who volunteer to stay until he dies and give him a proper burial.  They are promised pay for their duty by Captain Henry.  Fitzgerald tries to smother Glass but Hawk witnesses this and intervenes.  Fitzgerald then kills Hawk while Glass helplessly looks on from his stretcher.   Some time after this, Fitzgerald lies to Bridger, telling him that he spotted Indians nearby and they need to leave Glass and run for their lives.  Fitzgerald drags Glass into a makeshift grave while Bridger looks on telling him, "This aint right, he's still breathin', he's alive."  No matter, Fitzgerald takes Glass' rifle, gives his knife to Bridger and off they go.  But, before Bridger leaves, struck with conscience, he lays his canteen down on Glass' chest in an attempt to leave him with some sustenance. Yep, that canteen shows up later, leading to eventual conviction.
The bulk of the movie tells the story of Glass surviving and making his way back to Fort Kiowa, to exact his revenge on Fitzgerald.  Along the way he meets Hikuc, a friendly Pawnee Indian who's village and family have been destroyed.  He gives care to Glass who is still recovering from his wounds and Glass tells him what has happened and that he is out for revenge.  Hikuc tells him he too has lost family but "revenge is in the hands of God."
There is an interwoven story line of Powaqa, an Indian woman who has been kidnapped by French trappers headed up by Toussaint, who is based on Toussaint Charbonnau, a real character in history.  He was a nasty man, whom I first read about in the story of Sacagawea.
Glass finally reaches the fort and tells all to Captain Henry.  Henry and Glass set out to find Fitzgerald, who hears that Glass has shown up, and runs.  He is tracked by Glass and Henry.  I won't spoil it by telling you more, except that when Glass finally has Fitzgerald in his hands he remembers, "revenge is in the hands of God."
This is an epic film with an epic performance by Leo.  I would say it is the performance of a lifetime for him. A good part of the movie is without dialogue due to the fact that we see Glass' lone struggle to stay alive and keep moving.  To give a performance that is manifested in facial expression and action takes a maturity that Leonardo has gained over the years and he pulls if off extremely well.
There are liberties taken with the historical account of Hugh Glass' experience, but we do that in the movies. It does not detract and few of us know the story as history anyway.
The screenplay was written by Alejandro Inarritu and Mark L. Smith and directed by Inarritu.  The cast was stellar with co-star Tom Hardy who can carry a movie on his own.
The cinematography was stunning with filming being done in 12 locations in three countries; United States, Canada and Argentina.  The scenes of the wild outdoors of snow and mountains and forests cannot be outdone.
I give The Revenant five stars and recommend you take it in!
Thanks so much for being here!
Jeri~

Michael Symon's 5 in 5 For Every Season

Michael has done it again!  This is his second 5 in 5 cookbook.  This one is 5 in 5 for every season, stressing the importance of cooking with what is in season in your part of the country.  The book is bright and beautiful with lots of color and his smiling face on the cover!  What else does an aspiring home cook need?!
It is well arranged with an easy to see contents page showing a section for each season, and one for holidays.  That is a bonus.  It is a nice size, easy to hold in your hand to read and the print size makes it easy to work from in the kitchen when you may be glancing at the recipe from a foot or two away at the counter.
The premise here is for the home cook to be able to make a good meal with five fresh ingredients that cook in about five minutes.  I will say here, the five minute part is five minutes of heat.  You still have prep to do before cooking; but he has made that as easy as can be also.
Michael includes a pantry section which outlines the items you need to keep on stock to help facilitate the five minute cook time.  He includes all things needed with complete lists for oils and vinegars, spices and seasonings, canned, bottled and boxed and  basics.  If you stock your pantry from his list, you will be well on your way to cooking every one of the 165 recipes in this book, in five!
I made four of the recipes to preview.  I chose the Fall and Winter seasons (basically the season we are in) and one from the Holiday section.  The first meal I made was Sirloin Steak with Onions.  Oh my, the onions were to die for!  These are not your basic steakhouse onions.  He caramelizes them with a mixture of vinegar, honey and brown sugar that takes the humble red onion to a new level.  The meal is completed with arugula on the side, dressed with a whisk of olive oil and lemon.  I tried the Autumn Panzanella, which is also known as Tuscan bread salad.  This was a mix of Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced fresh Brussels sprouts with cubes of baguette and chopped walnuts all tossed in a blend of vinegar, Dijon mustard and olive oil.  Delicious!  The Walnut Spread is a blend of toasted walnuts with roasted red peppers, lemon juice, honey and crushed red pepper flakes. You add that into your food processor and give it a whirl.  Turn it into a dish and sprinkle with some crumbled feta, put any cracker you want on the side and set it out.  Good stuff!   This was from the Holiday section.  I also made Spicy Beef Tacos.  This calls for a blend of seasonings in place of the store bought "taco seasoning."  Made with chipotle powder, cayenne, paprika and cumin seeds, it was spicy and satisfying.  The heat in this one sneaks up on you, so beware.
I love this book.  I will be making many more (if not all) of the recipes included here.  Michael's book reflects the whole food, clean living cooking style we are hearing a lot about lately.  Making the recipes in this book will give you a good start toward converting your kitchen (and diet?!) to a whole food kitchen.
I highly recommend you run right out and buy this!  It is a great book from a great chef.  I give 5 in 5 For Every Season five stars!  He is an Iron Chef, after all!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books,  in exchange for an honest review. These words are my opinion.
Thanks for reading!
Jeri~