Penny for my thoughts: May 2021

Sunday, May 23, 2021

The Happiest Man on Earth

The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor by Eddie Jaku. New York: Harper, 2021. 198 pages. *****

Born in Leipzig, Germany, into a Jewish family, Eddie Jaku was a teenager when his world was turned upside down. On November 9, 1938--Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass--Eddie was beaten by SS thugs, arrested, and sent to a concentration camp with thousands of other Jews from across Germany. Every day for the next seven years, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors in Buchenwald, in Auschwitz, and finally on a forced death march during the Third Reich's last days. The Nazis took everything from Eddie--his family, his friends, and his country.

While reliving the horrors of his experiences, Eddie also provides insight into his will to survive. He learned that " happiness does not fall from the sky; it is in your hands. Happiness comes from inside yourself and from the people you love." Calling himself The Happiest Man on Earth, Eddie looks for the good in people and wants the world to be a better place and for us never to give up hope. At 100 years old, his tenaciousness, kindness and generosity is an inspiration to all who reads or hears his story. I read this book in one day and highly recommend it. When I worked in a local high school Holocaust survivors visited the school each year and spoke to the students about their experiences. Eddie's book should be required reading for everyone. It will also be a powerful Graduation present.

Eddie Jaku OAM was born Abraham Jakubowicz in Germany in 1920. In World War Two, Eddie was imprisoned in Buchenwald and Auschwitz concentration camps. In 1945, he was sent on a 'death march' but escaped. Finally he was rescued by Allied soldiers. In 1950 he moved with family to Australia where he has lived since. Eddie has volunteered at the Sydney Jewish Museum since its inception in 1992. Eddie has been married to his wife Flore for 74 years. They have two sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren. In 2020, Eddie celebrated his 100th birthday.

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#holocaust #memoir

Friday, May 21, 2021

The Guilt Trip

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones. New York, Minatour Books, 2021. 320 pages. *****

Six friends are traveling to Portugal for Ali and Will's wedding. Even though they are friends, there is some tension in the group when they arrive at the airport and Ali cannot find her passport. Ali rubs Jack, Will's brother, the wrong way and Rachel, his wife, can't figure out why. Ali is flamboyant, flirty, loud, and likes to drink, however, Rachel is hoping to get to know her new sister-in-law better on this trip. The weekend takes a turn for the worse when Jack tells his wife and two of the friends that Ali is cheating on Will. When Rachel overhears Ali confide that she doesn't want any children after Ali tells Will she can't wait to start having babies, Rachel doesn't know what to do. With all of the lies and deceit, it is no surprise that the weekend ends in murder.

I received an ecopy for a review.

Sandie Jones is a master of the psychological thriller and her latest book does not disappoint. I love it when I can't figure out who the good and bad guys are. Great for beach reading and Bookclub discussions.

Sandie Jones is the author of The Half Sister, The First Mistake and The Other Woman which is a Reese Witherspoon Bookclub Pick and New York Times bestseller. Her novels have featured in Entertainment Weekly, Good Morning America, Good Housekeeping, Prima and more. She lives in London with her husband and three children.

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#psychologicalthriller #mystery

Friday, May 14, 2021

Do No Harm

Do No Harm by Christina McDonald. New York, Gallery Books, 350 pages. 202. *** Topics & Questions for Discussion.

Emma and Nate lead an idyllic life, both working in their chosen careers and have an adorable five-year-old son. Emma is a doctor at the local hospital and Nate is a police detective. Neither make a lot of money and with Emma's medical school loans, money is tight. When their son, Josh, is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, their world comes crashing down. What will a parent do for their child? The medical bills mount and Emma in her quest for fast money throws aside her ethics as a doctor to enter the world of drugs.

Do No Harm is a quick read, perfect for summer. While unbelievable in parts of the plot, it was an interesting read and kept my attention throughout. I did find the ending somewhat unsatisfying. My sense of fairness wanted a different outcome. Does the end ever justify the means?

Christina McDonald is the USA Today bestselling author of Do No Harm, Behind Every Lie and The Night Olivia Fell (Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books), which has been optioned for television by a major Hollywood studio.

Her writing has been featured in The Sunday Times, Dublin, USAToday.com, and Expedia. Originally from Seattle, WA, she has a BA in Communications from the University of Washington and an MA in Journalism from the National University of Ireland Galway. She now lives in London, England with her husband, two sons, and their dog, Tango. She’s currently working on her next novel. For more information https://christina-mcdonald.com/about/

#thriller #psychologicalthriller

Sunday, May 09, 2021

The Perfect Daughter

The Perfect Daughter by D. J. Palmer. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2021. 384 pages. ****

When Grace finds four-year-old Penny abandoned in the park, she feels an immediate connection with her. Convincing her husband to adopt Penny isn't easy, however, Grace believes that Penny is the daughter she has always wanted. Flash forward to today, Sixteen-year-old Penny is discovered covered in blood, holding a weapon next to the corpse of her biological mother. Grace already has her hands full trying to keep the family pizza restaurant open, however, she is determined to do anything to prove Penny's innocence. Penny remembers nothing from that night, and she is confined in the state mental hospital awaiting a trial. While there she is treated by Dr. Mitchell McHugh to determine if she has Dissociative Identity Disorder. Is Penny a victim of multiple personalities or a master manipulator and a cold-blooded killer?

I love the many twists and turns of Palmer's plots. Penny's many personalities fascinate me in their uniqueness and believability. Grace's single-mindedness keeps her from seeing what's right in front of her. I kept telling myself just one more chapter and then I'll go to bed. Of course, I didn't and then it was done. Perfect escape reading, this story will suck you in and not let you go until you understand why the killer had no choice.

I received an ecopy for a review.

Review of Saving Meghan

For more information on D.J. Palmer, click here.

Daniel Palmer is the USA Today bestselling author of ten critically acclaimed suspense novels. He published his first novel, DELIRIOUS, after a decade-long career in e-commerce, where he helped launch first generation websites for major online retailers including Barnes & Noble and Dick Sporting Goods. Following the success of Daniel's publishing career, he founded DAY IN THE LIFE MEDIA, a video production and communication company committed to helping brands identify their brand heroes so they can tell stories in a way that directly impacts the bottom line. A recording artist, accomplished blues harmonica player, and lifelong Red Sox fan, Daniel lives in New Hampshire with his wife and two children.

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#psychologicalthriller #multiplepersonalities #murder #suspense #perfectdaughter

Tuesday, May 04, 2021

The Woman with the Blue Star

The Woman with the Blue Star: a novel by Pam Jenoff. Canada: Park Row Books, 2021. 336 pages. ***** Publication date May 4, 2021.

1942. Sadie Gault is eighteen and living with her parents amid the horrors of the Kraków Ghetto during World War II. When the Nazis clear the ghetto, Sadie and her pregnant mother are forced to seek refuge in the sewers beneath the city. Wet, dirty, no food, and sharing living quarters with another family is hauntingly brought to life by Jenoff.

Ella Stepanek is a rich Polish girl living a life of relative ease with her stepmother, who entertains the occupying Germans. Lonely and scorned by her friends because of her stepmother's activities, Ella walks the streets longing for her fiancé, who has gone off to war.

The two girls become aware of each other when Ella catches a glimpse of Sadie beneath the sewer grate in the street. Aware of the danger for each of them, a friendship forms between the two girls who grow to depend on each other for survival. One misstep and all of them will be shot.

Unlike other World War II fiction books, Jenoff wrote this book during the Pandemic lockdown and captured the feeling of isolation and an uncertain future in her writing. If you have taken a break from Holocaust books, you will want to read this one. Jenoff states that the book was inspired by the true story of a small group of Jews who survived WWII in the sewers of Lviv, Poland. While her book is fictitious, it reads true. I was in the sewer feeling the fear, despair, and horror. I asked myself several times, would I have survived? This book is mesmerizing and engrossing, once started I couldn't stop reading even though I was fearful of how it would end. I recommend it as a Book Club choice with many discussion and research points.

For more information on this subject:

Pam is the author of The Kommandant's Girl, which was an international bestseller and nominated for a Quill award, as well as The Winter Guest, The Diplomat's Wife, The Ambassador’s Daughter, Almost Home, A Hidden Affair and The Things We Cherished. She also authored a short story in the anthology Grand Central: Original Postwar Stories of Love and Reunion. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and three children.

For more information on Pam Jenoff, click here.

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#bookstagram #thewomanwiththebluestar #historicalfiction #holocaustfiction

Monday, May 03, 2021

Boy Underground

Boy Underground by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Seattle: Lake Union Publishing, 2021. 336 pages. ***** Book Club Questions. Publication Date December 7, 2021.

It's 1941, Steven Katz is the son of a wealthy landowner in California and has distanced himself from his school friends. While trying out for the high school baseball team to please his father, Steven meets Suki, the son of a field worker who introduces him to Nick and Ollie. The four become fast friends even though Steven knows his parents will not approve of his new friends, they become inseparable. Life in the United States is changing particularly in rural California. With the bombing of Pearl Harbor Steven and his friends each have their own challenges to face and overcome. Suki's family is relocated to an internment camp at Manzanar and forced to take only what they can carry. Ollie enlists in the Army and is gone before they know it. Nick is accused of brutally beating a man even though he has an alibi since he was camping with his three friends. The police aren't interested in where Nick says he was that night since it is his own father who claims his son did it. Steven suggests hiding Suki and Nick at his father's immense farm so that they will not be separated from each other. Only one of the boys takes him up on his offer and Steven hides him in the root cellar. Responsibility for his friend's every need begins to wear on Steven especially when his family is unconcerned and disconnected from what is happening to others because of the war. Staying true to his convictions isolates Steven and reinforces how different he is from his family and the people in town. Forced to make difficult and adult decisions, Steven finds his voice and to verbalize what's important to him.

Hyde has taken a very difficult time in American history and a sensitive subject to explore through the friendship of four very different young men and their families. Hyde creates complex characters who clearly compliment each other and have strong voices that resonate throughout the story. Awakening feelings for the same sex are handled beautifully and suggest that this will make an excellent YA book. Family values are an integral part of each boy even when he has to overcome them to do what is right for him.

Each of Hyde's books are unique and I love that she explores a sensitive topic (more than one) and always includes an animal with a pivotal role. I know that once started, I will not put her book down until the very end. I started Boy Underground on a flight from Orlando to Philadelphia and I finished it on the same day.

Once again Hyde has written an excellent story about friendship, the kindness of strangers, family values and the strength and goodness of people. The fact that she can so eloquently express her character's thoughts and feelings provides insight to a time and place. As Churchill once said, "Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it."

I received a copy for review.

Other Hyde books reviewed by me:

Seven Perfect Things

My Name is Anton

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl

Have You Seen Luis Velez?

Catherine Ryan Hyde is the author of forty published and forthcoming books. An avid traveler, equestrian, and amateur photographer, she shares her astrophotography with readers on her website.

For more information about her and her books, click here.

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#LGBTQfamilyfiction #LGBTQhistoricalfiction #friendshipfiction #boyunderground

Sunday, May 02, 2021

2021 Monthly Color Challenge - May

Potato - Brown

Potato Facts:

The potato is about 80% water and 20% solids.

*An 8 ounce baked or boiled potato has only about 100 calories.

The average American eats about 124 pounds of potatoes per year while Germans eat about twice as much.

My husband's family is PA Dutch, so this dish is always on our family's holiday table.

Pennsylvania Dutch Potato Filling Recipe

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/218984/pennsylvania-dutch-potato-filling/

This month's block and all of the block's are available at Pattern's by Jen's Blog. Make sure you follow Jen's instructions and draw your lines on the reverse side of the fabric.