The Paris Architect by Charles Belfour

Published: Random House Audio
Publish Date: October 8, 2013
Format: Audio
Discs: 9
ISBN: 978 0804190817

Like most gentiles in Nazi-occupied Paris, architect Lucien Bernard has little empathy for the Jews.  So when a wealthy industrialist offers him a large sum of money to devise secret hiding places for Jews, Lucien struggles with the choice of risking his life for a cause he doesn't really believe in.  Ultimately he can’t resist the challenge and begins designing expertly concealed hiding spaces – behind painting, within a column, or inside a drainpipe – detecting possibilities invisible to the average eye.  But when one of his clever hiding spaces fails horribly and the immense suffering of Jews becomes incredibly personal, he can no longer deny reality.

My Thoughts

I love all things Paris period.  When I saw this haunting cover I knew that it had to be add to my Paris must read list.  During a trip to the library I happened to see this available on audio so I snatched it up.  I loved the narration minus one small factor-he was not very good at dialogue especially the women characters.  But that was such a small aspect in a much larger picture.  While it wasn't an amazing work of fiction that will withstand the test of time, it was an amazing novel.

WWII was such a devastating time period that I sometimes find novel set during this time very difficult to read, especially when children are involved. I believe that 1942 Nazi occupied Paris is a very important time in history and this novel gives a glimpse of just how horrifying this time was.  There is so much historical details that is portrayed very realistically.  Be warned though - this is not a light hearted story and can be pretty graphic at times.  I loved the plot, loved the characters.  This novel was powerful, heartbreaking and uplifting.  Oh, and a lot of great architecture.  Read. This. Book.

My Rating: ««««

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.

The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani

Publisher: Harper
Publish Date: April 3, 2012
Format: Kobo ereader
Pages: - 
ISBN: 9780062098061

The Fateful first meeting of Enza and Ciro takes place amid the haunting majesty of the Italian Alps at the turn of the last century.  Still teenages, they are separated when Ciro is banished from his village and sent to hide in New York’s Little Italy, apprenticed to a shoemaker, leaving a bereft Enza behind.  But when her own family faces disaster, she too, is forced to emigrate to America.  Though destiny will reunite the star0crossed lovers, it will, just as abruptly , separate them once again-sending Ciro off to serve in World War I, while Enza is drawn into the glamorous world of the opera…and into the life of the international singing sensation Enrico Caruso.  Still Enza and Ciro have been touched by fate-and, ultimately, the power of their love will change their lives forever.

My Thoughts

I've said it before and I'll say it again (and probably again) I am a total sucker for a tragic love story.  When it comes to any story, fictional or not, some stories are just meant to be.    Although slow, and extremely over descriptive, I was captivated and drawn into the lives of Ciro and Enza.  I found the first three quarters of the novel the best part and would just get lost in their love story, but then the last quarter that span several decades and managed to be rushed but at the same time dragged out when it could have ended much sooner, although it would have been on a sad note, it would have made this tragic love story more compelling.

As I mentioned, this was a highly descriptive novel, and was clearly well researched, but it all didn't seem necessary to make the story flow, the characters were developed enough that the rest was just mumbo jumbo.  The positive aspect of this is as I was reading, I could easily see this as a movie.  The description used to illustrate each character and plot line consistently had a movie like aspect that I just couldn't get out of my head.  I loved every minute of it.

My Rating: ««««

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.

Wicked (Pretty Little Liars #5) by Sara Shepard

Publisher: Harper Teen
Publish Date: November 25th, 2008
Format: download library
Pages: - 
ISBN: -

In idyllic Rosewood, Pennsylvania, four very pretty girls just can’t help but be bad…

Hanna will do anything to be Rosewood’s queen bee.  Spencer’s digging up her family’s secrets.  Emily can’t stop thinking about ner new boyfriend.  And Aria approves a little too strongly of her mom’s taste in men.

Now that Ali’s killer is finally behind bars, the girls think they’re safe.  But those who forget the past and condemned to repeat it.  And they should know by now that I’m always watching…

My Thoughts

Well, this is now the 6th PLL book that I've read (there is a 4.5 book) and they just keep getting more and more entertaining.  It started out how all of them do, reiterating everything that has happened in all the previous books - which gets pretty tiring.  But once all that was out of the way (almost half the novel) it got to the nitty gritty.  I love me a good cliff hanger and the 5th installment did not disappoint.  Can't wait to see what these train wrecks have in for store for them next!

My Rating: ««««

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.

Firefly Lane (Firefly Lane #1) by Kristin Hannah

Publisher:

Publish Date: February 5, 2008

Format: Audio

Discs: 15

ISBN:

In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eight-grade social food chain.  Then, to her amazement, the “coolest girl in the world” moves in across the street and wants to be her friend.  Tully Hart seems to have it all – beauty, brains, ambition.  On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn.  Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her.  They make a pact to be best friends forever, by summer’s end they’ve become TullyandKate.  Inseparable.

For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship – jealousy, anger, hurt, and resentment.  They think they’ve survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart…and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test.

My Thoughts

This novel can truly be described as a trip down memory lane.  Starting in the 70's, it takes you all the way to present day and all the heartbreak, jealousy, loyalty, friendship that life throws at you.  While I really enjoyed the premises for this story I found parts to drag on a bit and become a bit boring.  Then there were some really great parts that held the story together for me.  I found this a very long book to get through - however I listened to this on audio are thoroughly enjoyed the narration, which in my opinion can make or break an audio book.

I was not a fan of Tully.  I found her character to be obnoxious and over bearing.  Kate was obsessive and was driving me crazy how she was so insecure about Tully and Johnny.  She was staring to sound like a broken record and just down right annoying.  Even to the very end she still couldn't get past it.

The end of the novel was very heartbreaking - probably the saddest that I have read in a very long time and it was very well written and constructed.  The ending is the reason for the 4 star rating, or else it would have just been a 3 star for me due to the dragginess of the novel.  And my constant want to slap Tully.

My Rating: ««««

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.

Unwanted (Fredrika Bergman and Alex Recht #1) by Kristina Ohlsson

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Publish Date: February 28, 2012

Format: MP3 CD

Discs: 2

ISBN: 978 1624065590

In the middle of a rainy Swedish summer, a little girl is abducted from a crowded train.  Despite hundreds of potential witnesses, no one noticed when the girl was taken.  Her distraught mother was left behind at the previous station in what seemed to be a coincidence.  The train crew was alerted and kept a watchful eye on the sleeping child.  But when the train pulled into Stockholm Central Station, the little girl had vanished.  Inspector Alex Recht and his special team of federal investigators, assisted by the investigative analyst Fredrika Bergman, are assisting to what at first appears to be a classic custody fight.  But when the child is found dead in the far north of Sweden with the word “unwanted” scribbled on her forehead, the case soon turns into the investigation team’s worst nightmare – the pursuit of a brilliant and ruthless killer.

My Thoughts

I've never really been a big fan of Scandinavian literature.  I have no desire to read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series - although I'm sure I eventually will as they are sitting on my shelf.  I don't know exactly what it is that I don't like about them, but it's possible the dark and twistedness of the stories.  I defiantly did not enjoy this book.  It's possible the reason is because I absolutely hated the narrator for the audio book.  Maybe had a physically read the book I may have enjoyed it more, but listening to it made my ears bleed.

The premises for this story is just wrong.  I found it so disturbing that it didn't even want to finish.  A little girl is abducted  and later found dead with her head shaved.  During the whole novel the author does not portray any heartbreak from the family of the murdered little girl.  The father not only never makes an appearance during the entire story, he becomes a suspect...which I found extremely disturbing.  And I didn't feel any closure of his part of the story.  I hated the background story for Fredrika and Alex, it was unnecessary and had no added value to the story.  There was nothing gripping about this story that left me wanting more.  I simply finished it to move on to something else.

I just found the whole story unrealistic and unbelievable and the ending rushed.  The overall plot of the book was just weak and disturbing.  Overall I did not enjoy this and will most likely not read the rest in the series.

My Rating: ««

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.