For Such a Time by Kate Breslin

Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 430

In 1944, blonde and blue-eyed Jewess Hadassah Benjamin feels abandoned by God when she is saved from a firing squad only to be handed over to a new enemy. Pressed into service by SS-Kommandant Colonel Aric von Schmidt at the transit camp of Theresienstadt in Czechoslovakia, she is able to hide behind the false identity of Stella Muller. However, in order to survive and maintain her cover as Aric's secretary, she is forced to stand by as her own people are sent to Auschwitz. Suspecting her employer is a man of hidden depths and sympathies, Stella cautiously appeals to him on behalf of those in the camp. Aric's compassion gives her hope, and she finds herself battling a growing attraction for this man she knows she should despise as an enemy. Stella pours herself into her efforts to keep even some of the camp's prisoners safe, but she risks the revelation of her true identity with every attempt. When her bravery brings her to the point of the ultimate sacrifice, she has only her faith to lean upon. Perhaps God has placed her there for such a time as this, but how can she save her people when she is unable to save herself?

My Thoughts:
Thank you to my bookclub friend who picked this book for the month's read. It was fabulous. After being in a reading slump for so long this helped me get back out. It was completely un-put-down-able.
However I am one of those people who love stories such as this, depressing, but there is something beneath it all that fascinates me. The deep brain wash and propaganda of Hitler and how it all transpired, the depth of soul in the lives of people in the camps, the truth behind such a tragic part of history. It's real and tragic.

This story is a retelling of the biblical account of Esther and it follows a woman who was saved at the last second from a firing squad due to some "mistake" on her papers. Under the false name of Stella Muller she is moved from a camp to another camp, this time as a secretary at the transit camp of Theresienstadt (which actually exists). There under the employ of Kommandant Colonel Aric von Schmidt who isn't what he appears to be.

I liked Stella because she was honest, having lived through time in a camp the author did a great job of creating the character and showing the deep fear, mistrust and horror of what she went through, yet the struggling of knowing she should be out there suffering with her fellow jews, yet not wanting to leave the comforts of this mistaken identity. Due to the fact that Stella has suffered so long in a camp she has to wear a wig of red hair to hide the baldness of her head from being shaved, she is impossibly thin and gaunt and the author painted a perfect picture of that aspect. And it was interesting to watch her transformation from starving survivor to a beautiful woman, wanted and adored.

I liked Aric, I enjoyed the inner struggle of everything, he wasn't exactly a nazi he was a german completing orders he hated because that is what he was trained to do. Having fought for Germany he was wounded and offered a high position in which he dislikes but will do as commanded. I enjoyed the many levels of depth to this man as he finds his inner struggle to find the peace he hasn't ever had in just about all his lift, I enjoyed that you weren't ever sure as to what he would do and it kept you on your toes especially if you know of the account of Esther in the bible.

The romance was a little too cheesy for me, however, I understand the need for cheese in this story. I enjoyed the inner struggle of both Aric and Stella with their feelings and the hidden truth Stella was afraid to tell which added a but of mystery to the story which I liked.

Overall this retelling was fabulous and I was impressed at the authors telling of the real life aspect of the truth on what went on behind closed doors and not just between these two characters but other key players whose were actual nazi and enjoyed the suffering of others. I firmly believe that even though all the evil that was going on there were still good germans who fought for Germany and not for Hitler. I really enjoyed the showing of that in certain aspects.

Sexual Content: moderate (PG some kissing, innuendos)
Language: mild
Violence: heavy (do I really need to go into detail? it's the holocaust)
Drugs/Alcohol: mild (social drinking)

The Chosen by Chaim Potok

It is the now-classic story of two fathers and two sons and the pressures on all of them to pursue the religion they share in the way that is best suited to each. And as the boys grow into young men, they discover in the other a lost spiritual brother, and a link to an unexplored world that neither had ever considered before. In effect, they exchange places, and find the peace that neither will ever retreat from again.

My Thoughts:
I kind of loved this. I don't exactly know what it is that I loved so much so I'll try to figure it out as I type. Bless you for reading this.

First of all, Judaism fascinates me. I don't know much about it and if all of the information in this novel is accurate then I learned a lot. I mean, there was history and theology and culture and it was all so interesting. Never (well, maybe once) did I feel like I was being lectured. Everything was just woven so beautifully into the story. Actually, one thing that bothered me a little about this book was that some things just weren't explained; I was expected to know simple terminology about Judaism or facts about their culture or something, which I didn't. I loved the way Potok wrote, he didn't over-explain, he expected his audience to be intelligent, his hints were subtle, his descriptions vivid without being over-the-top. It was lovely. But now I need to go read up on Judaism because I didn't get a lot of it.

Reuven, our main character, was a pretty normal guy, all things considered. I liked him but I felt that his character only existed to talk about Danny and World War II. Honestly, Reuven could have been anyone. He was so normal. The things he thought, the ways he reacted. I mean, I liked him, really, but he wasn't a stand-out character to me. Danny was. Everything about him was fascinating. I wanted to see him in all kinds of different situations, just to watch him react. So interesting. But, then, maybe that was the point of this book and Reuven. An observer seeing Danny and his family would notice things differently than Danny would; It's probably best that Danny wasn't the main character (even though it felt like he was since Danny was way more memorable for me).

I loved watching these boys grow into men. Their progression was beautiful to watch. And Danny's thought process as he begins to rebel and think for himself is so fascinating, so ordinary and yet so unique. It's just so well done.

The fathers provided a really interesting foil to each other. They were both just trying to do their best raising their sons but in such different ways. I mean, it was just so interesting.

So, wow, I would recommend this book to anyone. It's intelligent and interesting and funny in parts and heartbreaking in others. I just loved it. And it was a completely unexpected love, which is sometimes the best kind.

Sexual Content: None
Language: Mild
Violence: Mild
Drugs/Alcohol: None

Vixen (Flappers #1) by Jillian Larkin

Jazz... Booze... Boys... It's a dangerous combination. 
Every girl wants what she can't have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle--and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she's engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago's most powerful families, Gloria's party days are over before they've even begun... or are they?

Clara Knowles, Gloria's goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch--but Clara isn't as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she'll do anything to keep hidden...

Lorraine Dyer, Gloria's social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria's shadow. When Lorraine's envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone's going to be very sorry...

My Thoughts:
This book was pretty terrible. The only reason it got 1.5 stars instead of 1 is because I actually finished the entire book and will likely read the next two in the series because I hate not knowing what happens in books. But, really, it was bad.

The reason I actually finished the book was because I found all the 1920s slang and descriptions of places and clothing really fun. I don't often read books set in this era. If any of the historical stuff is accurate, then I learned a lot and thank Jillian Larkin for it. The rest of the book, though, can burn in firey hell, for all I care. It was so bad. Just so. So. Bad. 

The way it was written was incredibly cheesy. There was a lot of talk about "broad shoulders" and "strong arms" and "sexy smiles"; It felt like a cheap, trashy romance without the graphic sex scenes. Thank goodness for that. Checked out from the library or not, if this poorly-written book had gone into gratuitous sex scenes I would have thrown it in the trash. That said, though, the first-kiss scenes were handled so poorly I almost did want to throw it in the trash, anyway. There had chapters of buildup to these kiss scenes and all we get is a, "He cupped her face with both hands and moved in." End scene. I mean, really? Talk about a let-down. Could have been waaaaaaaaay more fun than that. 'S all I'm sayin'.

There was also a lot of explaining going on: "She felt bad doing this bad thing to her friend but her friend needed to learn a lesson, didn't she? Or maybe she could just do this other not-so-bad thing and her friend would still hate her. No, no, she would definitely do the first bad thing because it would make the most dramatic impact on this very-predictable story."

The plot followed three teenage girls going out to clubs and having illegal drinks and meeting scary-yet-exciting men (who probably shouldn't be hitting on teenage girls). Yeah, I understand those girls. I've been there, more or less. But they were just so dumb. Everything about them. From the way they overanalyzed every little detail to the way they explained exactly what they were feeling in dialogue, I just didn't like them very much. It felt like Gossip Girl (which I don't actually like) but worse. And the men in this book did not act like men. They acted like girls. I got the impression that the author hadn't exactly had that much interaction with men, based on the way her characters acted and reacted. And based on the fact that her bio didn't mention anything about her life, really. I don't know of a single man, let alone the two from this novel, who would open up and divulge his feelings in the completely-open, no-holds-barred, over-explainy, sappy-romantic-language these guys used. Nope. Did not for a second buy into these "men". 

The gangsters in this book were laughable. There was nothing that told me they were scary other than all the characters who said it. Mostly they were comedic. And stupid. It really was kind of embarrassing to read. The whole interracial couple thing... I don't even know where to start with this one. On one hand, yes: It would have been a HUGE deal in 1920s Chicago to see an interracial couple. On the other hand, way to drag that idea out, Larkin. There was so much inner debate and thinking and feeling and blah, blah, blah. And, honestly, their romance felt a little rushed. Which would have been super weird for an interracial couple in 1920s Chicago, anyway. But I thought it would have been weird for any couple.

I should just stop now. There's a lot more I could rant about. Like the friggin' cliffhangers all over the friggin' ending! But I won't. Unless I do end up reading book 2, which I would hope to be less bad but will probably be more bad.

Sexual Content: Moderate (lots of talk, no scenes)
Language: Mild
Violence: Mild (and when there is, it's not at all believable and super cheese-fest)
Drugs/Alcohol: Heavy (and it's made to seem really cool, like it would have been in the '20s)