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The Violin Makers Daughter by Sharon Maas

Stacey • July 28, 2019

A riveting tale of impressionable Sarah, an apprentice violin maker and non-practising Jew in the midst of a raging war, systematically spreading throughout Europe. The first time the Nazi’s appear they decide to hide their Jewish background and stay in their beloved family home. The terrorizing wait to see if they can remain hidden and be left in peace…. The ultimate betrayal eventually comes to call and their status of Aryan decent has come into question and they are given a week to provide the paperwork… The countdown begins. 

The time has come to flee but they cannot flee together. They must separate and go in smaller groups. Sarah must go alone and she must leave first. Her life depends on her ability to blend in, keep her head down, trust the people she does not know, to keep her safe. She must learn to keep her emotions in check. Keeping the despair of leaving her family from bubbling to the surface and her blind hatred for all Germans under wraps as to not draw attention to herself. 

On her journey she mets Ralf, German and a soldier. She still can’t bring herself to trust him, even after her saves her life. Now he’s on the run too and agrees to get Sarah safely to where she needs to be. During their journey he will do much more than just protect her…. He will teach her to avoid detection, master her emotions, be brave and how to survive… He shows her that just as a war can destroy and create hate, It doesn’t have the power to stop an all consuming love. 

Hiding their identities and deny who they are as the race from safe house to safe house, Ralf and Sarah continue their journey together. All too soon Ralf is captured and Sarah has a choice to make. 


The weight of the world seems to rest on the shoulders of young Sarah. Having no world knowledge and being held in practically like a hostage in her home by a war she doesn’t understand and the full gravity of it being held secret by her parents. All she wants to do is make violins and put the love and careful attention to detail into each and every one. When the pounding on their door comes that night and Sarah now knows what her parents were keeping from her. She must leave the safety of her home, of her family and make the dangerous journey to safety. The rough terrain and the soldiers everywhere. Not knowing who she can trust, keeping a part of herself hidden so she can remain undetected. She has to keep her wits about her and ultimately her eye on the prize. 

You can feel the emotional rollercoaster she is on. You literally watch her throw off her adolescences and transition into womanhood in such a quick succession, it would make anyones head spin. It really comes to a head when she is saved by a young German Soldier, Ralf who is now on the run too, having risked his life to save her and her friend Eric. 

The journey is, at times, agony to read. Sarahs hatred for all Germans is so black and white that she can’t, at first, see there is so much grey all around her. Everything she says, everything she does, every small detail has to be just right in order to avoid detection. She has no life skills to help her on this life or death quest to safety. She is learning as she goes. 

The whole book from start to finish is like watching Sarah mature from a naive caterpillar into a butterfly of knowledge. Her full transition from child to woman is painfully played out and you will feel every emotion right along with her. My heart was so full to bursting and the tears were hard to bite back knowing she was wholly dependent on herself and trying to navigate her feelings for a man she barely knows and didn’t trust in the beginning. No experiences to draw on and no Mother to ask. The whole book had me reeling with the simplicity of tale and the complexity of a world that we today, cannot comprehend. You could almost hear the footsteps of the Soldiers along the cobble stone streets and feel the pounding on the front door. 

I’ve never read any of Sharon Maas’ work before, which is shocking to me as I am an avid historical fiction reader. This book was right on the money for me. You can feel the fear of the unknown, the hatred and the violence of a time that the author herself, didn’t live through but really has a way with the written word. I felt like I was living through 1940s France. The hairs on my arms would stand on end whenever she came to a check point. The air of silent terror really played out well through the whole book for me. 

I really felt love can conquer all, even hatred. Historical fiction enthusiasts should really add this to their reading pile. If you enjoy having your heart beating as fast as a drum, having sweaty palms so slick you can barely hold the book any more and breathing so quietly so the Nazi’s can’t hear you, then this is the read for you.

Sincerely, The Lioness

By Stacey Irving February 21, 2025
This book will take the edge off of a stressful day... I just finished I got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm trapped in a rom-com by Kimberly Lemming and here are my musings. When Dorothy, while working on her wildlife biology PhD, is attacked by a lion, she doesn't expect her saviors to be... aliens. When the ship crashes on a planet inhabited by dinosaurs and the lion that attacked her can now talk and is her trusty sidekick. Navigating herself through a new world with 2 very sexy aliens to keep her company... What can go wrong? I swear I did not know this was an alien smut book when I started to read it. Cross my heart and hope to..... OK fine... I figured it must have been spicy from the cover.. sue me. It was a hilarious adventure with witty banter and some serious steam. I love me a good smutty read and I wasn't 100% I was ready for intergalactic hobnobbing but I enjoyed the heck out of this book. I thought the storyline was really solid, I didn't see any plot issues... Not that there was a lot of plot... It's most *cough cough* getting down and dirtttyyyy. It was really well paced and funny as all hell. The alien boys were awesome. Couldn't have had more different personalities. I thought Dorothy was a great MC, quirky and brilliant. It's the first book in the series so never fear! There is more to come. One heck of an intro to alien smut and I bow my head to the author. 4 stars Thank you @berkleybooks and @netgalley for my gifted copy. OUT NOWWWW
By Stacey Irving February 19, 2025
I just finished The Bones beneath my Skin by TJ Klune and here are my thoughts. When Nate Cartwright goes to his dead parents cabin after being fired from his job as a journalist… He didn’t expect to find it inhabited with a man and a little girl and they are running from something that even Nate can’t wrap his head around… I finished this book weeks ago.. Have you ever had a book just sit right on your chest and you need to just let it rest before you think about how it made you feel? This book did that to me. It’s rare I even get a book hangover and this was no book hangover I ever had. I felt lost when it was done. I felt like I was saying goodbye and it didn’t sit right with me (I am crossing my toes for more with these characters). I loved Nate and Alex. So different but the same. They have the kind of protective instincts some parents don’t have with their own children and they protected Art with their lives. There is so much to unpack here. Art was spectacular. I don’t want to spoil it for you but her journey and the love she has for the two men made me tear up. She is so special and even after everything she went through, she still chose loving people. UGH I’m tearing up again. I thoroughly enjoy that love is love no matter how it comes to you. It was really well paced and I loved all the banter. I am already a superfan of TJ Klune and this should tell you that my expectations are already in the stars and I hold the books they write to very high standards. The characters are so real and that’s one of the things I’ve come to expect from the author and the storytelling is like a whisper in the wind. It’s gentle in its beauty and powerful without shouting. It’s graceful… impactful… it will charm the pants off you. 5 stars If you haven’t gone down the Klune rabbit hole yet, this would be a great one to start with. Thank you to @netgalley and @torpublishing for bringing this book into my life.
By Stacey Irving February 16, 2025
I just finished When the Earth was Green by Riley Black and here are my thoughts. If you don’t know much about prehistoric plants then this is the book for you! I don’t know much about plants period so this was a really interesting dive into a world I know zero about. It was amazing to read about plants and animals and how they interacted with each other. The evolution of plant life isn’t something I was interested in before but Riley Black made it interesting in a way that didn’t overload me with things I couldn’t understand but I did learn something! It was like taking a trip back in time and I was like David Attenborough.. except with dinosaurs! Highly recommend this book for anyone who likes history told with some passion! 4 stars Thank you @stmartinspress for my gifted copy #rileyblack #whentheearthwasgreen #nonfiction #booklover #bookreview #booksbooksbooks #reading #bookalorian #lifescience #smpinfluencer #bookinfluencer #booknerdigans
By Stacey Irving February 14, 2025
I just finished Saved by a Song by Mary Gauthier and here are my thoughts. The art and healing power healing power of songwriting… what an amazing book. This book isn’t just a memoir, it’s a little bit of artistic philosophy and some insight into writing songs! I love it!! I can appreciate what it took to write. The writing was amazing! I feel like I went on a beautiful journey with a trusted friend and it was a true delight. What I really loved about the book is Mary proves that just because you have gone down a dark path of addiction, doesn’t mean there isn’t a path forward. I felt connected, I felt the passion rolling off the page. It was a wonderful book. 4 stars One of the best memoirs I’ve read in ages.. I wish the book had been bigger. Thank you @stmartinspress for my gifted copy. #marygauthier #savedbyasong #memoir #songwriting #bookreview #smpinfluencer #booklover #magicinmusic #bookalorian #bookinfluencer #booksbooksbooks #readersofig #bookloversunite #readercommunity
By Stacey Irving February 10, 2025
🎧🎧Mini Audiobook reviews!🎧🎧 Definitely Better now by Ava Robinson It’s been a year since Emma has been in AA and she hasn’t told her work that she is a recovering alcoholic. Trouble is she is ready to start dating but she’s never had to do any of these things sober.. How is she going to navigate the delicate world of staying sober and finding a man when all the problems she had before haven’t magically disappeared? The narration was great. It was a pretty dark humor book and I was here for it all. Emma is so relatable and she owns the fact she’s still an asshole. She was like a brand new foal trying to stand and she was shaky and nervous. The plot was great, it was done with real class and I enjoyed the heck out of it. 4 stars . Watch your Back by Terri Parlato Eve and Nathan have a beautiful life and a daughter. Trouble starts when their daughter is kidnapped from the babysitters house.. her husband Nathan had been having an affair and it’s up to Rita to find out just what is going on in their home. The narration was pretty decent with this one. The book was really good most of the way through and then the ending… was weird. It was a bit overdone. The rest of it was epic. So many possibilities. So many threads to tug at and I loved it. I wish the ending hadn’t ended like that. The plot was solid though and if you like twisty thrillers with many POV this one’s for you. 3.75 stars rounded to 4 The Losting Fountain by Laura Senf The narration was just ok. I kinda felt like it wasn’t quite right… she didn’t change up her voice and that was a real bummer. All these kids are being called to this fountain and are being led there… There were 6 POV and it was too many to keep track of. I didn’t feel like the story building was particularly good and none of the characters were very interesting. I did finish but I wasn’t wowed by the book and I really wanted to love it. It was kinda lacklustre and I didn’t feel like it was as good as I had built it up in my mind to be. I might try the hardcover though. Sometimes I need to read to get the story 2.5 stars rounded to 3 (I’m sorry!) #audiobooks #audiobooklover #audioreader #bookreviews #watchyourback #thriller #thrillerreader .#definitelybetternow #darkhumor #romancereader #booktok #booktube #bookish #bookalorian #readingallday
By Stacey Irving February 9, 2025
I just finished The Rivals by Emma Lord and this is my review. Sadie sighs a huge breath of relief when she gets to the school of her choice because her long time rival is going somewhere else for school until he is moved from the waitlist and ends up on campus. Her blood boils instantly when Seb is there to continue their rivalry. Trouble is the more time they have to spend together, the more they can see past their rivalry but something more is going on at the school and it's going to take more than the pair of them to bring it to attention. I didn’t think I was going to like this one. I got the audio and the e-book from @netgalley and honestly the narration was utter perfection and I had a hard time switching to reading. I loved the rivalry. I thought it was done really well. They weren’t enemies, not really, they were childhood friends who’s friendship turned to a rivalry they never really came back from and it was fun. So much fun to watch them one up each other. The fact they were neighbors growing up too added to the complexity. It was really entertaining. I really enjoyed the setting. Being on a college campus really made it feel more exciting. Watching them work together when they are competing for the same opportunity made for some compelling banter and they had undeniable chemistry! I thought it all worked really well together and I enjoyed both Sadie and Seb, even though his name started to feel made up the more I heard it haha. All round solid YA read. Read if you like - Slow-burn romance - Rivals/enemies to lovers - Childhood best friends to academic rivals - University life - Coming-of-age 4 stars Thank you to @macmillanaudio and @stmartinspress for my gifted copies #enemiestolovers #therivals #emmalord #ya #yaromance #slowburn #bookishreview #bookblog #bookishvlog #smpinfluencer #booksbooksbooks #booktube #booktok #bookstababe #bookalorian #booktalk #bookishchat #bookbanter
By Stacey Irving February 8, 2025
I just finished Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen and here are my thoughts!! Ada’s life has fallen apart but she has been tasked with bringing the veil for her little sister's wedding.. A sister she is drifting apart from. When her flight is cancelled she has no idea how she will get to the wedding… A man offers to buy her dinner and everything is fine but he thinks it's leading to sex… She is just about to leave his hotel room when both their phones blow up… With stark clarity they realize they are both going to the same wedding, what could go wrong? They team up to get to the wedding but things go from bad to worse in no time flat! I enjoyed this book. One of the things I didn’t like was how Ada’s sister portrayed Jack and it led to Ada having a bad impression of a man that didn’t deserve it. It really really aggravated me and I never warmed to her sister at all. Jack and Ava are both broken in different ways and have different ways of coping with it. I thought the way they learned to become friends after their animosity was really sweet. I don’t know if I would have continued trying to get to the wedding with all the obstacles in the way but they clearly both have more resilience than me. The book started out really slow. I wish it had picked up a bit sooner than it did but once it got going I really enjoyed this book. Tropes - Read if you enjoy: ▪️Enemies to lovers ▪️Forced proximity ▪️Meet Cute ▪️Slow Burn ▪️One bed ▪️Road trip romance I enjoyed their adventure and how they opened up to each other during their time getting to a wedding that neither of them wanted to go to. This is a debut and honestly, it is quite excellent and I will definitely be looking for this author again! 4 stars Thank you to @netgalley and @berkleypublishing for my gifted copy - out now #weddingdashers #heathermcbreen #debutnovel #booktube #booktok #booksofbookstagram #berkelybooks #bookreview #netgalley #bookishinfluencer #booktalk #bookalorian #readersoftiktok #kindlereader
By Stacey Irving February 8, 2025
I just finished The Last Bookshop on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold and here are my thoughts.. Can the world really end… twice? The first storm was devastating but to know its coming back for another turn? It changes things for Liz. 17 years old and she has made a life in an abandoned bookstore. She’s been alone for a while but her whole world is flipped on its head when Maeve tries to rob the place. They couldn’t be more different but they start an unlikely friendship and while Maeve is running from her secrets and Liz from her demons, doesn’t stop them from fighting to survive what's coming.. I don’t read a lot of YA novels. I actually don’t know why I don’t if this is the kind of book I am missing out on. I love dystopian novels but after 2020 I got off the train and this was a nice introduction back into the end of the world reads. Liz and Maeve were really different characters and they really complimented each other in a classic way. I enjoyed watching them both find the better versions of themselves with each other. They were both fiercely protective. So the world has almost ended after the acid rain and Liz has managed to survive in the bookstore. Maeve did things she isn’t proud of to survive. It was awesome seeing how someone's nature changes when they have to fight to survive and it often isn’t a good change. I loved the ending. The banter wasn’t the best but it did get better as it went on. We see two timelines, Liz in the past before the storm and present day. It was tragic for Liz and my heart hurt for her. I loved the plot and I really enjoyed the book! 4 stars Thank you @netgalley @randomhousekids for my gifted copy! #thelastbookshoponearth #lilybraunarnold #lgbtq #lgbtqbook #bookreview #bookishreview #booklover #booknerd #booksta ##YAbooks #readersofig #igbooks #igbookreviews #readingallday #bookinfluencer
By Stacey Irving February 5, 2025
I just finished The Mafia Nanny by SHOO and here are my thoughts. OK to start with reading graphic novels is reading so when I add this phenomenal book to my goodreads… Know I do it gleefully!! The artwork in this book is off the hook amazing! The attention to detail was really something else. This might just be my favorite graphic novel to date it was so entertaining. I had a ton of fun reading it. Davina’s very first client as an elite nanny is underboss Gabriel and let me tell you.. If he wanted me like he wanted Davina… This novel would be x-rated haha. That is one HAWT DADDY. The premise is excellent with Davina feeling the slip back into the criminal underworld she already escaped and Mikey, her charge, is too cute. He has the moody kid thing going for him, you can’t help finding him endearing. Daniva is a great MC and I cannot wait to see what happens next! I am hooked!! The banter is great, the chemistry is there and I am fully invested. 4.5 stars Thank you to @webtoonofficial and @wattpadbooks for my gifted copy #gabrielangelini #webtoon #themafiananny #wattpadbooks #webtoonrecommendation #webtoonofficial #webtoonedit #edit #themafianannywebtoon #mafiananny #mafianannywebtoon #davina #davinadiavolo ##mikeyangelini #bookreview #graphicnovel #booklover #booktok #fyp
By Stacey Irving February 5, 2025
I just finished Prophecy by M L Fergus and here are my thoughts. Persephone has never known much of anything except being a slave and when a cheeky thief frees her she cannot help wondering why… Azriel has his reasons and he has reason to believe she is the key to the prophecy his people have been waiting for. I have a mixed bag of complex feelings about this book. I loved the parts with Persephone but there were parts that felt a little fragmented with the way it was written… I had to go back and reread a couple of times to make sure I was understanding where I was. The writing was great> I really enjoyed the tone and the pace but just the transition between the POV was messy for me. I went to libby and they don’t have the audio which is a real bummer because I get the feeling this would make a wonderful audiobook but for me, reading it didn’t pack the punch I knew it should. I felt like it didn’t hold me sometimes and other times I was in its clutches so hard I couldn’t breathe. I know, I am a drama queen but that's how it was while reading. It did find its feet better in the last third of the book and even though I am not sure how much I liked the book, I am intrigued enough to grab 2. I need to know more so the author did a really solid job of hooking me enough that it gets a 3.75 stars but I dunno, there was just something that waned for me especially in the beginning chapters of the book. Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouseca for my gifted copy #fantasybook #fantasybookseries #fantasyreader #prophecy #MLfergus #fracturedkingdom #bookreview #booklover #penguinbooks #penguinreader #YAbooks #bookalorian #booksbooksbooks #readercommunity #readingallday #booktalk
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