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
Book review - Fiction - Romance - Ghost Story - Paranormal Fantasy I just finished the Seven Rings by Nora Roberts and here are my musings. Sonya MacTavish lives in a huge manor house at the behest of a man she did not know but hoped she could break a curse… She has seen the past.. The death of seven brides. The malevolent spirit will not break her.. She will find the secrets and piece it all together so she can finally free her ancestors… Her enemy is a ghost dressed all in black and her illusions are so powerful they are a real danger.. Can Sonya fight a battle across two realms while straddling the past and present? Will the fight for the house end in death? I have loved this trilogy since the first page of book 1 and I waited so patiently to get this book and it did not disappoint. I am sad it is over though. I fell in love with all the characters and my heart is heavy to know that I won’t see anymore from their adventures. The book finished off this trilogy with such gravitas though that I sped to the end. I really was fully satisfied with how it all panned out. The writing is exactly what you would expect.. Brilliant, clever and flawless. I can’t wait to know what you think of the trilogy because it's an easy 5 star for me. Such an epic book… such an amazing end to one of my fave trilogies. GRAB IT NOW!!!! Thank you to @stmartinspress for including me in this campaign!! #bookblog #readersofig #bookblast #bookish #smpearlyreader
I just finished Sophie was here by Kathryn Croft and here are my thoughts. When Emmy’s boyfriend Charlie’s Parents want to give the family home to the couple, they move to the country which is something they both needed but what Emmy doesn’t expect to find is a mystery. Of what happened to Charlie’s girlfriend when he was a teen. When Emmy asks him about it, he turns cold… That’s not even the worst part.. When she goes down into the spooky basement.. There’s a message.. Sophie was here…. I love twisty turny psychological thrillers and this one was epic. Just when I thought I knew what was going on… BOOM! I was on a new path. It was great. I didn’t like any of the characters, they were a tad unlikable and Emmy was dramatic but I think that helped me to be more concerned about what happened to Sophie than the danger Emmy might have been in. I loved it. The audiobook was absolutely atmospheric! Pacing could have been a bit better but dang.. I was hooked from page one! 4.5 stars Thank you @netgalley and @bookouture for my gifted copy You can find all my reviews at thelionessofliteracy.com And my podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/5kKN96RNPNh4uNDZzpIE1A My store is bookaloriandesigns.com and no tariffs!!! #bookish #sophiewashere #netgalley #audiobookstagram #audiobooklover #bookalorian #booksbooksbooks #bookouture #alc #arcbooks #arcreader #arcreview #literaryinfluencer
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I just finished My Ex, the Antichrist by Craig DiLouie and here are my musings. It’s like Daisy Jones and the devil haha When Lily started a punk band with her BF Drake, she never expected their music to make people crazy. The riot at their 1999 introduction in the battle of the bands.. Ending in the death of three teenagers and the end of their collaboration. 10 years later and Lily, at the end of a great career, walks into a police station admitting to murder.. Did she kill the antichrist? Or is there something else going on? I absolutely loved the format of this book and the audiobook was the right call for me for this book!! It was clever… Terrifying… I loved the power that Drake had that was channeled through his music and then 10 years on he is fronting a new band and Lily has their old band and one bet between them.. Whoever wins the battle of the bands, gets what they want… It was good. I didn’t expect Drake to actually be the antichrist.. I liked the plot and the switch in music genres.. It was well written and seriously entertaining. I would have liked more from the ending but all in all, I was impressed. 4 stars Thank you to @netgalley @hachetteaudio for my gifted ALC You can find all my reviews at thelionessofliteracy.com And my podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/5kKN96RNPNh4uNDZzpIE1A #bookish #myextheantichrist #craigdilouie #horror #booksbooksbooks #horrorreader #bookishreview #audiobooklover #netgalley #audiobookstagram #audiobookreview #bookalorian #bookblog #bookishpodcast
I just just finished Writing Mr. Wrong by Kelley Armstrong and here are my musings. Gemma never expected her debut novel to make it so big… Or that anyone would work out the leading man in her book was her high school crush and now hot shot hockey star. Knowing they could help each other out, they decide to fake-date to boost their careers but is this more of a second chance? The chance they missed out on in high school? Look… I am already a huge Kelley Armstrong fan so this book was already going to be excellent because she does not write any trash! She did not disappoint! I loved the narrators. They did well together and it really brought the story to life. I loved Gemma… I connected with who she was as a person from the get go and while I am not a massive fan of the fake dating trope, this one was done really well. I really was rooting for both of them and there were some sweet moments that made me sighhh and some chuckle moments! I really felt for Gemma… What happened in school hurt her and you can see that she still wasn’t over it years on. I’m so glad they got the second chance they needed to get to know each other again. 4 stars Thank you @netgalley and @hachetteaudio for my gifted copy! You can find all my reviews at Www.thelipnessofliteracy.com My podcast is @litdulterouswhore and you can find it on Spotify and YouTube #writingmrwrong #bookish #kelleyarmstrong #romancebook #romancereader #booksbooksbooks #bookalorian #bookblog #bookishblog #vlog #reading #bookstagramcanada🇨🇦 #bookcommunity #bookishpodcast
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Book review - Fiction - Contemporary romance - Billionaire romance I just finished Devious Husband by Catharina Maura - Book 6 of The Windsors and here are my musings. She cannot stand him… He’s loved her in secret for years… Xavier damn near loses his mind when she begins to show interest in a man that is not him.. Is he thinking clearly when he offers Sierra the deal of a lifetime… A merger between their companies but only if she agrees to be his wife… What did I just read! This cannot be the end! Say it is not so!! Xavier might just be the most perfect MC on the planet! He isn’t perfect and I think thats why I love him so much! Sierra is his perfect match and someone to aspire to be. This book had a lot to live up to and it nailed it all the way to the bank! I loved the writing and how the book finished up all my expectations and hit that nail home. I am not a massive fan of the Rivals to lovers trope especially with business but this worked so well for me. If you love a good billionaire romance this has to be on your list! Start from the beginning and come talk to me about how amazing this series is. 4.5 stars Thank you to @bloombooks for my gifted copy! #bookcommunity #readersgonnaread #bookpodcast #romancereader #enemiestolovers
I just finished Falling for You Again by Kerry Lonsdale and here are my musings. Meli is a furniture artist. She crafts the most amazing pieces and looks forward to taking over the family business. She is blind-sided when her uncle plans to sell the business. When she finds out the company that is buying has someone she knows working for them… Aaron. A man she hasn’t seen in years… The man she married and divorced after a night in vegas… A man who might just be able to help her destroy the deal. Wow wow wow! This second chance story really took a unique twist by having the main characters meet by chance on a plane and get married in Vegas with the agreement they annul it after. They don’t see each other again until this deal. I loved the chemistry between them. The narration was absolutely wonderful and I loved how the whole book came to life in this beautiful way. I liked Meli a lot. I loved that she had a job outside of “pink” jobs that come up a lot in romance books. She was a rockstar with A wood-lathe and that was bad ass. I thought the plot was clever and unique. It really was a fun read. I liked the ending too. It was definitely an all round epic romance read! 4.5 stars Thank you @netgalley and @brilliancepublishing for my gifted ALC! You can find all my reviews at thelionessofliteracy.com And my podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/5kKN96RNPNh4uNDZzpIE1A #bookish #bookalorian #bookalicious #bookishblog #bookstagrammer #candianbookblogger #bookishbusiness #bookpodcast #litdulterous #readingbook #readersofbookstagram #bookrecs #fallingforyouagain #audiobookreview
Book review - Novellas - Romance Carolyn Brown - Chasing Dreams. This book has 3 exceptional novellas in it! A summer to remember … Bernie runs a bar… When she has 3 customers come in and she can see the heat between 2 of them… She tries her hand at matchmaking… If she manages it she plans on getting all her great nieces married off…. I loved Bertie and the story was so cute!! I have a real love for books with older MCs and this novella was so adorable. I am a hopeless romantic so this hit me right in the fuzzies!! The Matchmaker - Dorry, Minnie and Sookie are all retired and have been friends for years.. They decide to try their hand at matchmaking!! Unbeknownst to them. The couple they have chosen are already bound for divorce so they have their work cut out for them… These ladies are my people!! I absolutely loved this novella!! My fave of all 3, the writing was great and the characters just had me hooked right in! Chasing Dreams - Nita, Sharlene and Billy Joe want to go on a road trip but they can’t do it alone! They enlist the help of Ford, Billie Jo’s great grandson and Sharlene's great niece Joelle to help. Checking off things from their bucket list, these pensioners know how it is done! Joelle and Ford could stand to take a leaf out of their book… Such a great novella to end this book with! I really am charmed with the use of retired MCs and their personalities are simply the best! The whole book made me want to live more and see more… DO MORE!! Cannot wait for more books with older characters and I highly recommend this book! 4 stars Thank you to @sourcebooks for my gifted copy Out now #sourcebooksinfluencer #novellas #bookblog #bookishblog #blogger #bookinfluencer #bookishbusiness
Book review - Historical Fiction - Historical Romance - Marriage of Convenience I just finished A Most Worthy Husband by Faye Delacour - The Lucky Ladies of London #3 and here are my musings. Hannah never had aspirations to marry… She was happy to be a spinster and help her sister in law run the gambling club. Her mother won’t abide that so Hannah decides to ruin herself with an awful man so no one will want her… Silas is the perfect mark.. He’s a troublemaker and works as a dealer at the club. The man who gave him the job happens to be Hannah's brother but one kiss for so much money… How can he say no… Trouble is even that won’t stop Hannah’s mother and she will force a marriage whether Hannah likes it or not. I’m a bit of a sucker for this series so being back in the club was a nice change of pace for me. I like the slow burn of this book. It’s not normally something I enjoy but I really felt this pacing was exactly what was needed to bring this story alive. As anyone who reads my reviews knows, I am not a massive fan of fake dating or fake courting in this instance but I really loved how this one played out and it felt original rather than an overplayed trope but I am a massive sucker for the brothers friend trope and this one was a bulls eye.. Not only was she off limits because hello, her brother gave him the job but they aren’t even in the same class and that added a beautiful dimension to the story. I actually quite liked Hannah! She was naive but she has such a graceful presence and I love the fact she wants to be self-sufficient to the point that she was gonna pull a crazy stunt to achieve it! Silas was very much the protective MC and I loved their chemistry! It was sweet and it truly gave me the fuzzies! All in all another great installment of a great series… 4 stars Thank you @sourcebookscasa for my gifted copy! Out now! #bookcommunity #prettybooks #bookblog #bookish #readergram #reading #reading #bookinfluencer #bookblog #bookishvlog
