Monday, 27 January 2025

SPOTLIGHT ~ The Teacher of Auschwitz by Wendy Holden

 



From the bestselling author of Born Survivors, a novel inspired by the powerful true story of a man who risked everything to protect children in Auschwitz.

Fredy built a wall against suffering in their hearts...

Amid the brutality of the Holocaust, one bright spot shone inside the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz. In the shadows of the smokestacks was a wooden hut where children sang, staged plays, wrote poetry, and learned about the world. Within those four walls, brightly adorned with hand-painted cartoons, the youngest prisoners were kept vermin-free, received better food, and were even taught to imagine having full stomachs and a day without fear. Their guiding light was a twenty-seven-year-old gay, Jewish Fredy Hirsch.

Being a teacher in a brutal concentration camp was no mean feat. Forced to beg senior SS officers for better provisions, Fredy risked his life every day to protect his beloved children from mortal danger.

But time was running out for Fredy and the hundreds in his care. Could this kind, compassionate, and brave man find a way to teach them the one lesson they really needed to how to survive?

The Teacher of Auschwitz shines a light on a truly remarkable individual and tells the inspiring story of how he fought to protect innocence and hope amid depravity and despair.



Thursday, 9 January 2025

BLOG TOUR ~ Your Child Next by M.J. Arlidge & Andy Maslen

 

 

Hi Everyone,

Today is my stop for the Blog Tour of The Reunion by M.J. Arlidge & Andy Maslen where I've a review of their latest book. I was thrilled to be asked by Tracy Fenton from Compulsive Reading in conjunction with Orion who organised this tour to take part along with some other fab book bloggers. You can find out who else has taken part in this fabulous Blog Tour at the end of this so without further ado, here it is:

THEY'VE FAKED YOUR CHILDS DEATH. AND IF YOU DON'T GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT, THEY'LL MAKE IT A REALITY.

Things have been difficult for Annie since her husband left. Her teenage daughter, Isla, has become a ghost of her former self. Annie's terrified that Isla might do something desperate, and she'll loose her, too. So when Annie receives a video of herself crying at Isla's funeral, her blood runs cold.

Confused and horrified, Annie races upstairs to check on Isla, who is Alice and well. The video has been faked. But who sent it and what do they want?

One dark truth soon becomes clear: Annie is the latest in a string of parents been blackmailed, and Isla will be killed if Annie goes to the police or if she fails to give the sender what they want. Annie has a deadly choice: comply with the demands, or try to unmask the dangerous criminal.

Well, where do I start with this review!? I really enjoyed this book. To be honest I wasn't too sure when I first started the book if it was going to work with joint authors writing a book once again as this was my second time to read a book like this but it was excellent. It started off as a really fast paced read, full of action but then it seemed to dip in the middle for a little while before picking up again but this would'nt put me off recommending this book to anyone. Full of twists and turns in this complex investigation into the blackmailing of parents by these criminals trying to connect the dots. I would even go as far as to say that this would make a great TV Series too.

This is M.J. Arlidge & Andy Maslen's first joint novel together and I hope it won't be their last either.


Your Child Next is published by Orion and is available on Kindle, Audiobooks and is available from all good bookstores and libraries.