September Wrap Up…

Welcome to my September Wrap Up. I didn’t have a great reading month, finishing 3 books (1 book off my TBR). I also received 6 ARCs this month.

I have reviews up or coming up for these books so as usual this is just going to be a brief rundown on each book I read.

Without further ado, let’s get into my September Wrap Up:

FDNY: An Illustrated History of the Fire Department of the City of New York by Andrew Coe: This book was wonderful. I loved learning about the history of the FDNY and how it has evolved over the years. This book was full of interesting information and fantastic stories that show how the FDNY was shaped. I also adored that this book was overflowing with photographs. This is one of those books that I am very glad that I own.

Where Was God on September 11? by John Blanchard: This was an interesting read. As I am not religious and this is a religious take on the events of 9/11, there were definitely parts of this book that I didn’t agree with. However, I loved much information this book contained; not just on 9/11 but on many major tragedies from history. I am glad that I read this book and I know I will re-read it many times in the future.

The Daughter Of Auschwitz by Tova Friedman: This book was equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. I have read many books written by survivors of the Holocaust, but I have never read a memoir by someone who was only six when the war ended. Reading about how Tova survived and how the holocaust shaped her life was a truly emotional experience. I honestly believe his book is a must-read for everyone.

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That’s it for my September Wrap Up. I hope you all had a great reading month. Let me know what you guys read this month in the comments section.

Until my October Wrap Up…

Happy Reading…

~>GEM<~

The Sick Book Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in The Sick Book Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

So without further ado, let’s jump straight in:

Diabetes

Name a book that’s sweet, like REALLY sweet. 

Wishyouwas by Alexandra Page

Chicken Pox

Name a book you only picked up once and never will again.

Talking With Psychopaths and Savages: Beyond Evil by Christopher Berry-Dee

The Flu

Name a popular book that spreads like a virus.

All That’s Left in the World by Erik J. Brown

The Cycle

Name a book that you reread yearly, or at least often.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Insomnia

Name a book that kept you up all night.

The Caretakers by Amanda Bestor-Siegal

Amnesia

Name a book that you’ve forgotten or that failed to leave an impact on your memory.

My Daughter’s Wedding by Gretel Killeen

Asthma

Name a book that took your breath away.

The School that Escaped the Nazis by Deborah Cadbury

Malnutrition

Name a book that lacks food for thought.

The Charleston Scandal by Pamela Hart

Travel Sickness

Name a book that took you on a journey. 

The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer

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Well, that’s it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed this tag. As usual, hit me up with your answers in the comment section.

Until next time…

Happy Reading… 

~>GEM<~

Pegasus Bridge by Stephen E. Ambrose

‘In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, a small detachment of British airborne troops stormed the German defense forces and paved the way for the Allied invasion of Europe. Pegasus Bridge was the first engagement of D-Day, the turning point of World War II.

This gripping account of it by acclaimed author Stephen Ambrose brings to life a daring mission so crucial that, had it been unsuccessful, the entire Normandy invasion might have failed. Ambrose traces each step of the preparations over many months to the minute-by-minute excitement of the hand-to-hand confrontations on the bridge. This is a story of heroism and cowardice, kindness and brutality—the stuff of all great adventures.’

This book was fantastic.

After having read; and loved, both Band Of Brothers and The Victors by Stephen E. Ambrose, I was excited to dive into this book. I am happy to save that it didn’t disappoint.

With so many different battles taking place during the course of WWII, I am sad to say that before reading this book I had never heard of Pegasus Bridge and its significance to the success of D-Day and the war as a whole.

One of the things I love most about Stephen E. Ambrose’s books is the amount of detail he goes into and this book was no different. Readers get to learn virtually everything about this battle from its conception through to the actual battle and the aftermath. This kind of detail is what made this book so great.

Stephen E. Ambrose has complemented the information in this book with his compelling writing and emotional connection to the soldiers whose story he is telling. Where some military history books can be slow and at times weighed down by numbers and statistics, Ambrose has managed to keep the human element of the battle at the forefront which makes it very difficult to put this book down.

Pegasus Bridge by Stephen E. Ambrose is a must-read for anyone interested in military or WWII history.

Uni Update 29!

It’s that time again…

Uni Update!

Today it is all good vibes from me. I have had a great month at Uni; I am up to date on all my work, and I have completed my first Assessment.

I am really loving the subject matter this trimester, so I wasn’t overwhelmed when it came to writing my Essay as I was excited by the topic, and interested in learning more. I am finiding myself looking forward to seeing what we are learning about each week, which is a great way to feel.

I also got an update on my course work. We are given an idea of if we are doing well and understanding the work based on the first six weeks of work, and I am very happy to say that I am tracking in the High Distinction area, which has made me very happy indeed.

Overall, I have had a great month on the uni front and I am hoping to repeat that this month as I head towards the end of Uni for the year.

Well, that is all from me today. I will catch you all in my next Uni Update.

Until then…

Happy Reading!

~>GEM<~

The Daughter Of Auschwitz by Tova Friedman

‘A powerful memoir by one of the youngest ever survivors of Auschwitz, Tova Friedman, following her childhood growing up during the Holocaust and surviving a string of near-death experiences in a Jewish ghetto, a Nazi labor camp, and Auschwitz.

Tova Friedman was only four years old when she was sent to a Nazi labor camp at the start of World War II. While friends and family were murdered in front of her eyes, the only weapon that Tova and her parents possessed was the primal instinct to survive at all costs. Fate intervened when, at the age of six, Tova was sent to a gas chamber, but walked out alive, saved by German bureaucracy. Not long afterwards, she cuddled a warm corpse to hide from Nazis rounding up prisoners for the Death March to Germany.

In this heartrending, lyrical account of a young girl’s survival during the Holocaust, Tova Friedman, together with Malcolm Brabant, chronicles the atrocities she witnessed while at Auschwitz, a family secret that sheds light on the unpalatable choices Jews were forced to make to survive, and ultimately, the sources of hope and courage she and her family found to persist against all odds.’

This book was truly moving.

As soon as I read the synopsis of this book I knew I had to read it. I have read many stories from Holocaust survivors over the years, but this was the first time I was going to be reading about one of the very few children to have survived I was nervous about how emotional this story was going to be.

It turns out I was right to be concerned about the emotional toll of this book as it was equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. Hearing how these events affected, changed, and ultimately shaped Tova made for an incredibly powerful reading experience.

Tova Friedman and Malcolm Brabant did a fantastic job with this book. The timeline and story were coherent and thoroughly researched, the writing was absolutely stunning and the story itself was so human it was hard to read at times.

I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. I was captivated from the very first page until the very last. Even though this book was an emotional roller coaster I am so glad that I picked it up. This is truly a book that everyone should read at least once in their lifetimes.

The Daughter Of Auschwitz by Tova Friedman and Malcolm Brabant will stay with you long after the final page.

The TBR Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in The TBR Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

So without further ado, let’s jump straight in:

How do you keep track of your TBR pile?

I can see it in my room and I have a TBR list on Goodreads.

Is your TBR mostly print or e-book?

Print. I don’t use an e-reader.

A Book That’s Been On Your TBR List The Longest

Grind by Edward Vukovic

A Book You Recently Added To Your TBR

No Country For Girls by Emma Styles

A Book In Your TBR Strictly Because of Its Beautiful Cover

Siren’s Wave by J.A. Hazel

A Book On Your TBR That You Never Plan on Reading

I honestly hope to one day read all the books on my TBR.

A Book On Your TBR That Basically Everyone’s Read But You

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

A Book On Your TBR That Everyone Recommends To You

Kokoda by Peter FitzSimons

A Book On Your TBR That You’re Dying To Read

Smoky the Brave: How a Feisty Yorkshire Terrier Mascot Became a Comrade-in-Arms during World War II by Damien Lewis

How many books are on your Goodreads TBR shelf?

Around 50 give or take.

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Well, that’s it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed this tag. As usual, hit me up with your answers in the comment section.

Until next time…

Happy Reading… 

~>GEM<~

Argo by Antonio Mendez

‘The true account of the 1979 rescue of six American hostages from Iran.

On November 4, 1979, Iranian militants stormed the American embassy in Tehran and held dozens of Americans hostage, sparking a 444-day ordeal and a quake in global politics that still reverberates today. Beneath this crisis another shocking story was known by only a select few: six Americans escaped the embassy and hid within a city roiling with suspicion and fear. A top-level CIA officer named Antonio Mendez devised an ingenious yet incredibly risky plan to rescue them before they were detected. Disguising himself as a Hollywood producer, and supported by a cast of expert forgers, deep-cover CIA operatives, foreign agents, and Hollywood special-effects artists, Mendez traveled to Tehran under the guise of scouting locations for a fake science fiction film called “Argo.” While pretending to find the ideal film backdrops, Mendez and a colleague succeeded in contacting the escapees and eventually smuggled them out of Iran.

After more than three decades, Antonio Mendez finally details the extraordinarily complex and dangerous operation he led. A riveting story of secret identities, international intrigue, and good old-fashioned American ingenuity, Argo is the pulse-pounding account of the history-making collusion between Hollywood and high-stakes espionage.’

This book was great.

As soon as I read the synopsis of this book I knew I had to read it. The story was so unbelievable that I had to know all the details in order to believe that it happened. After reading this book I was shocked that I hadn’t heard this story before. Now that I have read this book I am going to go and watch the movie that I also had never heard about.

I loved how much detail this book went into but I will admit that it was slow at times which surprised me considering how dramatic the story was. I understand that a lot went into this mission but at times I found it hard to stay motivated in the story as the pacing was so slow.

Antonio Mendez did a great job in capturing the mood and emotion of this story as well as the way he explained everything that went into this mission. I think my only issue with this book was its pacing. If it was a bit faster I believe I would have really loved this book.

Argo by Antonio Mendez is well worth the read.

Pointless Facts 30!

As I am really enjoying compiling Pointless Facts, I am going to stick with my plan of posting a new list every month; at least until it stops being fun for me. So I hope you all enjoy this month’s installment of Pointless Facts.

Let’s jump in, shall we?

Anteaters have no teeth.

Andrew Jackson’s parrot had to be removed from his funeral because it wouldn’t stop swearing.

You only breathe out of one nostril at a time.

Goosebumps developed to make our ancestors’ hair stand up, making them appear more threatening to predators.

Did you know that jellyfish have been around even before dinosaurs?

A dog’s paw print is just as unique as a human’s handprint.

Theodore Roosevelt’s kids had a pet bear, badger, and hyena, and they brought them all to the White House!

There are over 700 ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbols.

To make one pound of honey, a bee has to fly 90,000 miles! Though one bee typically only makes one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime.

Some lipsticks contain fish scales.

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I hope you all enjoyed today’s pointless facts. Let me know in the comments if these pointless facts were new to you or if you had already come across them.

~>GEM<~

Sleepy Magic by Danielle Wright

‘Do you want to become a ‘toddler whisperer’ at bedtime, putting an end to the challenge of settling and sleeping? Or are your children a bit older and you are seeking a deeper, more rewarding bond? Are you searching for a way to give your child(ren) a strong sense of well-being, confidence, and inner harmony?

This beautiful hardcover book is a gift to banish those sleepless nights and strengthen your relationship while nurturing stillness and self-worth in your children. Sleepy Magic will give you tools to help your kids become calm, connected, and conscious children.’

This book was beautiful.

I loved this book. This is one of those books that makes me wish I had children to share it with. I also loved that I could genuinely see people using and loving this book. Even though I don’t have children I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

One of the things that people may see in this book and think it is not for them is the focus on Chakras. Now I can understand that and to be honest I don’t really have any interest in Chakras so that could have been an issue for me too.

Thankfully after reading this book I realized that even if you don’t want to include Chakras when you read this with your children you don’t actually have to. The wonderful stories and moments in this book work perfectly well if you just leave the Chakras out of the story.

Danielle Wright has done a fantastic job with this book. It is sweet, magical, and utterly entertaining. I loved every second of this book; the writing, the message, and the illustrations. I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book and I can only imagine the joy and wonderful moments this book will bring to children and their families.

Sleepy Magic by Danielle Wright is a must-have for parents with young children.

TBR Shame Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in TBR Shame Tag. This one is pretty simple; I am going to list all of the books on my TBR pile. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

For this tag, I am going to share with you the 20 books that have been on my TRB pile the longest. Hopefully, I will get to these books one day but I don’t see that day coming anytime soon.

So without further ado, let’s jump straight in:

Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking

Siren’s Wave by J.A. Hazel

Grind by Edward Vukovic

The Cactus by Sarah Haywood

France: A History: from Gaul to de Gaulle by John Julius Norwich

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor

Kokoda by Peter FitzSimons

The Taste of Blue Light by Lydia Ruffles

The Vanity Fair Diaries: 1983-1992 by Tina Brown

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

Saving Hamlet by Molly Horton Booth

Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley

Paper Hearts & Summer Kisses by Carole Matthews

Year One by Nora Roberts

Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts

The Seventh Cross by Anna Seghers

The Life of P.T. Barnum by P.T. Barnum

Smoky the Brave: How a Feisty Yorkshire Terrier Mascot Became a Comrade-in-Arms during World War II by Damien Lewis

Stars Across the Ocean by Kimberley Freeman

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Well, that’s it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed this tag. As usual, hit me up with your answers in the comment section.

Until next time…

Happy Reading… 

~>GEM<~