What’s on my iPod: “Let it Be” by The Beatles
What I’m reading: Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The last person I followed on Twitter: @Rustyrockets

1. THE POLSKI AFFAIR and THE FAMILY AFFAIR on B&N’s Unbashedly Bookish 

The lovely Lisa Steinke – blogger on the Barnes and Noble community blog Unbashedly Bookish – recommended both THE POLSKI AFFAIR and THE FAMILY AFFAIR by Leon Gildin as great books for Hanukkah and Christmas! Here is what Lisa had to say:

“With Hanukkah starting today, it’s another great reason to highlight great books to give as gifts this holiday. And because it’s a time of family, why not highlight books that focus on family drama? Read on to learn about two books, both by Leon Gildin, that are engrossing with a perfect blend of fiction and history”

More on THE POLSKI AFFAIR

Winner of the International Book Award for Historical Fiction, The Polski Affair is the story of Rosa Feurmann and others who found themselves as “guests” of the Hotel Polski during the Nazi occupation of Warsaw. Rumor had it the Nazis were attempting to lure Jews out of hiding by the sale of exit visas from Poland; the Hotel Polski drew in Jewish survivors who wished to buy their way to freedom. Rosa, a Jewish partisan, goes undercover as a maid and infiltrates the hotel. She is detected and comes under the personal control of the hotel’s Nazi Commandant.

Living in Israel as Anna Adler some thirty years later, she can’t escape the memory of what she did to survive. She is called as a witness at the Commandant’s War Crimes Trial in Heidelberg and years later, she attends a reunion of the surviving hotel “guests” . It is upon her return to Israel that Anna must reconcile her inner conflicts of guilt, survival and haunting secrets.

 

2. Chick Lit is Not Dead share best books of 2011 

Liz and Lisa over at Chick Lit is Not Dead share their best book picks of 2011! Comment on their post to be entered in a fabulous book giveaway! Here are just a couple of their recommendations:

Skipping A Beat by Sarah Pekkanen I. Loved. This. Book! As a self-delared emotional robot, I found myself bawling like a freakin’ baby during the last few chapters of this delightful novel.  When Julia’s husband Michael has a near-death experience, he rewrites the rules of their struggling marriage, forcing her to choose whether to stay and take a leap of faith or leave forever. Insightful but also with with a healthy dose of Pekkanen’s trademark humor, you won’t be able to put it down- I PROMISE!

Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close I read this debut while on vacay in Hawaii over the summer and let’s just say that I’m pretty thankful neither of my kids drowned while I was engrossed of this witty, refreshing tale of a group of friends after they graduate from college and struggle with heartbreak and career changes, all while attending endless bridal showers. A MUST read if you were a big SATC fan-the narrative really captures the spirit of Carrie & co.  It’s not too late to pick this up for your stocking!

 

3. THE POLSKI AFFAIR and THE FAMILY AFFAIR on The Bookworm! 

The two novels by author Leon Gildin continue to create buzz across the net. Check out these amazing reviews of both THE POLSKI AFFAIR and THE FAMILY AFFAIR!  Here is what the Bookworm had to say about Gildin’s sequel:

“I was interested as to what would happen to these characters after reading the first book. I especially liked Sholom’s character. I felt like he had a strong spirit and I liked seeing things come full circle as he visited the hotel and sat in the same dining room where his parents had eaten so many years before. It is because of Sholom that certain truths are unveiled. Once he sets off to do his research, the story takes off.”

More on THE FAMILY AFFAIR

How can a woman’s struggle to reconcile her guilt of survival both unite and divide her family for years to come? It is some two years since Anna Adler returned from a reunion of the survivors who were “guests” of the Hotel Polski after the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto. At the reunion, she was applauded for her courage in testifying against the Commandant of the Polski at his War Crimes Trial. Despite the accolades, Anna’s obsession with what took place at the hotel during her period of imprisonment continues to haunt her.

The Family Affair, a sequel to The Polski Affair, tells of the fortuitous discovery of new members of Anna’s family, bringing her both joy and torment. For Anna, the ties that bind run deeper than she cares to remember … or admit. This results in explosive revelations and a family forever changed, proving that some things are better left unsaid.

4. BLOOD ORCHIDS on Noelle Pierce

Toby Neal’s newly released novel BLOOD ORCHIDS received a spectacular 5/5 star review on Noelle Pierce! If you’re still looking for an extreme last minute stocking-stuffer, this novel will make any reader happy. Here is a highlight of what the blogger had to say:

This was a well-written, perfectly-paced book, steeped in Hawaiian culture. Ms. Neal does a good job balancing the paradise aspect of the islands, with the seedy side normally unseen by tourists.

Leilani Texeira has some major demons from her past, which come back to haunt her in the first of this suspense series. In fact, there’s concern that she’ll be able to do her job because one of her coping mechanisms when dealing with any sort of triggers is dissociation. The book opens with the discovery of two murdered teenage girls, and Lei manages to get involved in the investigation of a serial rapist who seems to have escalated to murder (even though Lei’s a patrol officer). There’s enough foreshadowing to keep us interested, and she leaves us clues to the serial rapist’s/murderer’s identity, but they aren’t obvious on the first read. Looking back, I smacked my forehead more than once at not seeing the clues.

More about BLOOD ORCHIDS