Haunting Paris Book Review Podcast

09/01/19 • 6 min

Hello, welcome to Book Club Reporter - Book Review Podcast. This is Episode 2, dated August 31st, 2019. And I’m your host, Laura Jay. Today I am bringing you my book club reporter book review of Haunting Paris, written by author, Mamta Chaudhry.

Oh! And be sure to check out all my book reviews, reading lists and more on: BookClubReporter.com, and you can follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram too.

But right now, I invite you to sit back and relax, as I review Haunting Paris. Haunting Paris is a sensitive and heart-wrenching romantic historical novel, and the evocative story line enhances the narrative. From the onset, readers will welcome the characters as each one struggles to overcome the reality of the powerful and disturbing events that take place. The characters become caught up in a mission to discover their own individual, personal truths. The American, Will, longs for a different kind of life. While Isabelle must learn to accept he0r husband, Julian, has left her for Sylvie, a younger woman. Sylvie will become driven to discover the meaning behind a mysterious note left behind by her lover, the now ghostly, Julian.
The author, Mamta Chaudry, expertly creates an accurate setting derived from World War II German-occupied France history books as well as her imagination. The cast of characters is well-rounded, especially the forlorn ghost, Julian. However, it is the grieving, ever-faithful and determined, Sylvie, who spellbinds the reader as she diligently works to solve the mysterious fate of her deceased lover’s sister and nieces. Loaded with emotion, fans will not want to put down this haunting romantic historical history novel.
The author has written Haunting in such a way to immerse the reader into “City of Light,” Paris. If you’ve ever been to Paris, Haunting Paris will tug lovingly at your memories. If you’ve never been there, Haunting Paris will have you planning your first visit to the extraordinarily endearing city. To quote Ernest Hemingway, “There are only two places in the world where we can live happy: at home and in Paris.” That being said, I believe that Haunting Paris is a beautiful and eloquent valentine gift from the author to the city of Paris.
So, here’s my personal take on this deeply moving debut novel from Mamta Chaudry. Haunting Paris is a memorable and unique telling of the abject horrors of the Nazi occupation of France. While the story is set in 1989 Paris, the mystery of the missing child takes us on an incredibly emotional journey back to the 1942 streets of Nazi-controlled Paris. The reader is helpless to stop the massive tragedy in which Jewish men, women, and children are rounded up and exterminated as part of the Nazi murderous policy known as the Final Solution.
I believe Haunting Paris is one of many stories that must be retold time and time again. Every generation should know the horror of what happened, and understand that it should never be forgotten. As human beings we must learn from the mistakes that history provides to us. We should be as the ghost in Haunting Paris, “And now I consider my new state with a similar doubleness, observing how as I am slowly being absorbed into the past, the past is also being absorbed into me.” Let us remember together. And let us never forget. Haunting Paris has deeply affected me and will stay with me forever.
I hope you will read Haunting Paris soon. The world is changing so fast! Just think, the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral (which, of course, was mentioned in Haunting Paris) was burning on April 15, 2019.* We all saw the videos of the raging fire and huge plumbs of smoke engulfing the Parisian sky. I myself have never been to Paris, but I had just finished reading my advance review

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Oh! And be sure to check out all my book reviews, reading lists and more on: BookClubReporter.com, and you can follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram too.

But right now, I invite you to sit back and relax, as I review Haunting Paris. Haunting Paris is a sensitive and heart-wrenching romantic historical novel, and the evocative story line enhances the narrative. From the onset, readers will welcome the characters as each one struggles to overcome the reality of the powerful and disturbing events that take place. The characters become caught up in a mission to discover their own individual, personal truths. The American, Will, longs for a different kind of life. While Isabelle must learn to accept he0r husband, Julian, has left her for Sylvie, a younger woman. Sylvie will become driven to discover the meaning behind a mysterious note left behind by her lover, the now ghostly, Julian.
The author, Mamta Chaudry, expertly creates an accurate setting derived from World War II German-occupied France history books as well as her imagination. The cast of characters is well-rounded, especially the forlorn ghost, Julian. However, it is the grieving, ever-faithful and determined, Sylvie, who spellbinds the reader as she diligently works to solve the mysterious fate of her deceased lover’s sister and nieces. Loaded with emotion, fans will not want to put down this haunting romantic historical history novel.
The author has written Haunting in such a way to immerse the reader into “City of Light,” Paris. If you’ve ever been to Paris, Haunting Paris will tug lovingly at your memories. If you’ve never been there, Haunting Paris will have you planning your first visit to the extraordinarily endearing city. To quote Ernest Hemingway, “There are only two places in the world where we can live happy: at home and in Paris.” That being said, I believe that Haunting Paris is a beautiful and eloquent valentine gift from the author to the city of Paris.
So, here’s my personal take on this deeply moving debut novel from Mamta Chaudry. Haunting Paris is a memorable and unique telling of the abject horrors of the Nazi occupation of France. While the story is set in 1989 Paris, the mystery of the missing child takes us on an incredibly emotional journey back to the 1942 streets of Nazi-controlled Paris. The reader is helpless to stop the massive tragedy in which Jewish men, women, and children are rounded up and exterminated as part of the Nazi murderous policy known as the Final Solution.
I believe Haunting Paris is one of many stories that must be retold time and time again. Every generation should know the horror of what happened, and understand that it should never be forgotten. As human beings we must learn from the mistakes that history provides to us. We should be as the ghost in Haunting Paris, “And now I consider my new state with a similar doubleness, observing how as I am slowly being absorbed into the past, the past is also being absorbed into me.” Let us remember together. And let us never forget. Haunting Paris has deeply affected me and will stay with me forever.
I hope you will read Haunting Paris soon. The world is changing so fast! Just think, the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral (which, of course, was mentioned in Haunting Paris) was burning on April 15, 2019.* We all saw the videos of the raging fire and huge plumbs of smoke engulfing the Parisian sky. I myself have never been to Paris, but I had just finished reading my advance review

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Previous Episode

Book Club Book Review The Year I Left Women's Fiction Romance Novel

Book Club Book Review Women's Fiction Romance Novel

Book Club Reporter Book review of the 2019 women's fiction romance novel, The Year I Left written by author, Christine Brae.

In The Year I Left, Carin Frost has a great career and a ten-year-old son. Her husband is a stay-at-home dad, leaving Carin to act as family bread-winner. Carin works long hours to stay successful and feels the pressure of knowing her family depends on her income.
Carin seems to be on-the-fence about where her marital relationship is headed...and/or whether or not it fulfills her as a woman. On top of that, Carin’s mother has recently passed away. To add insult to injury, Carin’s beloved dog dies. And if you are an animal lover, you can probably understand how that might, quite literally, be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
At this point in her life, Carin seems to be emotionally adrift. Although there is no actual financial issue, Carin simply stops paying the bills. She just keeps working and pretty much nothing else. It is now clear that Carin is breaking down mentally and feels alone and bereft. She is under extreme emotional pressure and is in trouble. Carin loves her son. But her feelings about her husband are mixed. I would say she loves him, but not in the way she should. And, to me, it does not appear that he even realizes how far gone Carin is at this point. He's not a bad guy...just probably not the right guy for Carin.
In the midst of Carin’s overwhelming emotional distress, Matias comes into Carin’s life. Matias is a man who, much like Carin, is feeling family pressure. His prominent, wealthy family expects him to marry the woman to whom he is engaged. However, he is not in love with his fiancé and does not want to marry her. Matias is completely taken with Carin and begins to pursue her. Carin and Matias go on a business trip together on the other side of the world. Tragedy strikes the area, with Carin and Matias caught up in the panic. It is within these tense moments that Matias presents Caring with a life-changing choice. And in that very moment, one that may never present itself again, they make a heart-wrenching decision to grab on to life with all that they have.
It will take all the sensitivity the reader can muster to understand the things that come next in The Year I Left. The deep impact of Carin's decision is driven across the world, like a giant wave moving from east to west, growing ever stronger, bringing bad news to her family— crashing over them like a devastating tsunami. In order to truly understand The Year I Left, the reader must come with an open and non-judgmental mind.
I hope the author will not mind if I share with my readers what she said to me about The Year I Left: "This story is ours—Every wife and mother who has somehow lost herself along the way." I agree that Carin is lost. And the question here is, will Carin find a way to find herself? Can she become her true self? Will she stick with the decision she made in a moment of extreme stress? My answer is: Read on gentle readers...read with an open heart...read with the understanding we reserve solely for those we love without limits.
The Year I Left storyline affected me deeply. There is so much more to say about The Year I Left, but that is better left for the reader to discover and explore. The Year I Left is suffused with quandary and emotion—overwhelming indeed. I can't say for sure what you will think and what emotions you will feel, as you read The Year I Left. What I can promise you is, you will think, and you will feel. And after all, is not a great story one that makes the reader think and feel?

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Book Club Reporter Book Reviews - All the Lovely Pieces - Psychological Thriller Novel

Hello, Welcome to Book Club Reporter - Book Review Podcast This is Episode 3, dated September 1, 2019. And I’m your host, Laura Jay.
Today I am bringing you my book club reporter book review of All the Lovely Pieces written by author, J.M. Winchester (and you may already be familiar with this author, as she also writes romance novels as Jennifer Snow). But, All the Lovely pieces is not a ‘happy-ever-after” romance novel. All the Lovely Pieces is a chilling and an unputdownable, psychological thriller suspense novel.

All the Lovely Pieces is the intensely gripping story of Drew Baker. Drew has been badly beaten by her husband, Adam. And that fateful night was not the first time. As it turns out, Adam is a serial abuser and his form of abuse knows no bounds. But Adam is also a powerful billionaire business man. I would go so far to say that Adam “takes no prisoners,” but, actually, that wouldn’t be true. In fact, Adam is holding his pregnant wife, Drew, prisoner at home.
With no explanation, Adam seizes the newborn baby boy from Drew, as soon as she gives birth to him. He takes the baby down the hall and places him in the nanny’s arms. The nanny, Catherine, understands that Adam expects her to take care of the baby, because according to Adam, Drew is mentally disturbed. And that is exactly what Adam tells everyone who comes into or around his palatial home. As a powerful billionaire, it seems that no one questions his words.
Drew is shocked that her baby was taken from her. Desolate and bewildered, Drew remains a prisoner locked in her room. There are no words to describe the desperation and emotional state of this battered, imprisoned mother who isn't allowed to bond with her baby. Nearly anything and everything Drew says to Adam earns her another battering.
Finally, when an opportunity presents itself, Drew seizes the moment and escapes with her baby. But her escape isn't pretty...and it isn't without violence. Drew's memory of how she escaped on that frantic day is blurry. But, now Drew is on the run as not just as a kidnapper but as a murderer too. And although her recollection of that struggle over her baby is as clear as mud, Drew believes she may well have committed murder during her escape. With the belief that Adam will never stop searching for her and his son, Drew is living life on the run with her son Michael. She moves them frequently, afraid to stay anywhere for too long.
After nine years of running, Drew moves them to the small town of Liberty. I couldn’t help wondering if the town, Liberty, might hold a more positive future for Drew and Michael. And things do start out pretty well for them. Drew finds herself almost ready to believe that she and Michael actually have friends, yet she continues to live her life consumed with fear. Drew is determined that once she accomplishes what she believes she needs to do in Liberty, she and Michael will once again move on. It becomes crystal clear that Drew lives an anxiety-filled life with little hope for a better future.
All the Lovely Pieces is told from the viewpoints of Drew, Michael and Catherine (the nanny). And we begin to put the pieces of the past together mostly through the viewpoints of Drew and Catherine. While Michael's viewpoint contributions are brief, we learn enough to be concerned for him. Drew has kept all the terrible details of the past from Michael. She told him his father passed away. But as Michael gets older, he has more questions in his mind about why they are on the run. And he wants to know more about his father.
All the Lovely Pieces propels us through the story on an intense, unstoppable and emotional rollercoaster ride. It’s impossible to actually want to put down this all-consuming story. But, be ready as this story does involve the serious subject matter of physical and e

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