I've been reading a ton of books lately and making my way slowly through the little pile on the side of my bed. I thought I'd do a book round-up of the ones I've recently read, am reading or are on my to read list in order to plug a few authors, indie and mainstream that I've been enjoying and give you guys some suggestions. Some of these are for school and I'm sure it's pretty obvious which ones those are. However, if you're interested in the time period, some of them are definitely worth a browse!

Fear: Anti-Semitism in Poland After Auschwitz by Jan T. Gross

This book, by renowned Holocaust scholar Jan T. Gross, examines the issue of anti-semitism in post-war Poland--especially those years directly after the Holocaust. I've only just started reading this one, but it is very interesting so far. As I'm not really up on my WWII battles, I've had to read and re-read parts of it that discuss the battles just to understand completely. As Jan T. Gross really knows his stuff, I would say this is definitely recommended to anyone interested in this time period.

Available here.
Holocaust: A History by Deborah Dwork and Robert Jan van Pelt

So, I'm not sure why the cover looks like this. Mine doesn't look like that at all, but it was the only cover I could find. This book is extremely comprehensive in discussing the Holocaust and its origins. It is sprinkled with lots of testimony, bringing the history alive a bit more. I have to say that as someone who studies the Holocaust, there wasn't much new in there for me. But if you're just a casual historian, this would be a good book to help you learn a little bit more about the Holocaust.

Available here.

Scary Mary by SA Hunter

I haven't actually started reading this one yet, but I like the premise. It is about a teenage girl who speaks to the dead--even though she'd rather not. I've this on my Kindle and am looking forward to reading it. It has gotten great reviews on Amazon and has been featured on the bestseller list, so it seems like it'll be a good read.

Scary Mary (The Scary Mary Series)*
Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky 

I've just started Awaken, but haven't gotten very far. It's not going to say it isn't engrossing, I just haven't really had the time to sit down and read it with the other projects I'm doing and books I'm supposed to be reading. This book is a dystopian piece that features a world where people interact almost entirely on computers--which doesn't really seem too far from reality. I'm definitely looking forward to sitting down and giving it a thorough read. It is part of series, with the next book entitled Middle Ground.

Awaken*
If I Stay by Gayle Forman

I haven't even cracked this one open yet, but with all of the good press about it and the movie coming out soon, it's one I'm looking forward to reading.

If I Stay*
Beneath the Glitter by Elle and Blair Fowler

I know this one is a bit embarrassing, but pretty much every young(ish) woman has been a "fan" of the Fowler sisters at some point. I decided to give this one a read, although I have to admit the writing is pretty amateurish and young. Although it is classed as YA, it seems to be really for 9-12 year olds.

Beneath the Glitter: A Novel (Sophia and Ava London)*
I just watched the film Philomena a few nights ago and this book has a similar ring to it. I haven't read it yet, but it follows a young girl who, after getting pregnant out of wedlock, is forced to give up her child for adoption. This one, however, is different from Philomena in that it focuses on the girl's fight to keep her child. Looks like an interesting read.

Unforgivable*






 
The Pages in Between by Erin Einhorn

Personal stories are my favorite part of history, so this book did not disappoint. This memoir chronicles a young Einhorn as she ventures to Poland to retrace her mother's roots. Einhorn's mother had been hidden during the Holocaust by a Polish family whom her own family no longer keeps in touch with. She goes back to meet them where they form a complex relationship. Even if you're not a huge history geek like me, I think you'll find this book enjoyable.
The Pages in Between: A Holocaust Legacy of Two Families, One Home*





This is a devastating book about a young woman who was abducted and held against her will for 11 years. Yes, 11 bloody years. I've been following her story on Dr. Phil and I'm very interested in the way the follow up of her story has been treated (I will be writing a blog post on this in the future). This book is very well written and is doing amazingly well on the charts. This book isn't for the faint of heart, but it will definitely make you count your lucky stars. Everyone reiterates that Michelle is a brave woman, and she definitely is. This story is truly harrowing.

Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed: A Memoir of the Cleveland Kidnappings*


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