What I Read In July - July Wrap Up.

I feel like I actually read a lot during July. However, a couple of these books were fairly short reads. With 'If I Stay' being only 201 pages and 'The Boy In Stripped Pyjamas' was also a fairly short read. Still, I'm quite pleased with what I managed to read during July. All things considered, July was a very busy month and also fairly stressful so yes, I am pleased with what how much I actually did read.

'If I stay' By Gayle Foreman which I really loved. I really would like to watch the movie now, too! I also need to read the second book. I wrote about and reviewed 'If I Stay'  on my blog but it was so hard to write a proper review without giving too much away!

I really enjoyed 'Everything, Everything' by Nicola Yoon. I was quite surprised because it's a contemporary book, I wasn't sure I'd like it. I absolutely loved it! Click here for the full review of 'Everything Everything'

I've wanted to read 'The Boy In Stripped Pajamas' for the longest time. I think most people have heard of this story and movie. It's a war time fictional story that follows a Nazi solider and his family who move close to a concentration camp. I finally got around to it in July. I really enjoyed the book. I also lived the film even though both were very sad. I do think the book was slightly better.

I finished reading 'The Girl With No Name' in July, too! I started this book at the end of June but it's quite a long book with 416 pages. Diney Costelloe writes this fictional story beautifully. It's another wartime fiction which I really enjoyed.

A photo posted by ★ sarah (@the.bookhub) on Jul 27, 2016 at 9:53am PDT

I also started reading 'While my eyes were closed' by Lisa Green. It's a mystery/crime/thriller story which I just loved. I found is SO hard to put down. It's about a little girl that goes missing whilst playing hide and seek with her mum with a couple of twists and turns along the way!I wrote my review here.

I also starting reading a book called 'The Sisters' but I found it hard to get into. I will probably finish it August though as I really do want to know how it ends! I've added that to my 'August TBR' list.

The boy in the striped Pyjamas by John Boyne - Book Review.

"If you start to read this book, you will go on a journey with a nine-year-old boy named Bruno. (Though this isn't a book for nine-year-olds.) And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence.

Fences like this exist all over the world. We hope you never have to encounter one." 

I have wanted to read 'The boy in the striped Pyjamas' for the longest time. I have seen the movie but really, really wanted to read the book. I have been looking for this book in charity shops for a good few weeks now and the other day, i was passing one of my local charity shops which I wasn't even going to go into when I randomly just thought 'I know they won't have it but I'll have a quick browse in the book section, just incase" And there it was. The boy in the striped Pyjamas. Finally. For the bargain price of £1! I had to have it. I actually couldn't wait to start reading it and read it that same day. It took me overall about 3.5 hours to read as it's quite short. I could easily have read this book in one sitting had I not had distractions. Anyway onto my thoughts about this story. 

The boy in striped Pyjamas is an historical war fiction story about a family who move from Berlin into the countryside. The father is a Nazi soldier and the whole family have to move away with him because of his job. Bruno, the nine year old little boy, is not happy that he's had to move from there big five story house, away from all of his friends and grandparents. Bruno is use to being able to explore and live quite freely but it all changes when the family have to move. They move right next to a concentration camp 'Out With'. Bruno doesn't really understand what the place is and thinks it's perhaps a farm. Bruno goes exploring and walks by the fence where he meets a small boy the other side of the fence who is wearing stripey Pyjamas. He's a prisoner in the camp. They do become friends but Bruno doesn't tell anyone, not right at first anyway.I don't want to go any further as I don't want to spoil it for anyone but it truly is a page turner. 

It IS a little on the unrealistic side in places but again, it's fiction John Boyne has pulled this story off very well, it's written very well. I am in no way complaining as it's fiction and aimed at a younger audience. It is Young Adult style. My twelve year old son has started reading this book  and so far he really likes it, too!
A truly heartbreaking story indeed. I rated this book 4.5 stars. 

I'll just add in here that yes, the movie is fairly true to the book. The ending is slightly different, the movie is a bit more sadder in my opinion. Personally I preferred the book but the movie is certainly worth a watch too. 

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The Girl With No Name by Diney Costeloe

"Thirteen-year-old Lisa escapes from Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport and arrives in England in August 1939. She can't speak a word of English and her only belongings are crammed into a small suitcase. Among them is one precious photograph of the family she has left behind in Germany.
Lonely and homesick, not knowing if she will ever see her family again, Lisa is adopted by a childless couple and then bullied at school for being German. But worse is to come when the Blitz blows her new home apart and she wakes up in hospital with no memory of who she is, or where she came from. The authorities give her a new name and despatch her to a children's home. With the war in full swing, what will become of Lisa now?" 

Genre: Historical fiction
Pages: 416

I really like Diney Costeloe as an author, I think she writes beautifully and very discriptive. I have already read and reviewed 'The Runaway Family' by Diney Costeloe. I read the kindle version of 'The Girl With No Name'. I love a good war time story and this one is from the perspective of a German refugee that ends up living in England. I have read a fair few historical fiction stories and non fiction stories from the World War II era and this book is one I couldn't wait to read!
I've already mentioned how much I love the way Diney Costeloe writes her books. This book was so easy to read and so easy to follow. The characters are develop well throughout the story. This story follows a 13 year old Jewish girl who is evacuated from Europe to escape the Jews. She manages to stay in contact with her family by writing to her Uncle's address, she does however, loose contact with her family and has no idea what happened to them. Lisa ends up living with a childless couple on London, she learns to speak English with the help from her new friend 'Hilda' who can also speak German and English. The air raids in London are crazy, they're constant - Lisa fears small, dark spaces so going down into the air raid shelter is not something Lisa ever wants to do. One day Lisa is in the wrong place, at the wrong time with her new friend 'Harry' she gets caught up in an air raid and ends up having an accident, she looses her memory and can't remember who she is or where she comes from. Lisa is taken to a children's home for orphans and is evacuated once again, this time to the countryside in Wales.... Her foster family back in London have no idea what happened to Lisa, they suspect she was caught and died during the air raid.

Does Lisa eventually remember who she is? What happened to the first family who took Lisa in? Will she ever discover what happened to her real family back in Europe? 

I'm going to stop there as the rest would contain too many spoilers and I honestly don't want to spoil this story for anyone! It's a very good book, I rated this book five out of five stars and I highly recommend everyone to read this book, especially if you like war fiction! I can't wait to read Dineys other books!

What have you read lately?

Sarah xXx

The Runaway Family by Diney Costeloe.

Source

"THE RUNAWAY FAMILY was previously published as EVIL ON THE WIND.

Germany 1937: Fear and betrayal stalk the streets. People disappear. Persecution of the Jews has become a national pastime.
When Ruth Friedman's husband is arrested by the SS, she is left to fend for herself and her four children. She alone stands as their shield against the Nazis. But where can she go? Where will her family be safe?
Ruth must overcome the indifference, hatred and cruelty that surrounds her as she and her family race to escape the advancing Nazi army's final solution..." 

I found this little gem of a book in a charity shop for 90p. It was already on my TBR list! So I was very pleased with this find.
I really enjoy historical fiction (or non fiction for that matter!) and this book was no exception. Set in the late 1930's and 40's, during world war II, being Jewish, living in Germany was terrifying for Ruth and her family. A family that have to flee Germany after Ruths husband is arrested - because he's Jew. He's taken to a work camp, leaving ruth alone with four children. Ruth doesn't hear anything from her husband for quite sometime, she doesn't know if he's even alive!
She has to protect her family from the Nazis, fleeing from place to place to keep her children safe.This story is very sad indeed but very good, too!


I truly loved this book. I love the writing style. I connected with the characters and I found this book very hard to put down! It is sad in places, which is to be expected because it's a holocaust fiction story. I did find Ruth a little naive at times, I liked her character though. Wasn't so sure about the ending.. I found it a little... abrupt. It was a very good book thought and I rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

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  What have you been reading lately? Let me know in the comments :)      Sarah xXx