The Seven Year Dress by Paulette Mahurin Book Review

The Seven Year Dress
Paulette Mahurin

 

 

 

 

Book Description

 

One of the darkest times in human history was the insane design and execution to rid the world of Jews and “undesirables.” At the hands of the powerful evil madman Adolf Hitler, families were ripped apart and millions were slaughtered. Persecution, torture, devastation, and enduring the unthinkable remained for those who lived. This is the story of one woman who lived to tell her story. This is a narrative of how a young beautiful teenager, Helen Stein, and her family were torn asunder, ultimately bringing her to Auschwitz. It was there she suffered heinous indignity at the hands of the SS. It was also there, in that death camp, she encountered compassion, selfless acts of kindness, and friendship. Written by the award-winning, best-selling author of His Name Was Ben, comes a story of the resilience of the human spirit that will leave you thinking about Helen Stein and The Seven Year Dress for years to come after the last page is shut. 

 

 

 

 

My Thoughts

What a riveting, emotional, captivating read. Paulette is one author that never disappoints. She has such a talent for taking fact and blending it with fiction in such a way that I have never seen done before. I was immediately captured by the characters she created, they way their stories were told and they way the events unfolded were emotionally devastating. Even though I knew what was to come I still could not stop myself from the emotional outpouring that happened with the characters fate. This book is an absolute must read. I cannot even express how much I believe that everyone should have to read this book it really helps open the eyes on so many terrible acts were hidden and shut out. Light should be shed, knowledge is power, and Paulette brings that power with this riveting novel.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in the review are my own. I did not receive compensation for this review.

To Live Out Loud by Paulette Mahurin

To Live Out Loud

Paulette Mahurin

 

Book Description

An innocent Jewish military officer, Alfred Dreyfus, was unjustly sentenced to life imprisonment on a desolate island. The news that could exonerate him was leaked to the press, but was suppressed by the military. Anyone who sought to reopen the Dreyfus court-martial became victimized and persecuted and was considered an enemy of the state.

 

Emile Zola, a popular journalist determined to bring the truth to light, undertook the challenge to publicly expose the facts surrounding the military cover-up. This is the story of Zola's battle to help Alfred Dreyfus reclaim his freedom and clear his name. Up against anti-Semitism, military resistance, and opposition from the Church in France, Zola committed his life to fighting for justice. But was it worth all the costs to him, to those around him, and to France?

My Thoughts

 

‘To Live Out Loud’ was such an intriguing read. I honestly did not know much about the Alfred Dreyfus case of treason, but I have loved everything Paulette has written and it sounded very interesting so I was happy to check it out.

The story was well written and was rather captivating. Not only did Paulette tell the story in a very intriguing way, but she also teaches the reader about a historical event that not everybody knows all the details of, I sure didn’t.

‘To Live Out Loud’ was a nice combination of fiction and fact to makes a great story. I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend Paulette’s work.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. I did not receive compensation for this review.

 

'His Name was Ben' Book Review

His Name was Ben

Paulette Mahurin

Publishing Date: September 21, 2014

 

 

 

Book Description

Hearing the words “it’s cancer,” threw Sara Phillips’ life into chaos, until an unexpected turn of events and a chance encounter with a stranger changed everything—his name was Ben. Based on real events, Ben and Sara discover that when all else fails, healing can come in the most unexpected ways. Chilling and heart wrenching, His Name Was Ben is a triumph over the devastating circumstances and fear experienced when faced with a terminal illness. In this narrative, the power of love conquers shadows and transforms the very nature and meaning of what it is to be fully alive. From the award winning, best-selling author of, The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap, comes a story filled with soul and passion that will leave the reader thinking about it for days after the last page is closed.

My Thoughts

“His Name was Ben” was such a beautiful story. I was really touched by the characters and their situation. It is a story of heartache, pain, and tragedy, but it also showcases the love, hope, and strength that such pain can bring out in a person. Not only did I believe this story was amazing and the characters so strong, but it was written brilliantly.

 I related to this story on a personal basis as well. My mother went through Cancer treatment in 2013 and the diagnosis was grim, reading ‘His Name was Ben’ brought back a lot of those feelings and experiences.  I think anyone with a big heart will love this story and I believe it can be a really big eye opener for many who don’t have very much personal experience with Cancer.

This story is full of love, hope, faith, and trust. It’s a heart wrenching story that is ultimately beautiful in its despair. The characters were relatable and believable, the writing was on point. The backgrounds of these characters made their story even more potent.

An amazing read and I recommend it to everyone; you might want to get yourself a box of tissues to go with it though.  J

 

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. I did not receive compensation for this review.

The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap Review

The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap

Paulette Mahurin

Publisher: Blue Palm Press

Publishing Date: March 23, 2012

ISBN: 9780977186617

Book Description:

A women's Brokeback Mountain. The year was filled with memorable historical events: the Dreyfus Affair divided France; Booker T. Washington gave his Atlanta address; the United States expanded the effects of the Monroe Doctrine in South America; and Oscar Wilde was tried and convicted for gross indecency under Britain's recently passed law that made sex between males a criminal offense. When news of Wilde's conviction went out over telegraphs worldwide, it threw a small Nevada town into chaos. This is the story of what happened when the lives of its citizens were impacted the Wilde news. It is a chronicle of hatred and prejudice with all its unintended and devastating consequences, and how love and friendship bring strength and healing.

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My Thoughts:

                This book is a historical bombshell. I loved the plot and the story line, and the ending I never seen coming. I totally expected something else to happen.  ‘The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap totally blew me away.’

                The writing in this book was great and the story captured me from the first page. I really couldn’t put it down. It was such an involved story that you just had to know what happened. I mean there was so much ignorance in that time it was interesting to read about two lesbians living in secret because of what was thought back then.

                The time and society that they lived in was a very strict and almost inhumane one. There was a very small amount of open minded people in that time. If you were caught doing things that society looked down upon there were dire consequences. I think we take for granted how far things have come in our society today. Granted people are still targeted unjustly but this story shows how severe it was back then. These two women lived in fear of their lives because of the love that they had for each other.

                This book was not my normal type of read but I was very captivated by this book, the characters really spoke to me and the plot really stuck out. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and would recommend it. The writing was amazing and I loved this book so much! Such a great job and I would read anything else from this author!

*I recieved this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I did not recieve compensation for this review.