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reviews_and_ramblings
And the Rainbow Award goes to:
1) Josef Jaeger by Jere' M. Fishback, Prizm Books "I really liked this book and how seamlessly the author wove historical facts into the story. He did an excellent job of capturing the time and place of Germany as the Nazi's rose to power. I'm wondering if it's meant to be part of a series." Josh Aterovis
Josef Jaeger turns thirteen when Adolf Hitler is appointed Germany's new Chancellor. When his mother dies, Josef is sent to Munich to live with his uncle, Ernst Roehm, the openly-homosexual chief of the Nazi brown shirts. Josef thinks he's found a father-figure in his uncle and a mentor in his uncle's lover, streetwise Rudy, and when Roehm's political connections land Josef a role in a propaganda movie, Josef's sure he's found the life he's always wanted. But while living in Berlin during the film's production, Josef falls in love with a Jewish boy, David, and Josef begins questioning his uncle's beliefs. Complications arise when an old friend of his mother's tells Josef that his mother was secretly murdered by the SS due to her political beliefs, possibly on Roehm's order. Josef confides in his Hitler Youth leader, Max Klieg. Klieg admits he knows a few things, but he won't share them with Josef till the boy proves himself worthy of a confidence. Conflicting beliefs war within Josef until he must decide where his true loyalties lie, and what he really believes in.
2) Holy Communion by Mykola Dementiuk, Synergy Press Holy Communion is a rite-of-passage novel that follows a seven-year-old boy's first communion preparations and celebration.Throughout the four-day peroid the boy deals with cruel nuns,sadistic babysitters,his mother's unfortunate accident,a drunken father,plus a pedophile or two, but finds a way to cope in the midst of so much tragedy-first by indifference,later by defiance and rebellion.He also discovers that his urban surrondings in New York City give him autonomy,comfort, and satisfaction.Holy Communion is full of the boy's dispair and self-questioning,along with the author Mykola Dementiuk's powerful insights into the human condition.
3) The Way You Say My Name by Sara Bell, P.D. Publishing Eighteen year old Dillon Carver made the biggest mistake of his life when he dumped Jamie Walker two years ago over Jamie's decision to come out of the closet. At the time, he was afraid Jamie's revelation would out him to the world - and his narrow-minded parents. Jamie Walker's heart was ripped to shreds when Dillon walked out on him. With help from his best friend Ben, Jamie was able to pick up the pieces and move on. He still hasn't tried his hand at love again, but for the most part Jamie has been able to put the pain behind him. Now things are different. Dillon wants Jamie back, and he'll do whatever it takes to make that happen. Only one thing stands in his way: Jamie's relationship with "bad boy" Ben Lewis. When Dillon begins an open campaign to win Jamie back, Jamie's life is once again thrown into chaos.
Honorable Mention:
4) True Blue by Connie Bailey, Dreamspinner Press
5) Dumb Jock by Jeff Erno
6) Without Sin by by J. Tomas, Prizm Books
7) Circle of Change by Laney Cairo, Torquere Books
8) The Nest by G.S. Wiley, Aspen Mountain Press
