Book Review: The Ruins in Which We Bleed by Steve N Lee

Author: Steve N Lee

Title: The Ruins in Which We Bleed

Series: World War II Historical Fiction #3

Genre: Historical Fiction

Format: ebook

Pages: 386

Published: June 12, 2025

Where I got It: My shelf (Given to me for my honest and unbiased opinion) 

Amazon US

Barnes & Noble

Summary: 

Inspired by a previously untold true story.

Following the Nazi invasion of Poland, 13-year-old Helena is imprisoned in the Warsaw ghetto, a squalid hellhole rife with disease and starvation. Yet, although the Nazis have destroyed her home, her life, and her future, they haven't destroyed the only thing that truly matters — her family. Helena might be just a child, but she's a fighter, and she'll do whatever it takes to help her loved ones.

Making sacrifices no child should ever have to make, seeing horrors no child should ever have to see, Helena bravely battles on as her world crumbles amid random killings, slave labor, and deportations. And through it all, her compassion helps to protect her family. But then the Nazis unleash new horrors.

With the ghetto a raging sea of flames, explosions, and gunfire, Helena runs for her life only to hurtle straight into an unimaginable hell from which there seems no escape. And the Nazis are closing in. Can her love for her family give her the strength to survive?

Review:

I read the last two book in this "series" from the author, so I HAD to say yes when asked to check this one out. 

The story follows Helena and her family who are Polish Jews. We get to see Helena and her family years previous at the beginning of their imprisonment in the Warsaw ghetto. We also get to see Helena years later as she tries to survive an unimaginable hell where she is trapped. Will her memories and love for her family keep her alive to see another day?

This and the other two of this "series" can be read as a standalone. 

Just like the other books, the author really knows how to pull at the heart strings. OOOOOOoooOOOOOooo the feels are strong with this one!

The pacing was a little slow but it was fitting. I'm so glad the author weaved in flashbacks to help keep the story moving. 

Poor Helena. Such a sweet girl in a dark and terrible world. 

Awww Sparkle, Helena's kitty, and that little rat!!! Adorable!!! They were a nice add to the story. I'm sure one could write an entire paper on the symbolism of Helena taking care of small creatures even though she is struggling to survive herself.

Like I mentioned earlier, the feels are strong with this one. So many tears! Some happy, but mostly sad tears. Make sure to keep a Kleenex on hand because you will need it. However, there is hope and something you can take out of Helena's story. Bravery is just not found on the battlefield. Small acts of rebellion can be brave! Also, just being kind can be a whole rebellion upon itself.

Now don't get me started on the ending! The ending was pretty inevitable but I had so much hope for everyone. Now, there is a ray of hope in the ending (no spoilers from me) so that helped ease the gloom a bit.

All-in-all, add this to the shelf of winners for this author. This story will wrap you up and you won't want to stop reading. I found myself staying up WAY too late to get to the last page because I HAD to know what was going to happen to Helena and everyone else. Prepare to weep, but also be prepared to be inspired. I 100% recommend this book. 5 stars for sure.   

Favorite Character(s): Helena and Sparkle

Least Favorite Character(s): All the Nazis of course. Evil, evil. 

 

Audiobook Review: The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

Author: Heather Morris
Narrator: Richard Armitage

Title: The Tattooist of Auschwitz

Series: The Tattooist of Auschwitz #1

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Pages: Audiobook
Published: January 11, 2018
Where I Got It: Audible

Summary: 

A tale based on interviews that were conducted with Holocaust survivor and Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov.

In April 1942, Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew, is forcibly transported to the concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau. When his captors discover that he speaks several languages, he is put to work as a Tätowierer (the German word for tattooist), tasked with permanently marking his fellow prisoners.

Imprisoned for over two and a half years, Lale witnesses horrific atrocities and barbarism—but also incredible acts of bravery and compassion. Risking his own life, he uses his privileged position to exchange jewels and money from murdered Jews for food to keep his fellow prisoners alive.

One day in July 1942, Lale, prisoner 32407, comforts a trembling young woman waiting in line to have the number 34902 tattooed onto her arm. Her name is Gita, and in that first encounter, Lale vows to somehow survive the camp and marry her.

Review: 

Been meaning to read this one for a bit. Now that it has been made into a show I wanted to read it first. 

This is a historical fiction based on a Lale Sokolov's interviews with the author. He was forcibly transported to Auschwitz-Birkenau and was found valuable since he could speak several languages. He is put to work as a tattooist and tasked to permanently mark his fellow prisoners. The horrors he seen would change his life forever. One day, he meets Gita and falls in love. He vows to survive and marry her. He also vows to help and keep alive as many of his fellow prisoners as possible. 

This, like so many other books set in the Holocaust, is extremely tragic and will pull at your heartstrings. I couldn't put this down. I had to keep going. I had to know who made it and who didn't. There was a tiny glimmer of hope and you just want everyone to live....but you know they all won't. And for some characters....we'll never know what happened to them. 

All the characters, even the bad guys and side characters, were so fleshed out and really brought to life. 

It was very interesting to see Lale in his role as a tattooist. He had special treatment and it was a conflicting role. He had to do what he had to survive and he tried to stay in the good graces of the Nazis while trying to help his fellow prisoners at the same time. He really did walk a tight rope of morality. 

Same with Gita on the other end. She was working as an admin (in a way) so she had that same tight rope to walk. 

I loved their love story. It seemed so impossible but I think it kept them alive. It brought a teeny light to all this darkness of the story. 

I'll make mention of the "controversy". There are some historical inaccuracies and some things major historians question. However, this was told by a man who was extremely old so we are relying on his memory. He might've big-fished some things or misremembered. Also, we literally don't know EVERYTHING single moment of everything and every day in the camps. We know a lot (*has flashbacks of my research paper I had to write*) because the Nazis loved a good paper-trail. However, there might be some things that were lost to time. It doesn't bug me that this isn't a piece of academic literacy. This isn't meant to be a source of history research. It's a story about a man and woman who survived a terrible, horrible thing. SO take this story with a grain of salt. 

The narrator. Awww. Love him. He literally takes a story and makes it glitter and shine. He's fantastic. In all honesty, I think I enjoyed this WAY more with listening to him narrate. I 100% recommend doing the audio. I'm sure reading is fine, but he just brought such life to the role. 

All-in-all, I really enjoyed this. I couldn't stop listening. I was absolutely hooked!!! Sure, there are some historical inaccuracies, but take it with a grain of salt. I was going to label this with 4 stars, BUT I think the narrator really added to the story. 5 stars from me. 

Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #3

Movie Review: Schindler's List (1993)

Length: 3 hr & 16 mins
Released: 1993
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Where I Got It: My shelf (Parents gave it to me) 

SUMMARY:
Based on a true story, Oskar Schindler, a German businessman in Poland who sees an opportunity to make money from the Nazis' rise to power. He starts a company to make cookware and utensils, using flattery and bribes to win military contracts, and brings in accountant and financier Itzhak Stern to help run the factory. By staffing his plant with Jews who've been herded into Krakow's ghetto by Nazi troops, Schindler has a dependable unpaid labor force. For Stern, a job in a war-related plant could mean survival for himself and the other Jews working for Schindler. However, in 1942, all of Krakow's Jews are assigned to the Plaszow Forced Labor Camp, overseen by Commandant Amon Goeth, an embittered alcoholic who occasionally shoots prisoners from his balcony. Schindler arranges to continue using Polish Jews in his plant, but, as he sees what is happening to his employees, he begins to develop a conscience. He realizes that his factory (now refitted to manufacture ammunition) is the only thing preventing his staff from being shipped to the death camps. Soon Schindler demands more workers and starts bribing Nazi leaders to keep Jews on his employee lists and out of the camps. By the time Germany falls to the allies, Schindler has lost his entire fortune -- and saved 1,100 people from likely death. 

TRAILER: 

REVIEW:

Such a good movie. I have watched this a handful of times and I've read the book twice. However, I gave it a re-watch with Boyfriend after the Holocaust Museum, because I was upset that Mr. Schindler was not on the list of saviors and good men. I think its because he did not save any one who settled in Michigan and I think the wall is for those that saved a person who would come to Michigan. That is my theory. It's the only thing that makes sense. 

Anyways.

I love, love, LOVE the black and white that they used. Once in a while a color would appear. Like the little girl with the red coat or the flame of the candle. It is simply beautiful. Like I told Boyfriend, this is a visual film more then an auditory film. There is not a whole bunch said. This only worked so well is because of the actors they got. All of them where fantastic. Especially Liam Neeson. He is fantastic of course. And he was younger in this film...a lovely, handsome man. 

Oh man...even after so many times of watching this, it still gets me. I still tear up and it makes me feel feelings. It has such a good message. Just one person can MAKE so much difference. Even a rich businessman who didn't at first mean to do something nice; after he seen what was going to happen to the innocent he decided to spend every last cent he had to save as many people as he could.

I loved the ending. It was a beautiful and gave the world hope. It was the perfect ending. 

The only negative about this film is the length (I felt there was some scenes they could have cut out, so I'm thinking about 2 hr and 30 min). Also, the beginning was very slow. However, it was needed to get to know Oskar. 

In the end, I loved this movie. One of the best films I think I've ever seen. It is for sure one of the best movies about the Holocaust. I highly recommend that anyone who has any interest in a human story. Out of five stars, I stamped this with 5 stars.

Re-watch?: Yes! 

Movie Review: The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas

Length: 1 hour & 46 minutes
Released: 2008
Genre: Drama
Rating: PG-13
Directed By: Mark Herman
Where I Got It: netflix 

SUMMARY:
"Mark Herman's adaptation of John Boyne's novel concerning the forbidden friendship that between an eight-year-old German boy and a Jewish concentration camp prisoner in World War II-era Germany. The innocent son of a high-ranking Nazi commandant, Bruno has been largely shielded from the harsh realities of the war. When Bruno discovers that his father has been promoted and that their family will be moving from Berlin into the countryside, he doesn't take the news well. Increasingly bored in his sprawling yet dreary country abode and forbidden by his mother from exploring the backyard, young Bruno searches for something to do while his older sister plays with dolls and vies for the attention of handsome Lieutenant Kotler." 

TRAILER:

CAST:
Bruno - Asa Butterfield
Shmuel - Jack Scanlon
Gretel - Amber Beattie
Bruno's Father - David Thewlis
Bruno's Mother - Vera Farmiga
Grandpa - Richard Johnson
Grandma - Sheila Hancock
Lieutant Kotler - Rupert Friend
Pavel - David Hayman
Herr Liszt - Jim Norton
Maria - Cara Horgan

REVIEW:
I've seen this many, many, many times. I simply adore this movie. It's such a beautiful tale of innocence, friendships, love, and tragedy. Yes, tragedy. It DOES deal with the Holocaust, after all. I really should read the book someday. Mhmmmm

The acting and script writing was wonderful. They picked a great cast. They picked a really good family...they look like a real family. Bruno looks like a spitting image of the "mom", while Gretel looks a lot like the "father". Which I think they did on purpose. "Father" is a Nazi and believes in the cause and the daughter takes after those thoughts and beliefs for a time. "Mom" at first is rather naive and innocent about what her husband does (meaning he runs the concentration camp a few blocks away), but then finds out and despises it and him, and then Bruno is similar. Granted he doesn't ever really understand what his father is doing. I loved Shmuel. Probably the cutest kid. Great kid to play the role, he did a wonderful job. I really wonder why none of the actors won an Oscar. Oh well.

I have nothing to complain about. I just wish they would have played around more with Gretel's development as well. Oh well...also I hated the ending. Mind you, it was a FANTASTIC ending. However, I cry EVERY TIME! I've watched this well over five times now and I still cry like a child. I did watch this with Boyfriend on our second movie date a while back, so I had to restrain myself immensely. I also watched it in my Humanities class and the buff, football playing tough guy next to me even teared up a wee bit.

Overall, this is one of my favorite movies. Top Twenty (I should make a list of my top twenty movies, so far).  It does have a rather sad ending, but it's just a great, great movie. If you like Drama or have any interest in History or just movie watching, you need to watch this. You will love it too. Out of five stars I grant this one 5 stars.

Would I Watch Again?:
Already seen it a million times! haha So...yes.

Favorite Character(s): Bruno's Mom, Bruno's Dad (just because I adore the actor) Bruno, Shmeul (cute kid), and Grandma
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Gretel. >.>

*CaroleRae*

Movie Review: Defiance

Length: 137 mins
Released: 2009 (USA)
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Rating: R-rated, violence and language
Directed By: Edward Zwick
Where I Got It: My shelf (Daddy gave it to me)





~*This was meant to be posted Saturday, but I forgot to set the automatic posting option...oh well.*~


Defiance is based off the true story of the four Bielski brothers and their Bielski partisans group. The Bielskis and their group were Jews that had survived the ghetto or had fled into the forest after many Nazi SS raids. As you can probably guess the movie is set in the early 1940s during WWII in Belarus (which is a little country in Europe, which is next to Poland and Russia). This movie is an adaptation of Nechama Tec's book 'Defiance'. Now that I know it's a book, I'll have to check it out in the future.

The movie starts off with some real clips of Hitler, the man who started the war, and real live Nazi SS raids on local villages. The movie begins in August of 1941. Among a few people who survived one of these raids were the Bielski brothers, who fled into the Bialowieza Forest vowing that they will get justice for the murder of their parents. As time goes on they stumble across more and more Jews that have survived and fled. They take these people and vow to protect them. The story follows this little community and their lives in the forest. There is much drama and tension in this community as winter approaches and food supplies is limited. However, everyday they survive is a an act of defiance.

I was surprised to find out that many well-known actors/actresses played in this film. I just thought the only "big" name was Daniel Craig. Shows what I know....a whole lot of nothing. Anyways, Daniel Craig (Casino Royale, Munich, Elizabeth) of course played the leading man as the eldest brother, Tuvia Bielski. Liev Schreiber (Scream movies, Hamlet, Kate & Leopold) played as the hotheaded second eldest brother, Zus Bielski. Jamie Bell (Jumper, Flags of our Fathers, Jane Eyre) as the adorably innocent but tough third eldest brother, Asael Bielski. George MacKay (Peter Pan, The Thief Lord) as the cute and innocent littlest brother, Aron Bielski. Mia Wasikoawska (Alice in Wonderland, Jane Eyre) also made an appearance as Asael's forest wife Chaya. There are many more!

I have one question: how come this movie didn't win an Oscar? Daniel Craig deserved an Oscar or something for this movie. Perhaps people had the same feeling I had before watching this movie: uncertainty. I was a little unsure if I would enjoy this movie. I don't know why, but it took me a while to actually sit down and watch this. In the end...I was hooked. I was wide-eyed throughout the film. Even though this story is extremely sad, I enjoyed every moment. I only cried when they showed real clips of the Nazi SS's cruelty. However, there were no more tears, because I knew these people were lucky. Everyday they lived was a defiance against those that would hurt the innocent.

The makers of this film did an AMAZING job! The acting was superb. The script was written well. The costumes were great. Also I loved the how they brought up the age-old question: Does one have to be a monster to defeat monsters? I just can't compliment this movie enough. Everything just flowed nicely together. Honestly, this movie, in my opinion, didn't receive enough recognition. Just like the Bielski brothers. Perhaps the makers didn't intend for this movie to win anything, because like the Bielski brothers they never sought out recognition for what they did. They just moved on with their lives.

However, the movie did "depart from the truth on several occasions" a good way a newspaper put it. From what I know of the Bielski brothers and their group (which isn't a lot) this statement is true. The makers did edit it quite a bit. The Bielski group acted as bandits towards the Polish locals. Which, I believe, they had no choice. They either starve and die or steal to live. They had hundreds to feed, so in some way they were justified. Also, these heroes were very, very flawed. The makers ignored some of these flaws, to make the characters more...likable, I guess. However, I would've preferred to see these heroes for what they really were: human. The movie glorified them and I wasn't too pleased with that. Also, they were historically inaccurate alot. For example, Asael was the second eldest and Zus was the third.

All-in-all I adored this movie. I believe the creators of this film did a great job. The actors did a fantastic job as well. If you haven't seen this film, you should check it out. Or you could read the book first, which I should have done. Oh well, it doesn't mean I won't read it. I will most defiantly read the book which inspired the movie! I'll also admit it, I fell in love with the name 'Aron'. So credos to the parents of these brothers! Out of five stars I grant this one 5 stars. Yayy! ^.^

Would I re-watch?: 
Sure, but only if I'm in the mood for a war movie. 

Favorite character(s): Zus and Aron (I liked pretty much every character, so it was hard to make a choice)
Not-so-Favorite character(s):   Viktor Panchenko (he seems nice, but turns out to be a butt)

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<3Carole Rae