Wedding Dress Sewing Circle

Jennifer Ryan's newest book The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is an enjoyable, satisfying read. Set in World War 2 England, the book centers specifically on three women who are tied together in numerous ways but most significantly through mending and making over a wedding dress. While initially quite different in personality and outlook, the three main characters all grow significantly during the six months time frame of the book. The war, and particularly the clothing rations, play into the story line by providing the context and backdrop for the story which focuses on the hardships of those at home. With an emphasis on a wedding dress, there is definitely some romance involved and some definite twists and turns.

Recommended for high school and up. A great, fun summer vacation read. This is my first book by this author and I look forward to reading her toher titles.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle from Random House Publishing--Ballantine Books via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Lily's Promise

Lily's Promise, a memoir by Holocuast survivor Lily Ebert and her great-grandson Dov Forman, is a chilling new addition to the field of Holocaust studies. Beginning with her childhood in Hungary before the war, Lily shares her story and that of her family. Until being herded into a cattle car, Lily's childhood was for the most part joyful and uneventful. That all changed when she along with her mother and younger siblings arrived at Auschwitz. With one flick of a hand, her mother and two siblings are sent one direction while Lily and two other sisters are sent another. Lily takes on the responsibility of keeping what remains of her family together, survival, and keeping their hidden jewelry.

While focused on her resilience as a Holocaust survivor, Lily's Promise does not stop upon the war's ending. Her story continues to demonstrate how her experiences in the Holocaust and her survivor mentality impacted her life from that point. Her story travels from war-torn Europe to Palestine and back to Europe. While not a psychological study, her memoir does provide a marvelous peak into the how Holocaust survivors coped with the trauma they had experienced and how it impacted their families going forward. Lily's Promise is a wonderful resource that earns a place next to Night, The Diary of Anne Frank, and others of this genre.

I received a complimentary copy from HarperOne via NetGalley. All viewpoints are my own and I am not required to provide a positive review.