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The Stolen Twins
Auschwitz, 1944: “You can’t leave me,” I whisper, my hand trembling as I reach for her cheek. “You can’t. We’re in this life together, always, just you and me.” This utterly heartbreaking yet beautifully hopeful World War Two page-turner tells the story of identical twin sisters in Auschwitz. Born minutes apart, Arina and Nora have never left each other’s side—until now…
The cattle car is dark, except for the light filtering through the boarded windows. There are too many of us to count, crushed up against each other. The air is stuffy, carrying the scent of our terror—none of us know what awaits us when this train stops. I cling onto Mama’s hand and Nora, my twin sister, clutches Papa’s.
After what feels like forever, the train stops. We spill out of the carriage, the sun blinding us after being imprisoned in darkness for so long. There are people everywhere, soldiers separating children from their parents, husbands from wives.
We’re in some sort of queue, and a man in a dark-green SS uniform walks by, glancing at everyone he passes. “Twins, twins,” he shouts. My heart falls into the pit of my stomach.
“Right here,” says Mama, hesitation in her voice. “My daughters are twins.” My eyes widen, and Nora trembles. Papa tries to tell Mama to be quiet, but it’s too late.
The Nazi catches sight of us. “Twins,” he says again, pausing to inspect Nora and me. “Yes, you are, aren’t you? You two are going to come along with me.”
This unforgettable World War Two page-turner, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Lucky Ones and The Midwife of Auschwitz, shows that, in the darkest of times, love can save your life…
The cattle car is dark, except for the light filtering through the boarded windows. There are too many of us to count, crushed up against each other. The air is stuffy, carrying the scent of our terror—none of us know what awaits us when this train stops. I cling onto Mama’s hand and Nora, my twin sister, clutches Papa’s.
After what feels like forever, the train stops. We spill out of the carriage, the sun blinding us after being imprisoned in darkness for so long. There are people everywhere, soldiers separating children from their parents, husbands from wives.
We’re in some sort of queue, and a man in a dark-green SS uniform walks by, glancing at everyone he passes. “Twins, twins,” he shouts. My heart falls into the pit of my stomach.
“Right here,” says Mama, hesitation in her voice. “My daughters are twins.” My eyes widen, and Nora trembles. Papa tries to tell Mama to be quiet, but it’s too late.
The Nazi catches sight of us. “Twins,” he says again, pausing to inspect Nora and me. “Yes, you are, aren’t you? You two are going to come along with me.”
This unforgettable World War Two page-turner, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Lucky Ones and The Midwife of Auschwitz, shows that, in the darkest of times, love can save your life…
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 14, 2023
About the author
Shari J. Ryan
64 books1,937 followersUSA Today and International Bestselling Author, Shari J Ryan, is known for her captivating World War Two Historical Fiction, Women’s Romance Fiction, and gripping Psychological Thriller novels. Each series and standalone contains a wide range of dark suspense and heartbreaking emotions.
Shari has a bachelor's degree in marketing from Johnson & Wales University and started her career as a graphic artist and freelance writer until 2012 when she discovered her passion for writing books. Since then, she has been captivating readers with her compelling storytelling and has written over thirty-five novels with translated publications in twelve languages.
Shari’s talent and dedication have earned her a place on the USA Today Bestseller List, as well as rankings in Amazon’s Top 100, Barnes & Noble’s Top Ten, and iBooks at number one. She has also received two Rone awards for her outstanding work.
Some of Shari’s bestselling books include: “The Stolen Twins,” The Bookseller of Dachau,” “The Doctor’s Daughter,” “The Girl with the Diary,” “Prison Child,” “The Soldier’s Letters,” and “The Lieutenant’s Girl.” These gripping novels are sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Shari, a lifelong Boston girl lives in a small town in the suburbs and has a loving marriage with her adored husband. Together, they have two incredible young sons who make make her feel like the luckiest woman in the world.
To learn more about Shari J. Ryan and her captivating books, visit her official website at sharijryan.com
Shari has a bachelor's degree in marketing from Johnson & Wales University and started her career as a graphic artist and freelance writer until 2012 when she discovered her passion for writing books. Since then, she has been captivating readers with her compelling storytelling and has written over thirty-five novels with translated publications in twelve languages.
Shari’s talent and dedication have earned her a place on the USA Today Bestseller List, as well as rankings in Amazon’s Top 100, Barnes & Noble’s Top Ten, and iBooks at number one. She has also received two Rone awards for her outstanding work.
Some of Shari’s bestselling books include: “The Stolen Twins,” The Bookseller of Dachau,” “The Doctor’s Daughter,” “The Girl with the Diary,” “Prison Child,” “The Soldier’s Letters,” and “The Lieutenant’s Girl.” These gripping novels are sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Shari, a lifelong Boston girl lives in a small town in the suburbs and has a loving marriage with her adored husband. Together, they have two incredible young sons who make make her feel like the luckiest woman in the world.
To learn more about Shari J. Ryan and her captivating books, visit her official website at sharijryan.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
September 30, 2024
Firstly, I would like to thank netgalley, Bookoutune, and the author Shari J Ryan for an early copy of her book.
This is a war story, The family mother father,and there twins girls send in Auschwitz ,The girls are separated and end up with Dr mengele who loves to experiment on twins as one of the twin has a stutter it tells the horrors of the camp..and after the camp in France and USA...found this book abit slow and read better books in this genre..
This book will be reviewed on Amazon and goodreads.
This is a war story, The family mother father,and there twins girls send in Auschwitz ,The girls are separated and end up with Dr mengele who loves to experiment on twins as one of the twin has a stutter it tells the horrors of the camp..and after the camp in France and USA...found this book abit slow and read better books in this genre..
This book will be reviewed on Amazon and goodreads.
February 11, 2023
When Nora and Adina Tabor accompanied their parents on the cramped train, it wasn't through choice. It was 1944 and after thinking they were safe, suddenly all the Jews from a small village in Poland were headed to Auschwitz, not knowing what their futures would be. On arrival, Dr Mengele (although they didn't know who he was at the time) called for any twins in the crowd to come forward. Nora and Adina had been born fifteen minutes apart, Adina the eldest. What was ahead of them would be two years of horror, neither knowing if the other was alive, nor if their parents were either.
On liberation, the Russians were kind and all survivors were put into the safe hands of the Red Cross. But the emaciated and wounded who made their way out of Auschwitz were both mentally and physically scarred. Would they find any of their loved ones alive? And even if they had survived, would they find one another again?
The Stolen Twins originally titled We Only Had Each Other (which I think suits it better) by Shari J. Ryan is another heartbreaking yet heartwarming, poignant and incredibly moving historical novel which thoroughly engrossed me from the very beginning. The horrors that Mengele butcher who called himself a doctor, performed on Jewish children - his experiments - were shattering. Both Nora and Adina were outstanding characters, strong and courageous in the face of adversity; Helena was another such person. I knew that Mengele performed experiments on twins, but I hadn't read a story about it until now. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
On liberation, the Russians were kind and all survivors were put into the safe hands of the Red Cross. But the emaciated and wounded who made their way out of Auschwitz were both mentally and physically scarred. Would they find any of their loved ones alive? And even if they had survived, would they find one another again?
The Stolen Twins originally titled We Only Had Each Other (which I think suits it better) by Shari J. Ryan is another heartbreaking yet heartwarming, poignant and incredibly moving historical novel which thoroughly engrossed me from the very beginning. The horrors that Mengele butcher who called himself a doctor, performed on Jewish children - his experiments - were shattering. Both Nora and Adina were outstanding characters, strong and courageous in the face of adversity; Helena was another such person. I knew that Mengele performed experiments on twins, but I hadn't read a story about it until now. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
January 14, 2023
“You can’t leave me. You can’t. We’re in this life together, always, just you and me.”
Just when I think Shari J. Ryan can’t possibly come up with another Holocaust-featured historical fiction plot, she does it again…and does it well. What keeps me coming back is that Ryan focuses on the glimmer of hope people had in the midst of such horror. When it looked like there were no options available for 17-year-old Hungarian twin sisters, Nora and Arina, their mother offered them up, hoping that it was enough foresight to keep them alive. What she couldn’t have known is what her daughters faced under the care of Dr. Mengele, the Angel of Death.
The emotion that’s packaged up here is phenomenal. First, there’s the whole horrible Auschwitz experience, then there’s the experiment experience and then the twins are separated. They may have only been separated by 15 minutes upon arrival into this world, but they are soon separated by miles and miles. How can they survive? The pull and push between the twins and their external forces are felt on every page and it’s brought front and center through each twin’s point of view.
Be prepared. Ryan will have you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. Have tissues handy.
We all have scars; some more visible than others. It would do us all well if we could remember this and approach each other with love and respect.
Ryan noted that she writes” to keep hatred and inequality from ever becoming normalized again.” This is the very reason I so often reach for Holocaust-centered historical fiction - to remind myself what a precious privilege it is to be alive right now and living free. With this realization comes responsibility. I like to keep reminding myself of it.
I was gifted this copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Just when I think Shari J. Ryan can’t possibly come up with another Holocaust-featured historical fiction plot, she does it again…and does it well. What keeps me coming back is that Ryan focuses on the glimmer of hope people had in the midst of such horror. When it looked like there were no options available for 17-year-old Hungarian twin sisters, Nora and Arina, their mother offered them up, hoping that it was enough foresight to keep them alive. What she couldn’t have known is what her daughters faced under the care of Dr. Mengele, the Angel of Death.
The emotion that’s packaged up here is phenomenal. First, there’s the whole horrible Auschwitz experience, then there’s the experiment experience and then the twins are separated. They may have only been separated by 15 minutes upon arrival into this world, but they are soon separated by miles and miles. How can they survive? The pull and push between the twins and their external forces are felt on every page and it’s brought front and center through each twin’s point of view.
Be prepared. Ryan will have you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. Have tissues handy.
We all have scars; some more visible than others. It would do us all well if we could remember this and approach each other with love and respect.
Ryan noted that she writes” to keep hatred and inequality from ever becoming normalized again.” This is the very reason I so often reach for Holocaust-centered historical fiction - to remind myself what a precious privilege it is to be alive right now and living free. With this realization comes responsibility. I like to keep reminding myself of it.
I was gifted this copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
February 1, 2023
VERY EMOTIONAL, BUT I COULDN'T CONNECT WITH THE WRITING
This was without a doubt an emotional rollercoaster. The story is raw, heartbreaking and hopeful. But I was constantly thrown off by the writing, which took me out of the emotions and into annoyance more than once.
👍 What I Liked 👍
Emotions: This book had me crying more than once. I cried from sadness and I cried from happiness. Arina and Nora's stories are so heartbreaking - everything they went through not just at Auschwitz but also afterwards; readjusting to life, coming to grips with the things they had gone through, the losses they had suffered, the lack of understanding from their surroundings. It cut straight to my heart.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Writing: What bothered me from the start was the writing. It was definitely not to my liking. It felt super highbrow. So many weird sentence constructions, that felt way too long and complicated to be gripping. It felt as if Ryan was striving for intellectual, sophisticated and flowery, but to me it came off as trying too hard and all together unrealistic. It just rubbed me the wrong way.
Dialogue: The dialogue also suffered massively from the highbrow writing. Honestly, most of the dialogue didn't feel real or plausible. Nobody - especially not teenagers speaking a foreign language - speak the way they are depicted as speaking in this book. It made it hard for me to connect with the characters. It just didn't sound like the way two teenage girls would talk - even if they had been forced to grow up way too quickly.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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This was without a doubt an emotional rollercoaster. The story is raw, heartbreaking and hopeful. But I was constantly thrown off by the writing, which took me out of the emotions and into annoyance more than once.
👍 What I Liked 👍
Emotions: This book had me crying more than once. I cried from sadness and I cried from happiness. Arina and Nora's stories are so heartbreaking - everything they went through not just at Auschwitz but also afterwards; readjusting to life, coming to grips with the things they had gone through, the losses they had suffered, the lack of understanding from their surroundings. It cut straight to my heart.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Writing: What bothered me from the start was the writing. It was definitely not to my liking. It felt super highbrow. So many weird sentence constructions, that felt way too long and complicated to be gripping. It felt as if Ryan was striving for intellectual, sophisticated and flowery, but to me it came off as trying too hard and all together unrealistic. It just rubbed me the wrong way.
Dialogue: The dialogue also suffered massively from the highbrow writing. Honestly, most of the dialogue didn't feel real or plausible. Nobody - especially not teenagers speaking a foreign language - speak the way they are depicted as speaking in this book. It made it hard for me to connect with the characters. It just didn't sound like the way two teenage girls would talk - even if they had been forced to grow up way too quickly.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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Blog Post: Which Book Should you read next based on your favourite Jane Austen Heroine
February 15, 2023
Nora and Arina, fifteen-year-old twins, were living a contented life in Hungary with their parents. All of their lives were turned upside down when the family was taken to Auschwitz in 1944. As soon as the train arrived to this terrible destination, Nora and Arina, as well as the other children, were separated from their parents. Soon they heard a German soldier shouting for twins. Their lives would never be the same again.
An SS doctor named Josef Mengele was performing experiments on Jewish children, especially those who were twins. This often heartbreaking story, told from both Nora and Arina‘s perspectives alternately, is shockingly based on a true story. These girls went through adversity that was utterly brutal at times. However, they were both strong girls, and this touching story turned into one of hope. The story shifts back-and-forth between one and the girls were fifteen and seventeen years of age. Together at the age of fifteen, this was not the case when they were seventeen. Nora’s case was especially difficult, as she was born with a stutter, and the brutal doctor performed a devastating experiment on her that left her worse off than imaginable.
Arina was able to get the United States, but what she wanted more than anything was to be reunited with Nora. Plagued with guilt over what happened with her sister, Nora experienced strong feelings of doubt, fear and anger. Meanwhile, Nora struggled in the worst way imaginable after the failed operation, but what kept her going was the hope of finding Arina once again.
Shari J. Ryan writes the most effective and compelling stories that are based on one of the darkest times in history. Reading the author’s note at the end of this incredible book will help readers understand her motivations in writing such incredible stories. Desperate for Nora and Arina to be reunited once again, as well as Ryan’s powerful storytelling, kept me turning page after page in this book that left me and complete awe. In fact, this emotional story was also one of survival, with sweet bits of romance threaded through the pages, leading to wonderful epilogues at the end. Thank you Ms. Ryan for providing another incredible story, one that will be with me for a long time to come.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/hcQ6PYHLQRA
An SS doctor named Josef Mengele was performing experiments on Jewish children, especially those who were twins. This often heartbreaking story, told from both Nora and Arina‘s perspectives alternately, is shockingly based on a true story. These girls went through adversity that was utterly brutal at times. However, they were both strong girls, and this touching story turned into one of hope. The story shifts back-and-forth between one and the girls were fifteen and seventeen years of age. Together at the age of fifteen, this was not the case when they were seventeen. Nora’s case was especially difficult, as she was born with a stutter, and the brutal doctor performed a devastating experiment on her that left her worse off than imaginable.
Arina was able to get the United States, but what she wanted more than anything was to be reunited with Nora. Plagued with guilt over what happened with her sister, Nora experienced strong feelings of doubt, fear and anger. Meanwhile, Nora struggled in the worst way imaginable after the failed operation, but what kept her going was the hope of finding Arina once again.
Shari J. Ryan writes the most effective and compelling stories that are based on one of the darkest times in history. Reading the author’s note at the end of this incredible book will help readers understand her motivations in writing such incredible stories. Desperate for Nora and Arina to be reunited once again, as well as Ryan’s powerful storytelling, kept me turning page after page in this book that left me and complete awe. In fact, this emotional story was also one of survival, with sweet bits of romance threaded through the pages, leading to wonderful epilogues at the end. Thank you Ms. Ryan for providing another incredible story, one that will be with me for a long time to come.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/hcQ6PYHLQRA
June 9, 2024
„Ieškok manęs – būsiu viltis, tyvuliuojanti balų atspindžiuose, žinutė, mirganti ant drugelių sparnų, potėpiai piešiniuose ir šviestuvo žara, krentanti ant tavo šedevrų."
Mirties angelu pramintas Mengelė, žiauriais eksperimentais su žmonėmis išgarsėjo visame pasaulyje, o ypač jį domino identiški dvyniai. Šis romanas yra būtent apie tokias dvynes seseris – Ariną ir Norą Tabor.
Vengrų kilmės Tabor šeima, kaip ir dauguma Vengrų žydų buvo išvežti į Aušvico koncentracijos stovyklą. Mergaičių išskirtinumas – tai kad jos buvo dvynės, tapo joms ir prakeiksmu, o kartu ir sėkme, jei taip galima pavadinti galimybę išgyventi Aušvice.
Seserų istorija pasakojama kiekvienos iš jų akimis. Tiek Arinai, tiek Norai, teko iškęsti tėvų netektį, medicinius eksperimentus ir nacių žiaurumą. O po to, kai sąjungininkai išlaisvino stovyklą, paauglės buvo išskirtos ir prasidėjo sudėtinga paieškų kelionė.
Pasakojime daug liūdesio, ilgesio ir skausmo. Labai sunku išgyventi nacių kankinimus, tačiau ne mažiau sunku gyventi toliau, kaip nacizmo aukoms ir kasdien susidurti su praeities traumomis. Tačiau knyga skaitėsi labai lengvai, ją pagyvino paaugliška romantika ir, žinoma, laiminga pabaiga. Juk kažkada visos kančios pasibaigia, o meilė užgydo giliausias žaizdas.
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Mirties angelu pramintas Mengelė, žiauriais eksperimentais su žmonėmis išgarsėjo visame pasaulyje, o ypač jį domino identiški dvyniai. Šis romanas yra būtent apie tokias dvynes seseris – Ariną ir Norą Tabor.
Vengrų kilmės Tabor šeima, kaip ir dauguma Vengrų žydų buvo išvežti į Aušvico koncentracijos stovyklą. Mergaičių išskirtinumas – tai kad jos buvo dvynės, tapo joms ir prakeiksmu, o kartu ir sėkme, jei taip galima pavadinti galimybę išgyventi Aušvice.
Seserų istorija pasakojama kiekvienos iš jų akimis. Tiek Arinai, tiek Norai, teko iškęsti tėvų netektį, medicinius eksperimentus ir nacių žiaurumą. O po to, kai sąjungininkai išlaisvino stovyklą, paauglės buvo išskirtos ir prasidėjo sudėtinga paieškų kelionė.
Pasakojime daug liūdesio, ilgesio ir skausmo. Labai sunku išgyventi nacių kankinimus, tačiau ne mažiau sunku gyventi toliau, kaip nacizmo aukoms ir kasdien susidurti su praeities traumomis. Tačiau knyga skaitėsi labai lengvai, ją pagyvino paaugliška romantika ir, žinoma, laiminga pabaiga. Juk kažkada visos kančios pasibaigia, o meilė užgydo giliausias žaizdas.
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February 14, 2023
A gripping WWII tale of love, loss and hope that you won’t be able to put down until you read the last sentence.
So many had heard the rumors, the arrival at Auschwitz wouldn’t end well. When the selections took place and a call went out for twins, many parents offered their twins up with the hope that it would save them. For Arina and Nora, their mother did just that. She couldn’t have known what was in store for the girls at the hands of the Angel of Death, Dr Mengele but she hoped her decision would keep them alive.
Set during the last months of WWII and the years immediately following, we follow Arina and Nora from the barracks where experiments were performed on twins to their lives post war. When an operation in an attempt to fix Nora’s stutter, the girls are separated. They didn’t know if the other was alive or not and were liberated with no knowledge of the whereabouts of the other. Arina would find her way to the United States and Nora would stay in Europe. Arina struggled with the guilt of being the stronger of the stronger of the two and the nightmares that came with the trauma she endured. Nora would struggle with the physical results of botched experiments. They never gave up hope that the other was alive.
I adore Shari Ryan and am so grateful she asked me to read this book prior to its release in February. It didn’t disappoint. She has a gift of humanizing the atrocities of WWII and it’s that empathetic touch that grip you from the moment you open the front cover.
Thank you Shari for sharing your talent with us. I LOVED it!
So many had heard the rumors, the arrival at Auschwitz wouldn’t end well. When the selections took place and a call went out for twins, many parents offered their twins up with the hope that it would save them. For Arina and Nora, their mother did just that. She couldn’t have known what was in store for the girls at the hands of the Angel of Death, Dr Mengele but she hoped her decision would keep them alive.
Set during the last months of WWII and the years immediately following, we follow Arina and Nora from the barracks where experiments were performed on twins to their lives post war. When an operation in an attempt to fix Nora’s stutter, the girls are separated. They didn’t know if the other was alive or not and were liberated with no knowledge of the whereabouts of the other. Arina would find her way to the United States and Nora would stay in Europe. Arina struggled with the guilt of being the stronger of the stronger of the two and the nightmares that came with the trauma she endured. Nora would struggle with the physical results of botched experiments. They never gave up hope that the other was alive.
I adore Shari Ryan and am so grateful she asked me to read this book prior to its release in February. It didn’t disappoint. She has a gift of humanizing the atrocities of WWII and it’s that empathetic touch that grip you from the moment you open the front cover.
Thank you Shari for sharing your talent with us. I LOVED it!
March 28, 2024
5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Argi ne aišku, kad galėdama ištrinti prisiminimus ir atsikratyti" O kas, jei? "klausimų, taip ir padaryčiau?
- Buvau vienas iš eksperimento su dvyniais bandomųjų triušių. Ten buvo toks gydytojas, pamišęs žmogus, pasiryžęs nagrinėti, tirti ir spręsti klausimus, susijusius su genetiniais apsigimimais. Hitlerio įsakymu buvo suimta tokia galybė žydų, kad jam netrūko, iš ko rinktis.Daktaras Mengelė ar Mirties angelas, kaip jį vadinome, - buvo liguistas žmogus, neįstengdavęs atsikratyti to, kas likdavo po nepavykusių bandymų.
Tai, ką turime šiandien, rytoj gali apvirsti aukštyn kojom. Per savo trumpą gyvenimą jau išmokome, kad tai - ne mūsų valioje.
Nenoriu būti įstrigusi šiame košmare. Jau verčiau mirsiu. Bijau. Nors esu viena iš pragarą ištvėrusių laimingųjų, geidžiu dar vienos likimo dovanos.
- Nežinau, kaip toliau gyventi... pasaulyje, kur visi mūsų prisiminimai aplaistyti krauju arba susiję su šeimos nariais, kurių galime daugiau niekados neišvysti.
Ieškok manęs lietaus lašeliuose, saulės žaroje, mėgstamos dainos žodžiuose ir pamatysi, kaip stebiu tave iš anapus. Privalau tęsti žygį, kol pasieksiu viršūnę į kurią man lemta įkopti. Nuo šiol su savimi nešuosi dalelę mamos.
Kol neišmokstam išklausyti visų istorijos pusių, sunku matyti bendrą vaizdą.
Kodėl per tokį trumpą gyvenimą mums teko šitiek kančių? Nors tokiu, kad privalo būti kokia nors priežastis, nesu tikra, jog kada nors suprasiu, kodėl mums skyrė tokius išbandymus. "
Geriausia sukrečianti knyga Aušvico tema, kurią teko perskaityti šįmet. Puikiai aprašyta apie dvi seseris - dvynes, labai jautri, skausminga ir širdį verianti istorija❤️
"Argi ne aišku, kad galėdama ištrinti prisiminimus ir atsikratyti" O kas, jei? "klausimų, taip ir padaryčiau?
- Buvau vienas iš eksperimento su dvyniais bandomųjų triušių. Ten buvo toks gydytojas, pamišęs žmogus, pasiryžęs nagrinėti, tirti ir spręsti klausimus, susijusius su genetiniais apsigimimais. Hitlerio įsakymu buvo suimta tokia galybė žydų, kad jam netrūko, iš ko rinktis.Daktaras Mengelė ar Mirties angelas, kaip jį vadinome, - buvo liguistas žmogus, neįstengdavęs atsikratyti to, kas likdavo po nepavykusių bandymų.
Tai, ką turime šiandien, rytoj gali apvirsti aukštyn kojom. Per savo trumpą gyvenimą jau išmokome, kad tai - ne mūsų valioje.
Nenoriu būti įstrigusi šiame košmare. Jau verčiau mirsiu. Bijau. Nors esu viena iš pragarą ištvėrusių laimingųjų, geidžiu dar vienos likimo dovanos.
- Nežinau, kaip toliau gyventi... pasaulyje, kur visi mūsų prisiminimai aplaistyti krauju arba susiję su šeimos nariais, kurių galime daugiau niekados neišvysti.
Ieškok manęs lietaus lašeliuose, saulės žaroje, mėgstamos dainos žodžiuose ir pamatysi, kaip stebiu tave iš anapus. Privalau tęsti žygį, kol pasieksiu viršūnę į kurią man lemta įkopti. Nuo šiol su savimi nešuosi dalelę mamos.
Kol neišmokstam išklausyti visų istorijos pusių, sunku matyti bendrą vaizdą.
Kodėl per tokį trumpą gyvenimą mums teko šitiek kančių? Nors tokiu, kad privalo būti kokia nors priežastis, nesu tikra, jog kada nors suprasiu, kodėl mums skyrė tokius išbandymus. "
Geriausia sukrečianti knyga Aušvico tema, kurią teko perskaityti šįmet. Puikiai aprašyta apie dvi seseris - dvynes, labai jautri, skausminga ir širdį verianti istorija❤️
February 11, 2024
Neitikino, nepajauciau seseru skausmo. Is aprasymo tikejaus zymiai daugiau suzinoti apie Mengeles eksperimentus, deja, beveik nieko neaprasyta. Labai sabloniskas happy endas, privertes daugely vietu vartyti akis.
September 20, 2024
Senai skaičiau knygą apie holokaustą. Pradžioj ši knyga labai mane kaustė. Masčiau mesti nes labai vengiu skaityti žiaurumų. Bet nesigavo mesti, skaičiau toliau. Žiaurumo būta didelio bet daug daugiau knygoje koncentruojamasi į meilę, gėrį, draugystę, ryšį ir atsidavimą.
Pabaiga gal kiek holivudinė bet... susiskaitė prasmingai.
Bandysiu manau perskaityti ir kitas dvi šios autorės knygas :) jei kas skaitėt jas, pasidalinkite įspūdžiais :)
Pabaiga gal kiek holivudinė bet... susiskaitė prasmingai.
Bandysiu manau perskaityti ir kitas dvi šios autorės knygas :) jei kas skaitėt jas, pasidalinkite įspūdžiais :)
February 14, 2023
Can I give a book more than 5 stars? Shari J Ryan always blows me away with her historical fiction stories. They are emotional and heartbreaking. Each one focusing on a different topic from those times. The Stolen Twins was a story filled with tears, heartbreak and survival.
Get those tissues ready because this story will leave you emotional throughout. I couldn’t put it down. Twins Nora and Arina are separated from their parents at Auschwitz and subject to the horrors of the camps and medical experiments. This story follows their journey from the camps, to surviving, and trying to navigate the world after.
These two young women define what it means to be strong and how to survive against all odds.
This story is powerful and emotional. It’s a must read by those who love historical fiction and those that want to open their minds and hearts. It’s a story about rebuilding and survival. A standing ovation to Shari for another winner!
Get those tissues ready because this story will leave you emotional throughout. I couldn’t put it down. Twins Nora and Arina are separated from their parents at Auschwitz and subject to the horrors of the camps and medical experiments. This story follows their journey from the camps, to surviving, and trying to navigate the world after.
These two young women define what it means to be strong and how to survive against all odds.
This story is powerful and emotional. It’s a must read by those who love historical fiction and those that want to open their minds and hearts. It’s a story about rebuilding and survival. A standing ovation to Shari for another winner!
February 16, 2024
Dar viena jautri knyga apie koncentracijos stovyklas.
Sukrečianti, labai įtaigi, jautri.
Patiko labai šią knygą perskaityti ir verčianti susimąstyti ką turime ir ko galime netektį. 👨👩👧👦❤️
Sukrečianti, labai įtaigi, jautri.
Patiko labai šią knygą perskaityti ir verčianti susimąstyti ką turime ir ko galime netektį. 👨👩👧👦❤️
July 5, 2023
I was lucky enough to receive an ebook copy of this book to read prior to it's release day on 14/02/2013 and what a book it was 🥺
"Look for me in the raindrops, in the glow from the sun, lyrics to a song you love and there you will find me on the other side watching over you...'
Following twins Arina and Nora what unfolds is a multi timeline, dual pov historical fiction novel taking the reader from Hungary to Auschwitz through France before landing in the USA.
This is a story about living through and learning to live again after being victim and witness to the worst possible trauma, a story about resilience, growth, strength, hope and above all love.
I'm not a romance novel reader but, if it's in a historical fiction book I can't get enough.
This book broke me in several places at several points, it is beautifully written, descriptive, main characters to fall in love with and I alway feel a huge amount of respect after I've read books of this genre and non fiction historical books also.
To even begin to imagine what those that suffered and survived during The Holocaust even with all books I've read is truly unimaginable.
Another amazing book by an amazing author and I already can't wait for what you write next.
"Look for me in the raindrops, in the glow from the sun, lyrics to a song you love and there you will find me on the other side watching over you...'
Following twins Arina and Nora what unfolds is a multi timeline, dual pov historical fiction novel taking the reader from Hungary to Auschwitz through France before landing in the USA.
This is a story about living through and learning to live again after being victim and witness to the worst possible trauma, a story about resilience, growth, strength, hope and above all love.
I'm not a romance novel reader but, if it's in a historical fiction book I can't get enough.
This book broke me in several places at several points, it is beautifully written, descriptive, main characters to fall in love with and I alway feel a huge amount of respect after I've read books of this genre and non fiction historical books also.
To even begin to imagine what those that suffered and survived during The Holocaust even with all books I've read is truly unimaginable.
Another amazing book by an amazing author and I already can't wait for what you write next.
December 19, 2022
This isn’t the first book that I‘ve read by this author. So, I was very glad when this one was released. I found that just like her first book Shari Ryan has a way of taking a horrible situation like the Holocaust and showing it through eyes that were a little bit more positive. What could have been a dark and depressing book was instead one filled with hope courage and a great deal of strength. It is a nice reminder that even when things are going horribly wrong there is always someone out there doing the right thing. This book was very sad but also very powerful at the same time. This book while a work of fiction was very similar to what actually happened when the Nazi’s were in power however it didn’t have all do the statistics in it to make it a complex read instead it was filled with a more emotional story instead of a clinical read, which was much more enjoyable. There was a little bit of back and forth in time frames in this novel which I normally dislike however the author was very clear on when they were happening, and it was able to give the reader much more insight on the characters and how they turned out like they did so I can’t imagine this book written any other way. This book is all about what happened when twins Nora and Arina are separated from their parents and left at the mercy of the SS officers and Dr. Josef Mengele. Since the book was written through both twins’ points of view it really let the reader connect emotionally with the characters which made parts of this book very hard to read. There was so much pain and sadness that it was almost overwhelming at points however that is exactly what made this book so spectacular. Great read and I’m so glad that I got the chance to check it out. If you enjoy reading about the Holocaust then this book should jump to the top of your list, if not for its powerful message of strength but its reminder of why this terrible occurrence should never be allowed to happen in the future.
January 12, 2023
"you can't leave me. We're in this life together, always."
-
wow..
this is the second book I've read by Shari and I'm just in love with her writting and with the way she brings the story to life. I've been extremely blessed that I got into contact with her and was able to read The Stolen Twins as an ARC. (also thank you to NetGalley). <3
-
The book is about these two amazing, beautiful and strong twins, Arina and Nora. The book follows dual POV and a multi timeline between Hungary (where they grew up), Auschwitz, France and the US (where they where sent to after the war, separated).
-
Arriving in Auschwitz they were separated from their parents and sent directly to Mengele aka the angel of death. As twins they had no chance to escape from his horrible experiments. Nora born with a stutter was the one who got the most experiments and medical exams. Mengele wanted to fix her stutter. Which is why Mengele attempted an operation on Nora's brain to fix her. Due to that, they were separated and Arina suddenly never saw her sister again.
-
Fast forward Nora ended up in France and Arina in the US. Both finding the love of their lives is what keeps them going. Not knowing if mama, papa or the twin sister is alive they both suffer with the everyday life after the war. Arina struggled with the guilt of not having to suffer with all the horrible things Mengele did to Nora. And Nora struggled with the physical results of all the horrible experiments.
-
Will they find their way back to each other? Will they ever reunite? Are mama and papa still alive?
You'll have to read to find out. <3
---
At first I was struggling a bit trying to keep up with all these different times and POV's and places but you get into it so fast and you can distinguish the dual POV and all the places easily as you read. it is such a heartbreaking story. I cried, I smiled. the emotions were definitely there. All I can say is; Shari you did it again. <3
-
wow..
this is the second book I've read by Shari and I'm just in love with her writting and with the way she brings the story to life. I've been extremely blessed that I got into contact with her and was able to read The Stolen Twins as an ARC. (also thank you to NetGalley). <3
-
The book is about these two amazing, beautiful and strong twins, Arina and Nora. The book follows dual POV and a multi timeline between Hungary (where they grew up), Auschwitz, France and the US (where they where sent to after the war, separated).
-
Arriving in Auschwitz they were separated from their parents and sent directly to Mengele aka the angel of death. As twins they had no chance to escape from his horrible experiments. Nora born with a stutter was the one who got the most experiments and medical exams. Mengele wanted to fix her stutter. Which is why Mengele attempted an operation on Nora's brain to fix her. Due to that, they were separated and Arina suddenly never saw her sister again.
-
Fast forward Nora ended up in France and Arina in the US. Both finding the love of their lives is what keeps them going. Not knowing if mama, papa or the twin sister is alive they both suffer with the everyday life after the war. Arina struggled with the guilt of not having to suffer with all the horrible things Mengele did to Nora. And Nora struggled with the physical results of all the horrible experiments.
-
Will they find their way back to each other? Will they ever reunite? Are mama and papa still alive?
You'll have to read to find out. <3
---
At first I was struggling a bit trying to keep up with all these different times and POV's and places but you get into it so fast and you can distinguish the dual POV and all the places easily as you read. it is such a heartbreaking story. I cried, I smiled. the emotions were definitely there. All I can say is; Shari you did it again. <3
January 16, 2023
Author, Shari Ryan, wrote another beautiful and powerful story. The Stolen Twins is based on a true story that took place during WWII. It grabbed me from the beginning and stayed with me after I finished the book!
'You can't leave me,' I whisper, my hands trembling as I reach for her cheek. 'You can't. We're in this life together, always, just you and me.'
Arina and Nora were Jewish identical twins that were taken away, with their parents, to board a cattle car... destination Auschwitz. At the station, an SS soldier is shouting, 'Twins, twins!" Arina and Nora are then separated from their parents to be deported with other twins. The story then follows them as many twins incurred horrible treatments from Dr. Mengele as he examined their likenesses and differences. Some even perished. Nora was born with a stutter and she endured much physical and psychological pain as Dr. Josef Mengele performed surgeries to try to correct her condition, which left her with more difficulties. The twins are separated during this time. Will both Arina and Nora survive after liberation? Do their parents survive?
So many innocent children suffered from horrific experiments conducted by Dr. Mengele for his research, and I can't even imagine having to experience any of this. You will feel the pain of their life-changing adversity.
It is such an emotional story of strength, love, endurance, bravery, and loss. I found myself cheering and crying for Nora and Arina and the emotions jumped off the page. The Stolen Twins will definitely be a best-seller for Shari Ryan.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
'You can't leave me,' I whisper, my hands trembling as I reach for her cheek. 'You can't. We're in this life together, always, just you and me.'
Arina and Nora were Jewish identical twins that were taken away, with their parents, to board a cattle car... destination Auschwitz. At the station, an SS soldier is shouting, 'Twins, twins!" Arina and Nora are then separated from their parents to be deported with other twins. The story then follows them as many twins incurred horrible treatments from Dr. Mengele as he examined their likenesses and differences. Some even perished. Nora was born with a stutter and she endured much physical and psychological pain as Dr. Josef Mengele performed surgeries to try to correct her condition, which left her with more difficulties. The twins are separated during this time. Will both Arina and Nora survive after liberation? Do their parents survive?
So many innocent children suffered from horrific experiments conducted by Dr. Mengele for his research, and I can't even imagine having to experience any of this. You will feel the pain of their life-changing adversity.
It is such an emotional story of strength, love, endurance, bravery, and loss. I found myself cheering and crying for Nora and Arina and the emotions jumped off the page. The Stolen Twins will definitely be a best-seller for Shari Ryan.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2024
4/5⭐️
Arina ir Nora - identiškos dvynės, iš išvaizdos visiškai vienodos, tik charakterio ir tam tikros įgimtos savybės skiria merginas. Jos turėjo mėgautis nerūpestinga ir laiminga vaikyste, tačiau jų vienintelis nusikaltimas - jų tikėjimas.
Žydaitės, o dar dvynės Holokauste buvo kažkas išskirtinio, ypač, kad tai buvo Mengelės siekiamybė - tirti dvynius. Pakliuvus į ,,Mirties angelo" nagus didžiausias iššūkis buvo nenumirti per anksti. Ariną ir Norą Aušvico košmarai ir potyriai lydėjo ne tik karo laikotarpiu, bet ir po jo. Nors ir išsivadavusios, deja jos ramybės taip greit neatrado, dar daug gyvenimiškų iššūkių teko patirti.
Pagal visas skaitytas knygas apie Aušvicą ir jame patirtus siaubus, šią knygą prilyginčiau ne prie tokių žiaurių. Taip, buvo šokiruojančių momentų, bet pats kūrinys nebuvo jomis persmelktas. Skaitėsi lengvai, gal sakyčiau net kiek per lengvai. Tačiau, kas ypač patiko, tai, kad šioje knygoje didesnis dėmesys skiriamas išgyvenusioms karo aukoms. Ką teko išgyventi po karo? Kokia iš vis gyvenimo prasmė, kai aplink atrodo viskas kas buvę mirė? Autorės idėja pasigilinti į išgyvenusiųjų būseną mane tikrai papirko ir knygai suteikė išskirtinumo.
Arina ir Nora - identiškos dvynės, iš išvaizdos visiškai vienodos, tik charakterio ir tam tikros įgimtos savybės skiria merginas. Jos turėjo mėgautis nerūpestinga ir laiminga vaikyste, tačiau jų vienintelis nusikaltimas - jų tikėjimas.
Žydaitės, o dar dvynės Holokauste buvo kažkas išskirtinio, ypač, kad tai buvo Mengelės siekiamybė - tirti dvynius. Pakliuvus į ,,Mirties angelo" nagus didžiausias iššūkis buvo nenumirti per anksti. Ariną ir Norą Aušvico košmarai ir potyriai lydėjo ne tik karo laikotarpiu, bet ir po jo. Nors ir išsivadavusios, deja jos ramybės taip greit neatrado, dar daug gyvenimiškų iššūkių teko patirti.
Pagal visas skaitytas knygas apie Aušvicą ir jame patirtus siaubus, šią knygą prilyginčiau ne prie tokių žiaurių. Taip, buvo šokiruojančių momentų, bet pats kūrinys nebuvo jomis persmelktas. Skaitėsi lengvai, gal sakyčiau net kiek per lengvai. Tačiau, kas ypač patiko, tai, kad šioje knygoje didesnis dėmesys skiriamas išgyvenusioms karo aukoms. Ką teko išgyventi po karo? Kokia iš vis gyvenimo prasmė, kai aplink atrodo viskas kas buvę mirė? Autorės idėja pasigilinti į išgyvenusiųjų būseną mane tikrai papirko ir knygai suteikė išskirtinumo.
April 8, 2023
Loved it
This story will have you experience every emotion possible. Keep the box of Kleenex close by. The story is told with the povs by identical twin sisters and goes back and forth between two timelines. Ultimately it comes together for a terrific ending. The author writes with heart and passion and shows that even in the worst of times there are rays of hope.
This story will have you experience every emotion possible. Keep the box of Kleenex close by. The story is told with the povs by identical twin sisters and goes back and forth between two timelines. Ultimately it comes together for a terrific ending. The author writes with heart and passion and shows that even in the worst of times there are rays of hope.
January 14, 2023
“Survival”
This is the story of twins, Nora and Arina. What they had to go through was horrific and heartbreaking. As with most historical fiction from this time period The Stolen Twins was not an easy read for me.
The authors descriptions are heart wrenching and, yet, we know this all happened.
So much love, strength, loss and courage is felt throughout the story.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is the story of twins, Nora and Arina. What they had to go through was horrific and heartbreaking. As with most historical fiction from this time period The Stolen Twins was not an easy read for me.
The authors descriptions are heart wrenching and, yet, we know this all happened.
So much love, strength, loss and courage is felt throughout the story.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 15, 2023
Whew! I don't know where to begin. This book kept me up to the wee hours of the morning. I cried and cried, and I rejoiced over parts of this book. I refuse to destroy this book, for the new readers are just now starting this book
Shari has a way of pulling you into a story starting at page one. This one was a doozy as most of hers are.
Shari has a way of pulling you into a story starting at page one. This one was a doozy as most of hers are.
January 7, 2023
Not only did this book remind me why I love historical fiction but I also found an amazing new to me author. Shari doesn’t shy aware from the tough subject matter this story has. It’s so important we remember. Reading this book, in a small way, I feel like I was able to bare witness to those whose stories were never able to be told and to the thousands of lives lost. Shari had my heart all over the place and feeling so protective of the girls. I was also heartbroken, devastated, worried then ultimately uplifted, inspired and thankful to have taken the journey Shari takes us readers on in this book. Highly recommend!
February 14, 2023
Breathe….. wow I haven’t read a book like this since Mischling. The Stolen Twins by Shari J. Ryan is a book, based on a true story. that will rip your heart apart and then put it back together. Reading about children during the Holocaust is one of the most difficult topics for me to date and then add to that, that the children are twins being experimented on by one of the biggest monsters of our time, Joseph Mengele.
“Why isolate people? We’re all people, just people. I can ask myself this question a thousand times a day, but we all know the answer. It’s because we aren’t people of Hitler’s master race. We are Hungarian Jews, not Aryans.”
“There’s no way to control the pain from slipping in and out of our lives, but we must find a way to protect our hearts.”
Arina and Nora’s spirit, and determination are awe inspiring. Elek might be my new favorite human on the planet along with Helena and Dale. These three compassionate people brought an incredible amount of love and hope to Arina and Nora making their lives worth living.
The entire time there is nothing you will want more than a happy ending for Arina and Nora, but will they get it?
This book captivated me from the very first word to the very last. Though it is an extremely difficult read it is a must so that we never forget this horrific time. You must have Kleenex at hand through the entire book.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Shari J. Ryan for continuing to write books about the Holocaust. It is so important. This is the first book of yours I have read but it won’t be my last. This book will be ready to read February 14, 2023.
Merged review:
Breathe….. wow I haven’t read a book like this since Mischling. The Stolen Twins by Shari J. Ryan is a book, based on a true story. that will rip your heart apart and then put it back together. Reading about children during the Holocaust is one of the most difficult topics for me to date and then add to that, that the children are twins being experimented on by one of the biggest monsters of our time, Joseph Mengele.
“Why isolate people? We’re all people, just people. I can ask myself this question a thousand times a day, but we all know the answer. It’s because we aren’t people of Hitler’s master race. We are Hungarian Jews, not Aryans.”
“There’s no way to control the pain from slipping in and out of our lives, but we must find a way to protect our hearts.”
Arina and Nora’s spirit, and determination are awe inspiring. Elek might be my new favorite human on the planet along with Helena and Dale. These three compassionate people brought an incredible amount of love and hope to Arina and Nora making their lives worth living.
The entire time there is nothing you will want more than a happy ending for Arina and Nora, but will they get it?
This book captivated me from the very first word to the very last. Though it is an extremely difficult read it is a must so that we never forget this horrific time. You must have Kleenex at hand through the entire book.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Shari J. Ryan for continuing to write books about the Holocaust. It is so important. This is the first book of yours I have read but it won’t be my last. This book will be ready to read February 14, 2023.
“Why isolate people? We’re all people, just people. I can ask myself this question a thousand times a day, but we all know the answer. It’s because we aren’t people of Hitler’s master race. We are Hungarian Jews, not Aryans.”
“There’s no way to control the pain from slipping in and out of our lives, but we must find a way to protect our hearts.”
Arina and Nora’s spirit, and determination are awe inspiring. Elek might be my new favorite human on the planet along with Helena and Dale. These three compassionate people brought an incredible amount of love and hope to Arina and Nora making their lives worth living.
The entire time there is nothing you will want more than a happy ending for Arina and Nora, but will they get it?
This book captivated me from the very first word to the very last. Though it is an extremely difficult read it is a must so that we never forget this horrific time. You must have Kleenex at hand through the entire book.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Shari J. Ryan for continuing to write books about the Holocaust. It is so important. This is the first book of yours I have read but it won’t be my last. This book will be ready to read February 14, 2023.
Merged review:
Breathe….. wow I haven’t read a book like this since Mischling. The Stolen Twins by Shari J. Ryan is a book, based on a true story. that will rip your heart apart and then put it back together. Reading about children during the Holocaust is one of the most difficult topics for me to date and then add to that, that the children are twins being experimented on by one of the biggest monsters of our time, Joseph Mengele.
“Why isolate people? We’re all people, just people. I can ask myself this question a thousand times a day, but we all know the answer. It’s because we aren’t people of Hitler’s master race. We are Hungarian Jews, not Aryans.”
“There’s no way to control the pain from slipping in and out of our lives, but we must find a way to protect our hearts.”
Arina and Nora’s spirit, and determination are awe inspiring. Elek might be my new favorite human on the planet along with Helena and Dale. These three compassionate people brought an incredible amount of love and hope to Arina and Nora making their lives worth living.
The entire time there is nothing you will want more than a happy ending for Arina and Nora, but will they get it?
This book captivated me from the very first word to the very last. Though it is an extremely difficult read it is a must so that we never forget this horrific time. You must have Kleenex at hand through the entire book.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Shari J. Ryan for continuing to write books about the Holocaust. It is so important. This is the first book of yours I have read but it won’t be my last. This book will be ready to read February 14, 2023.
February 14, 2023
Grab the tissues before you start reading. You are going to need them and you aren't going to want to stop reading to go get them. There is a lump in my throat just thinking about The Stolen Twins. I can't believe how much I learned from reading the book and then looking for more information. I want my money back for my minor in history at University. The professors failed me. The teachers failed me.
We need to stop glossing over the atrocities of World War 2 and what happened in the Nazi Death Camps. Shari J. Ryan has brought a human touch to the realities if war. She has inspired me to speak out and remind people that we should never forget. We can't forget. The victims deserve to be remembered and so much more.
Nora and Arina are twins. They are just what Dr Mengele is looking so he can continue what he refers to as research on twins. The story lets the reader know that there were many, many sets of twins that were experimented. The cruelty was beyond severe. However, We Only Had Each Other is an in-depth story of Nora and Arina's time in the Auschwitz concentration camp. The author uses the characters as a way to illustrate the suffering. I am ashamed to admit how clueless I was over many of the details before reading this story.
The author does a fantastic job of illustrating the struggles for survival for the girls under the care of Dr. Mengele. The reader is shown how a brave Kapo (prison worker) made all the difference. The reader is given a glimpse into the horrors perpetrated by the doctor.
The twins' struggles aren't over when the camp is liberated. Nora has been hiding. Her sister doesn't know if she is alive or dead. Nora is sent to France while Arina is sent to America. Their struggles are not over, they have changed. They are both in foreign lands. They both have issues with Nora's being severe. Their lives are forever changed.
With the help of others they prove the Nazis wrong. The Jewish people are the stronger people. Nora and Arina are determined to thrive and succeed. Get ready to cheer them on. The characters are an inspiration to others and the ending is exactly what they deserved.
So excited when my copy showed up on my e-reader. I couldn't resist re-read.
We need to stop glossing over the atrocities of World War 2 and what happened in the Nazi Death Camps. Shari J. Ryan has brought a human touch to the realities if war. She has inspired me to speak out and remind people that we should never forget. We can't forget. The victims deserve to be remembered and so much more.
Nora and Arina are twins. They are just what Dr Mengele is looking so he can continue what he refers to as research on twins. The story lets the reader know that there were many, many sets of twins that were experimented. The cruelty was beyond severe. However, We Only Had Each Other is an in-depth story of Nora and Arina's time in the Auschwitz concentration camp. The author uses the characters as a way to illustrate the suffering. I am ashamed to admit how clueless I was over many of the details before reading this story.
The author does a fantastic job of illustrating the struggles for survival for the girls under the care of Dr. Mengele. The reader is shown how a brave Kapo (prison worker) made all the difference. The reader is given a glimpse into the horrors perpetrated by the doctor.
The twins' struggles aren't over when the camp is liberated. Nora has been hiding. Her sister doesn't know if she is alive or dead. Nora is sent to France while Arina is sent to America. Their struggles are not over, they have changed. They are both in foreign lands. They both have issues with Nora's being severe. Their lives are forever changed.
With the help of others they prove the Nazis wrong. The Jewish people are the stronger people. Nora and Arina are determined to thrive and succeed. Get ready to cheer them on. The characters are an inspiration to others and the ending is exactly what they deserved.
So excited when my copy showed up on my e-reader. I couldn't resist re-read.
December 27, 2022
We Only Have Each Other by Shari J. Ryan
“Auschwitz, 1944: “You can’t leave me,” I whisper, my hand trembling as I reach for her cheek. “You can’t. We’re in this life together, always, just you and me.” This utterly heartbreaking yet beautifully hopeful World War Two page-turner tells the story of identical twin sisters in Auschwitz. Born minutes apart, Arina and Nora have never left each other’s side—until now…”
I recently finished We Only Had Each Other and this haunting story, like others Shari J. Ryan has written, is one I will remember for a long time. This novel could have been depressing and dark. And yes, some parts are depressing and dark. But the story of Arina and Nora is really a mixture of tough challenges, joyous moments, laughter and their strong, surviving connection to each other.
Arina and Nora were raised by parents who loved and cherished them for their individuality. Their parents, like so many Jews living under Nazi control, had a hard time accepting their probable fate. When they boarded the packed train that would take them to Auschwitz what would happen to their daughters remained paramount in their minds,
Writing this review took me a few days as I had to let the depth and intensity of this story settle. I have read many historical fiction novels based on true experiences during the Holocaust but stayed away from any that dealt with the horrors inflicted on innocent children by Josef Mengele, also known as the Angel of Death. Until now. As hard as it was to read what this monster did to the children he selected for his “experiments” Ryan’s focus remained on Arina and Nora’s reactions, as well as their combined strengths to overcome unbelievable odds and untenable situations.
I wish I had the words to adequately describe how much We Only Have Each Other touched my heart. I cried through so much of this story, feeling Arina and Nora's pain, and their eventual joy, as if it was my own. Shari Ryan is a magnificent writer whose intensive research into her subject matter is borne out in the novels she writes about the Holocaust. Nothing is sugar-coated. Her writing style honors the human ability to defeat what seem like insurmountable odds with tenderness, strength and positivity.
The rise in anti-semitism around the world and especially in America is frightening. I am horrified when I hear people say things like "Hitler was right” and “Jews will not replace us”. It is my belief that books like this one will educate the reader to the horrors of the Holocaust and, hopefully, help stem increased anti-semitism and anti-immigrant beliefs in America.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of We Only Had Each Other.
“Auschwitz, 1944: “You can’t leave me,” I whisper, my hand trembling as I reach for her cheek. “You can’t. We’re in this life together, always, just you and me.” This utterly heartbreaking yet beautifully hopeful World War Two page-turner tells the story of identical twin sisters in Auschwitz. Born minutes apart, Arina and Nora have never left each other’s side—until now…”
I recently finished We Only Had Each Other and this haunting story, like others Shari J. Ryan has written, is one I will remember for a long time. This novel could have been depressing and dark. And yes, some parts are depressing and dark. But the story of Arina and Nora is really a mixture of tough challenges, joyous moments, laughter and their strong, surviving connection to each other.
Arina and Nora were raised by parents who loved and cherished them for their individuality. Their parents, like so many Jews living under Nazi control, had a hard time accepting their probable fate. When they boarded the packed train that would take them to Auschwitz what would happen to their daughters remained paramount in their minds,
Writing this review took me a few days as I had to let the depth and intensity of this story settle. I have read many historical fiction novels based on true experiences during the Holocaust but stayed away from any that dealt with the horrors inflicted on innocent children by Josef Mengele, also known as the Angel of Death. Until now. As hard as it was to read what this monster did to the children he selected for his “experiments” Ryan’s focus remained on Arina and Nora’s reactions, as well as their combined strengths to overcome unbelievable odds and untenable situations.
I wish I had the words to adequately describe how much We Only Have Each Other touched my heart. I cried through so much of this story, feeling Arina and Nora's pain, and their eventual joy, as if it was my own. Shari Ryan is a magnificent writer whose intensive research into her subject matter is borne out in the novels she writes about the Holocaust. Nothing is sugar-coated. Her writing style honors the human ability to defeat what seem like insurmountable odds with tenderness, strength and positivity.
The rise in anti-semitism around the world and especially in America is frightening. I am horrified when I hear people say things like "Hitler was right” and “Jews will not replace us”. It is my belief that books like this one will educate the reader to the horrors of the Holocaust and, hopefully, help stem increased anti-semitism and anti-immigrant beliefs in America.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of We Only Had Each Other.
February 18, 2023
Thank you so much to Bookouturefor the ARC. We only had each other was a fabulous novel filled with so many emotions. The duel timelines came together perfectly and even worked well coming from both sisters perspectives. I could not imagine going through what both girls went through. the author was descriptive without dragging things out or being to filling. I felt like I could picture everything as it was happening. She covered heavy topics without leaving the novel to sad. The ending was exactly as I hoped, even though I was worried we wouldn’t get where we did in the end.
Merged review:
Thank you so much to Bookouture for the ARC. We only had each other was a fabulous novel filled with so many emotions. The duel timelines came together perfectly and even worked well coming from both sisters perspectives. I could not imagine going through what both girls went through. the author was descriptive without dragging things out or being to filling. I felt like I could picture everything as it was happening. She covered heavy topics without leaving the novel to sad. The ending was exactly as I hoped, even though I was worried we wouldn’t get where we did in the end.
Merged review:
Thank you so much to Bookouture for the ARC. We only had each other was a fabulous novel filled with so many emotions. The duel timelines came together perfectly and even worked well coming from both sisters perspectives. I could not imagine going through what both girls went through. the author was descriptive without dragging things out or being to filling. I felt like I could picture everything as it was happening. She covered heavy topics without leaving the novel to sad. The ending was exactly as I hoped, even though I was worried we wouldn’t get where we did in the end.
February 14, 2023
The Stolen Twins by Shari J.Ryan had a name change after I read this heart breaking and incredibly moving story. Previously, it was titled We Only Had Each Other which I do think suits it better but despite the name change for whatever reason this occurred, I still found this to be a book full of raw emotion, loss, horror and incredible courage in the face of the utmost wrongs enforced upon the innocent. The story is centred around twins Arina and Nora who live in Hungary and how their lives were torn apart by the war. The chapters alternate between each twin and within each chapter the story moves back and forth between the past and the present. Admittedly, I found this swapping between timelines within a chapter instead of separate chapters quite disconcerting and frankly confusing at first and therefore it took me some time to get into the rhythm of the story. But when I did I became fully engrossed in the plight of two sisters with a deep bond who were separated through the actions of the cruel Dr. Josef Mengele, otherwise known as the Angel of Death.
The story opens in May 1946 as Arina is on board a ship going to America. For more than a year she had been nothing but a number and a statistic but now she is an orphan, not knowing the whereabouts or final outcome of her twin and parents. Arina has been through many horrors and as she is still a minor with several months to go before she turns 18 she is sent to an orphanage in Chicago. From the outset the reader can see that both guilt and anger eat away at Arina. Guilt that she didn’t do enough to stay with her twin and that she has to remain in a world without the person she loved the most. She questions what gives one person the right to life over another? I thought this quote from Arina summed up perfectly what many people decades later still think. ‘I’m still left wondering how an army of people can wake up one day and decide to hate everyone who doesn’t mirror their blonde hair and blue-eyed genetic profile. There are cruel human beings who won’t accept anyone different from themselves’. She is consumed by anger that the entire process and the devastation and abject barbarism occurred in the first place resulting in the loss of her family. The twins may have had different opinions and personalities but no one can deny the bond they shared deep down that one man was determined to break.
Arina had had a happy childhood with her twin sister Nora and parents Danica and Henrik living in the town of Debrecen in Hunagry but being Jewish now the Germans have invaded their lives are under threat. Innocently, they say ’We have no choice but to be brave and believe everything will be ok’. But when the Nazi’s take all Jews from their homes and send them to ghettos and work camps they know things have taken a serious turn and there probably will be no way back to their normal reality. Following time in a ghetto, they are shipped to Auschwitz and separated from their parents.
Nora and Arina are selected by Mengele and taken to a separate scientific laboratory. Measurements are taken and experiments begin. A nightmare which will always be unforgettable for all the wrong reasons. I still can’t comprehend how a doctor was allowed to study and dissect humans for his own personal gain and to solve his questions regarding genetic anomalies. These were innocent people the twins story just being a drop in the ocean as to the hundreds of pure and honest people whose lives were eradicated. They were nothing only lab rats and playthings for the amusement of others and because of Nora’s imperfection she paid the ultimate price of bring mutilated and savaged. Arina hides her real emotions deep down and puts on a front of sorts to those who try to help her. Initially she refuses to engage in the therapy sessions that were organised for her. Miss.Blum tries to get her to open up which eventually she does in short outbursts of rage and the story that unfolds is one of bestiality and bloodthirstiness filled with unlawful inhumane practices.
I appreciated how the author did not spare any ghastly details which in turn conjured up the most heinous of images in my head whilst reading. They weren’t added for shock value or to add dramatics to the story. Instead, they needed to be there to make the reader conscious of the experiments carried out by Mengele if they had not been so before. At some points I simply couldn’t fathom what I was reading and how things were carried out with such a blasé attitude with no regard for the final outcome or due care given to those experimented on. This was certainly an eye opener of a read for me in more ways than one.
Loneliness is a theme that features heavily throughout the book and perhaps for Arina this is the strongest emotion she feels. Loneliness isn’t a curable disease. It’s a life sentence’. Dale who is in his late teens and works doing odd jobs at the orphanage feels a connection to Arina and tries to alleviate some of this but as the questions remain in her mind and erode away at her she can’t fully connect with him or try and look forward to a future when she is old enough to leave the orphanage. She needs solid answers but will she ever get them?
I thought it was brilliant how we also got Nora’s side of the story and at the same time we knew how Arina felt in relation to what occurred at the camp and in the weeks and months that followed liberation. The guilt and self-blame become a huge burden for her and to be honest I could really see why she held that viewpoint and in a way maybe she had to endure these emotions for a long time in order to even to begin to process what she had been through. As for Nora, due to her having a stutter, is the twin whom even more cruel and deprived experiments are carried out upon leaving her incapacitated. I felt Nora removed herself from what was going on. Not physically but almost spiritually that she was like a spirit floating above her body seeing what was happening but not fully realising it was her. She isn’t filled with rage and anger as Arina is but I think Arina is so gung ho like this because she wished it had happened to her instead of she being the one separated and left alone without more detailed inflictions. Nora is the character you really feel the utmost sympathy for although sympathy is really too light of a word for the emotions she stirs within you. I won’t say too much more regarding Nora as her story is inspiring and you should read this heart wrenching yet important book for yourself.
Once I got used to the back and forth within the chapters I found the book to be well paced and very well plotted. I particularly liked the last quarter of the book which could have descended into things becoming too far fetched and just too coincidental but in my mind they didn’t. I was eager to see how things would unfold as you find yourself shouting at the pages and characters for certain things to happen that you are desperate to occur. I liked how we got a good solid ending with a few twists and turns. No doubt about it The Stolen Twins, was an eye opening read and certainly a worthy addition to the World War Two historical fiction genre.
The story opens in May 1946 as Arina is on board a ship going to America. For more than a year she had been nothing but a number and a statistic but now she is an orphan, not knowing the whereabouts or final outcome of her twin and parents. Arina has been through many horrors and as she is still a minor with several months to go before she turns 18 she is sent to an orphanage in Chicago. From the outset the reader can see that both guilt and anger eat away at Arina. Guilt that she didn’t do enough to stay with her twin and that she has to remain in a world without the person she loved the most. She questions what gives one person the right to life over another? I thought this quote from Arina summed up perfectly what many people decades later still think. ‘I’m still left wondering how an army of people can wake up one day and decide to hate everyone who doesn’t mirror their blonde hair and blue-eyed genetic profile. There are cruel human beings who won’t accept anyone different from themselves’. She is consumed by anger that the entire process and the devastation and abject barbarism occurred in the first place resulting in the loss of her family. The twins may have had different opinions and personalities but no one can deny the bond they shared deep down that one man was determined to break.
Arina had had a happy childhood with her twin sister Nora and parents Danica and Henrik living in the town of Debrecen in Hunagry but being Jewish now the Germans have invaded their lives are under threat. Innocently, they say ’We have no choice but to be brave and believe everything will be ok’. But when the Nazi’s take all Jews from their homes and send them to ghettos and work camps they know things have taken a serious turn and there probably will be no way back to their normal reality. Following time in a ghetto, they are shipped to Auschwitz and separated from their parents.
Nora and Arina are selected by Mengele and taken to a separate scientific laboratory. Measurements are taken and experiments begin. A nightmare which will always be unforgettable for all the wrong reasons. I still can’t comprehend how a doctor was allowed to study and dissect humans for his own personal gain and to solve his questions regarding genetic anomalies. These were innocent people the twins story just being a drop in the ocean as to the hundreds of pure and honest people whose lives were eradicated. They were nothing only lab rats and playthings for the amusement of others and because of Nora’s imperfection she paid the ultimate price of bring mutilated and savaged. Arina hides her real emotions deep down and puts on a front of sorts to those who try to help her. Initially she refuses to engage in the therapy sessions that were organised for her. Miss.Blum tries to get her to open up which eventually she does in short outbursts of rage and the story that unfolds is one of bestiality and bloodthirstiness filled with unlawful inhumane practices.
I appreciated how the author did not spare any ghastly details which in turn conjured up the most heinous of images in my head whilst reading. They weren’t added for shock value or to add dramatics to the story. Instead, they needed to be there to make the reader conscious of the experiments carried out by Mengele if they had not been so before. At some points I simply couldn’t fathom what I was reading and how things were carried out with such a blasé attitude with no regard for the final outcome or due care given to those experimented on. This was certainly an eye opener of a read for me in more ways than one.
Loneliness is a theme that features heavily throughout the book and perhaps for Arina this is the strongest emotion she feels. Loneliness isn’t a curable disease. It’s a life sentence’. Dale who is in his late teens and works doing odd jobs at the orphanage feels a connection to Arina and tries to alleviate some of this but as the questions remain in her mind and erode away at her she can’t fully connect with him or try and look forward to a future when she is old enough to leave the orphanage. She needs solid answers but will she ever get them?
I thought it was brilliant how we also got Nora’s side of the story and at the same time we knew how Arina felt in relation to what occurred at the camp and in the weeks and months that followed liberation. The guilt and self-blame become a huge burden for her and to be honest I could really see why she held that viewpoint and in a way maybe she had to endure these emotions for a long time in order to even to begin to process what she had been through. As for Nora, due to her having a stutter, is the twin whom even more cruel and deprived experiments are carried out upon leaving her incapacitated. I felt Nora removed herself from what was going on. Not physically but almost spiritually that she was like a spirit floating above her body seeing what was happening but not fully realising it was her. She isn’t filled with rage and anger as Arina is but I think Arina is so gung ho like this because she wished it had happened to her instead of she being the one separated and left alone without more detailed inflictions. Nora is the character you really feel the utmost sympathy for although sympathy is really too light of a word for the emotions she stirs within you. I won’t say too much more regarding Nora as her story is inspiring and you should read this heart wrenching yet important book for yourself.
Once I got used to the back and forth within the chapters I found the book to be well paced and very well plotted. I particularly liked the last quarter of the book which could have descended into things becoming too far fetched and just too coincidental but in my mind they didn’t. I was eager to see how things would unfold as you find yourself shouting at the pages and characters for certain things to happen that you are desperate to occur. I liked how we got a good solid ending with a few twists and turns. No doubt about it The Stolen Twins, was an eye opening read and certainly a worthy addition to the World War Two historical fiction genre.
January 6, 2023
I really enjoyed reading this book. It took me on a journey of love and loss, I felt like I was right there with Nora and Arina living through their trials and tribulations. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction
January 20, 2023
An interesting and sorrowful look at the experiments done by Doctor Mengle and the emotional scars that were left by the children that lived.
January 26, 2023
The Stolen Twins by Shari Ryan is a historical fiction that tells the horrifying story of twin girls Nora and Arina. Told in dual POV the twins tell their story about their time in Auschwitz and their lives after the war. The girls are Hungarian and were both casualties of Dr. Josef Mengele (angel of death) a despicable man who does experiments on twins. My heart hurt for them both, at a young age they went through so much. Shari is an exceptional storyteller when writing this genre.
Nora and Arina were separated from their parents in May 1944 and sent to Auschwitz Concentration Camp. The story follows the girl’s journey through their time in Auschwitz, their separation from their parents, and then one another. The horrors, they both endured at the hands of Dr. Mengele, were disgusting and inhuman. Nora and Arina's story wasn’t easy to read, my heart ached and I shed quite a few tears. They were strong, courageous young ladies, determined to make it out alive and back to each other.
When the camp is liberated, the sisters don’t know if either is alive or dead. Nora is sent to France and Arina to America. Both struggle in their new lives and environment, two young lives forever changed. Three special people are entwined in their lives, Dale, Elek, and Helena. Helena is an amazing woman, what she did for the girls was truly spectacular. I couldn’t control my tears, they just came pouring out of me. The ending was perfect for both twins, they deserved all the happiness in the world!
Will the twin find their way back to one another? Will they survive the evil and rise above it all? The Stolen Twins is one not to be missed out on.
Nora and Arina were separated from their parents in May 1944 and sent to Auschwitz Concentration Camp. The story follows the girl’s journey through their time in Auschwitz, their separation from their parents, and then one another. The horrors, they both endured at the hands of Dr. Mengele, were disgusting and inhuman. Nora and Arina's story wasn’t easy to read, my heart ached and I shed quite a few tears. They were strong, courageous young ladies, determined to make it out alive and back to each other.
When the camp is liberated, the sisters don’t know if either is alive or dead. Nora is sent to France and Arina to America. Both struggle in their new lives and environment, two young lives forever changed. Three special people are entwined in their lives, Dale, Elek, and Helena. Helena is an amazing woman, what she did for the girls was truly spectacular. I couldn’t control my tears, they just came pouring out of me. The ending was perfect for both twins, they deserved all the happiness in the world!
Will the twin find their way back to one another? Will they survive the evil and rise above it all? The Stolen Twins is one not to be missed out on.
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