A priest who seems to be the model of compassion for the poor is accused of terrorist activities. His worldwide charitable outreach is suspected of being a front for radicals. A young woman, a reporter and a lapsed Catholic, tries to undercover the truth but in the process she finds herself attracted to the priest and falls in love with him.

Meanwhile, forces conspire within the Vatican and the College of Cardinals to overthrow the Papacy. The death of Pope John Paul II brings the conclave that will elect Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI-only a group of radicals will resort to anything, including blowing up the Vatican, to stop it.

A powerful tale combining vivid characters, high drama, love, betrayal, faith, and redemption, The Death of a Pope races toward an unexpected and unforgettable conclusion.

I received this book to review from Bostick Communications.  I found it interesting to read that the author Piers Paul Read is also the author of Alive, The Story of the Andes Survivors which sold more than 5 million copies world wide.  he is also the best selling novelist to several books and playwrights.

I found it interesting to read that he wrote playwrights because as I was going through this book I kept thinking it read like a play, focusing on one scene and than another.  Piers Paul Read creates real and colorful characters that were easy to get a real feel for.

I enjoy reads about the Vatican.  It seriously fascinates me and this book did not dissapoint.  Fast action, mixed in wih murder, love, and faith.  Read put an interesting combination together here and it made for an interesting read.

One woman’s discovery—and the incredible, unexpected journey it takes her on—of how her grandparent’s small village of Campagna, Italy, helped save Jews during the Holocaust.

Take a journey with Elizabeth Bettina as she discovers much to her surprise, that her grandparent’s small village, nestled in the heart of southern Italy, housed an internment camp for Jews during the Holocaust, and that it was far from the only one. Follow her discovery of survivors and their stories of gratitude to Italy and its people. Explore the little known details of how members of the Catholic church assisted and helped shelter Jews in Italy during World War II.

This review book was sent to me by Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers.  I was delighted to receive this book that is beautiful both inside and out.  I have read several books about the Holocaust and was please to have the opportunity to read this one.  The book, as in the description, is filled with Elizabeth’s own journeys as she meets Walter Wolff, a Holocaust survivor who holds an incredible truth of how he and many other Jewish people were saved from the horrors thanks to the people of Italy.

Walter is only the beginning, as Elizabeth unfolds this well written story she meets others who were also part of this group.  Her amazing spirit and never give up attitude keep this book flowing at a great pace.  I found myself anxious to see what was on each page as Elizabeth has filled it with documents of her research as well as many pictures of the time of the Holocaust.

I could envision Elizabeth’s comparison of Campagna to the area the Von Trap’s traveled when escaping in the Sound of Music.  Reading this gave me a whole new understanding to this movie and I may need to rent it again  for this reason.

This is a book that stays with you long after the final page is read.  Elizabeth Bettina has captured an amazing piece of history that I for one, will hold onto deep within my heart.

This book was put on my “to do” list when I read the post over at My Friend Amy’s, promoting this book and setting a challenge up for us fellow bloggers to purchase this book and read it.  I thought it was great to see an author promoted so well and after reading about the book, jumped up the literary band wagon and purchased the book.  I jumped in as I tend to do…. not knowing a ton about the author or the book, but to support the cause… in other words, cannon ball style, not dipping a toe…..

I was in for a treat….

Grief and all its anguish is at the heart of this story. Reeling from her mother’s death, Katie, 16, takes a summer job on a nearby wealthy estate as part of a work crew constructing a gazebo. As she bonds with her fellow teen worker, Danny, she stumbles across secrets about the beautiful, rich recluse who lives in the big house. Why has wacky Miss Martine not been seen for over 50 years? Is the hole that they’re digging really for the gazebo? With the help of the glamorous town librarian (yes, glamorous), Katie and Danny research local lore in newspaper files and microfilm. The connections between solving the mystery and Katie’s bereavement struggle are sometimes overstated. Her first-person present-tense narrative is clear and lyrical, though,especially in her portrayal of her genius dad, an artist who asks, “How do you paint regret?” and in her discovery that “beauty and sadness can both live in one place.”

Today I took this book out to the deck with me and while enjoying ice tea on a beautiful Saturday morning and a wee bit of the afternoon, I read this book.

I found Beth’s writing to be wonderful and detailed.  I enjoyed the flash backs of Katie’s mom and even though she was a character who had passed on, her presence in this book is sensed as well as felt,  and I think appropriately so.   I could imagine the pain of Katie losing her mother at such a tender age, yet trying to be strong for herself as well as her dad – as her dad was for her.  Having lost my mom, this book flow ed through some of my own recollections of saying “good night” into the darkness and praying that she could hear.

The mystery of Miss Martine in the book is actually a salvation for Katie and her dad.  While going about doing what they do, they stumble blindly into something that not only brings them fully into the situation… but binds them together.  As the book ends I had a sense of good things to come.  The book left me feeling that they would be alright, that doors were opening to a future that in the final chapter as they all sit around the dinner table… I can almost invision.

This book is categorized as Young Adult and I can see this being enjoyed by that age group.  I certainly enjoyed the read and I will be looking for more from Beth Kephart in the future.  Readers, I recommend you spend some time this summer with Nothing But Ghosts.

In honor of the book, I am making chicken and spaghetti squash for dinner. YUM ♥

CONTEST GOING ON FOR BOOK SALES OF THIS BOOK AT MY FRIEND AMY’S…

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LIST OF PRIZES AND CONTEST DETAILS!!!

See Amy’s Review Here

Beth Kephart’s Website