Broken Birds – The Story of My Momila, by Jeannette Katzir, is Jaclyn’s (Katzir) memoir of her siblings, Shlomo, Shirley, Steven and Nina, and their war-wrecked parents, Channa and Nathan (all names changed). Channa may have escaped the Holocaust, but she carried its horrors with her, ingraining her own fear of outsiders—any non-family member—into her children. Her fear of being left without her family (again) and her fear of betrayal weaved its way into her children’s very souls and colored the life decisions they would make. Jaclyn and her siblings lived their lives well after the war, but always within its shadow.




Raised by a mother whose family, faith, and trust were ripped from her as she spent her childhood fighting against Hitler’s tyranny, the five siblings were taught to value blood above all—including their own husbands and wives. Often despicable and cruel to one another, Channa remained vigilant in her commandment that the siblings remain bonded, overlooking all injustices.




Katzir’s emotions are raw, unabridged, and unapologetic. Her story draws from both the intense love she feels for her family and the misery that her family creates. In an interview with Jesse Kornbluth of Huffington Post, Katzir admits that she "can't trust Steven. And Shirley is too dangerous. She's [her] cocaine…" She knows Shirley is not good for her, but keeps coming back for more abuse. Maybe this time will be different….





I found the story a bit mundane at times, but compelling, heart wrenching, and frustrating. I found myself yelling at Shirley’s utter disregard for her sibling’s emotions. Page after page I wondered when Jaclyn would finally choose herself and her husband over her siblings. I wanted, strike that, I needed to know what would happen next in the lives of these five siblings and their war-torn parents.





Channa’s death opens the door to truths that the Poltzer children have long repressed. Without their mother urging peace and binding the siblings together, unresolved and long overdue conflicts rise to the forefront where they can no longer be suppressed. The Poltzer children must define and redefine their relationships with one another without the “glue” of their momila.





Katzir weaves a compelling and disturbing tale of familial relationships and sibling rivalry seeped in the shadows of an unimaginable war that forever marks future generations. It is a story of the bitter personal battles that those broken by tragedy unintentionally pass down to their children, and one woman’s triumph over it.

Walking in Circles is a perfect beach book. Nothing serious, nothing too contemplative, just a fun, easy read.

This was a quick read. I could predict some things, but others were a complete surprise. A nice change of plot for me. Sometimes it's fun to read something you normally would pass up.

This is a good, light read. The story is predictable at times, but still worth a read. I would like to continue to read the author as she matures in her craft. My club enjoyed the book. We found it an interesting concept. If its targeted audience is teen girls, then it is spot on. If its audience is intended to be adults, then the plot and character development could use more complexity.

While I found parts of the novels tedious at times (I am not a reader who enjoys page after page of descriptive narrative of the surroundings), wading through the "rough spots" was well worth it. I liked the story lines (each book getting better than the previous) and characters. I felt sympathy, frustration, anger, the whole spectrum of emotion, towards and for the characters. I must admit, I wish I had a bit of Lisbeth in me.

If you like books like "Twilight", then you will probably like this one as well. It's the story of full-blooded vampire society and how they interact with half bloods. Simple themes of good vs. evil, Old Blood vs. New Blood (ie: Old Money vs. New Money), interracial relationships, and how a group of teens navigate their way through it all. The series is a good, fun read for the beach or vacation. Don't expect to walk away enlightened or inspired, just entertained.

A bit expected and predictible, but good nonetheless.

These are a great, fun read for fans of paranormal romance. I read all 9 in three weeks. They will not leave you pondering the riddles of life. They are not life altering. They are merely a fun, easy vacation read. Loved the complexities of the characters (as in sheer number of types, etc to keep things interesting). Spoiler alert: Sookie does end up in a ton of trouble throughout the series. Some "battles" are gruesome, but not overly detailed (for the squeamish).

These are a great, fun read for fans of paranormal romance. I read all 9 in three weeks. They will not leave you pondering the riddles of life. They are not life altering. They are merely a fun, easy vacation read. Loved the complexities of the characters (as in sheer number of types, etc to keep things interesting). Spoiler alert: Sookie does end up in a ton of trouble throughout the series. Some "battles" are gruesome, but not overly detailed (for the squeamish).

These are a great, fun read for fans of paranormal romance. I read all 9 in three weeks. They will not leave you pondering the riddles of life. They are not life altering. They are merely a fun, easy vacation read. Loved the complexities of the characters (as in sheer number of types, etc to keep things interesting). Spoiler alert: Sookie does end up in a ton of trouble throughout the series. Some "battles" are gruesome, but not overly detailed (for the squeamish).