The Taster | 
pick#OUABC Once Upon A Book Club Adult March 2018 selection
#TallahasseeSilentBookClub 11 Feb 2024
• 304 pages • first pub 2018 • fiction • historical • informative • tense • 4 Stars
Early 1943: Magda Ritter's parents send her to relatives in Bavaria, hoping to keep her safe from the Allied bombs strafing Berlin. Young German women are expected to do their duty-working for the Reich or marrying to produce strong, healthy children. ⬇️
It‘s time for a book tasting! Reading the first chapter or so of each then deciding on one keeper. The rest go back to the library! THIS. IS. THE. LIFE. ✨✨✨
22 #36 This was a unusual take on Hitler and the fall of Germany. Very well written I liked it a lot.
so-soWhat struck me most about this historical fiction was how the main character was a female but the voice didn‘t sound like a woman at all. She kept saying things like “as a women she had never listened to politics” or “it didn‘t effect her because girls didn‘t pay attention to that sort of thing”.
Thanks @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick & @RamsFan1963 for the tags!
1. Dolores Umbridge
2. That‘s a tough one but I‘m more likely to read a book with a lackluster plot if the characters have chemistry or development.
#two4tuesday @TheSpineView
It‘s time for the discussion, #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead ers! If you have not finished the book...no worries. Join in the discussion when you can! I posted 6 prior questions, all under the spoiler. You can find them by either searching for #LiteraryCrew or by visiting my feed.
There are a lot of elements to this book that were not captured in the posted questions. What else struck you about the novel? What do you want to discuss with everyone? Thx!
Jerdencon, catebutler, kspenmoll, BookNAround, MeganAnn, CoverToCoverGirl, Chrissyreadit, litenthusiast, CoffeeNBooks, CarolineLovesToRead6. The ending! What are your impressions with the way Alexander wraps up the story, including the final scene between Magda and Hitler? What do you think about Karl and Magda reuniting at the end...plausible, or a miracle? #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
5. Cook teaches Magda about poisons. What do you think your reaction would have been to such training? (From discussion questions provided by Kensington Publishing) #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
4. How did Magda change in the course of the novel? Do you think she became a stronger woman? (From discussion questions provided by Kensington Publishing) #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
3. Karl shows Magda the pictures of the atrocities committed in the East. Would you have believed him? (From discussion questions provided by Kensington Publishing) #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
2. Magda has little choice but to accept the job as a taster for Hitler. If you were in her place, would you have continued or left the Reich‘s service? (From discussion questions provided by Kensington Publishing) #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
1. This novel provides a very unique perspective of Germany and the Third Reich. Were you familiar with “tasters?” Before reading this novel, how much did you know about the Reich‘s inner circle? #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead
pickA compelling story offering a unique perspective of WWII and an insider to the German government. There are parts of this book that left me turning pages rather quickly and other parts that were hard to read for the stark reality represented. The ending seemed a tad far fetched and too nicely tied together for me, but overall Magda‘s story is amazing.
I‘ll post discussion questions in a little bit for #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead !
pickThis was an interesting take on books that occur during WW2 and was loosely based on real people. I did not love this, and I‘m not sure what I did not love but am interested in hearing what others thought about it. It was a solid 3 star read for me. #literarycrew
pickThis was an interesting story written from the perspective of a young woman who becomes a food taster for Hitler. Although she is not a member of the party and doesn't like Hitler, she has no choice but to do what her job requires of her.
#LiteraryCrew @Librarybelle
Week Three is at an end for this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead . Without spoiling anything, I‘ll just say wow (more comments below)!
Any impressions or thoughts as we near the end of the book?
I also plan to post next month‘s information tomorrow, so stay tuned!
Jerdencon, catebutler, kspenmoll, BookNAround, MeganAnn, CoverToCoverGirl, litenthusiast, CoffeeNBooks, CarolineLovesToRead
We‘re on to the third week of reading this #literarycrew #buddyread ...lot of things happening! Any thoughts or impressions as we‘ve reached the halfway point?
Jerdencon, catebutler, kspenmoll, BookNAround, MeganAnn, CoverToCoverGirl, litenthusiast, CoffeeNBooks, CarolineLovesToRead
#weeklyreport
Could not put The Taster down so I finished. This was such a fabulous pick @Librarybelle #LiteraryCrew I hope everyone loved it as I did- a different take on Nazi Germany,Hitler, WWII for me. Unexpected twists contributed to books success. #audio #Five
#POC #ToniMorrison -Putting this book aside for later; did not read it this week.
#Pemberlittens #sonbuddyread #sundaybuddyread-keeping up with reading.
1st checkin post for this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #Buddyread . I‘m seeing a lot of positive comments about this one from the group so far - what are your thoughts and impressions?
Jerdencon, catebutler, kspenmoll, BookNAround, MeganAnn, CoverToCoverGirl, litenthusiast, CoffeeNBooks, CarolineLovesToRead
#literarycrew #TheTaster #historicalfiction
Just finished the first suggested chapters- some unexpected twists that I did not see coming. Enjoyingthis whole new( for me) view of Hitler‘s regime. An insider‘s look at his retreat, Berghof, in the Bavarian Alps. Wonderful choice!
I'm really enjoying this month's #LiteraryCrew pick- I can't put it down! I think I'll be done reading it way before the end of the month! I'm also really enjoying that tomorrow is a teacher workday, and our awesome administration knows we've been working so much more than any other year, so we don't have to work tomorrow. So today is my Friday and I'm sitting outside on the patio by my pool reading and enjoying a cup of coffee.
@Librarybelle
I just realized there seems to be an interconnected theme going on here. Just noticed that all these books have the exploration of death in some form, & its impact on others as a major theme. #sundaybuddyread #sonbuddyread #literarycrew
#30daysofgratitude #gratitude I am grateful for these 2 #buddyreads with Littens today, Jodi P & The Taster
Today starts this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead . I‘ll post checkin posts throughout the month, with discussion questions at the end of November. All are welcome to join! The schedule above is just a suggestion - read at your own pace.
Jerdencon, catebutler, kspenmoll, BookNAround, MeganAnn, CoverToCoverGirl, litenthusiast, CoffeeNBooks, CarolineLovesToRead
The November #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead will be the tagged book. Tagging those who expressed interest in the book, along with those who joined us this month. All are welcome...just let me know if you plan to join, and I‘ll tag you on check in posts!
The schedule above is a suggested guideline. Read at your own pace. I‘ll post a few discussion questions at the end of the month!
Jerdencon, catebutler, kspenmoll, BookNAround, MeganAnn, CoverToCoverGirl, CoffeeNBooks, CarolineLovesToRead
THE TASTER by V.S. Alexander Giveaway (Apr 19 - 25)
You will receive the entire Once Upon a Book Club box along with a bonus ARC of PARIS NEVER LEAVES YOU by Ellen Feldman. US ADDRESSES ONLY
Must be a member of Reading is My Passion.
Enter at http://bit.ly/ReadingisMyPassion
#bookclubVIP
panThis was a book club pic, otherwise I wouldn‘t have finished it. It's a fictional account of one of Hitler‘s personal food tasters. Despite working for the Führer, she hates him and wants to kill him. The story is incredibly repetitive while also not making a lot of sense. It was an eye-rolling exercise in frustration. The premise is fascinating, but it's badly executed and the ending is ridiculous.
pickI enjoyed the story about one of Hitler's food tasters even if the main character wasn't my favorite. Hard to connect to her. First book of 2019.
pickRomanzo che si ispira alla vera storia di Margot Wölk, una delle assaggiatrici di Adolf Hitler.
Nel libro, la conosciamo come Magda Ritter che è più di una semplice assaggiatrice perché è anche una donna forte e coraggiosa che cospira contro il führer.
Nel corso del romanzo, ho scoperto numerose curiosità sulla vita quotidiana che si svolgeva al Berghof. L‘ho letto tutto d‘un fiato e porterò per sempre con me la storia di Magda.
pickAmazing! Couldn‘t put it down— finished it in a day! Historical fiction is a new favorite of mine.
pickThis book was recommended to me by a couple of my customers. It was an eye-opening read about life in Germany during WWII, both as an everyday German and as part of Hitler's inner circle.
pickBook developed from 1943 to 2013.What I liked of this book was to see war from a German woman who was pushed by her family to work for Hitler. Book presents a perspective that no one wins in a war, there were Germans who were also victims of the war consequences.The book has some reference at the end.Author said "we must maintain constant vigil against those who use their power to destroy" There were romance cliché and unrealistic events so 3.7⭐️
pickThought that this book was good, had lots of information that I hadn't heard before about Hitler. The protagonist Magda was a passionate woman about her country of Germany, and she was brave and risked her life daily.
pickI am still in awe of this story. I wish I could sit at Magda‘s table and listen to this tale again. The story is written is such away you forget yourself and become emotionally invested in the story. It is a must read!!!
Read 73 pages in The Tombs today and finished it so now I‘m about to start The Taster. I just need 27 pages to hit my goal but I‘ll probably get further than that. Day 05/100 #100dayproject #100days10000pages
I had to do a Target run for cat litter, so it only made sense to go down the book aisle. I found these two. The tagged book sounds very interesting - World War II era woman who tastes Hitler‘s food, an official food taster to prevent poisonings. Historical fiction.
pickThis book. YES. READ IT. 5 Stars. I don‘t care if you‘re not a historical fiction fan, go read this book. It may be fiction but Alexander did his research and it gave me ALL THE FEELS. Incredible book that I highly recommend!
pickThus was yet another historical fiction piece that engaged me the whole way through. I found myself invested in the main character Magda. I cheered her on through the uplifting parts and sat reading anxiously through the horrific ones.
So far a beautifully written, engaging book about a young lady who tasted Adolf Hitler‘s food to make sure there was no poison in it! What a scary job!
pickI really liked this one. I felt this book had a very interesting perspective. The narrator starts out indifferent to what is happening around her and ends up working for Hitler. She learns about herself and the realities of what is happening on Nazi Germany, while being very sheltered from reality. I read this one for my book club and am looking forward to discussing it with others as it provides lots of talking points.
Time to crack this new paperback open! Love when I‘m the first to read a library book.
#libraryhaul #currentlyreading
#TheTaster #VSAlexander #Bookstagram
9mo