Some books are really hard to review. They elicit feelings that are difficult to put into words. The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt is one such novel. I’ll do my best in the review that follows, but for now just know that this is a must-read. Very highly recommended.
On a golden August morning in 1939, sisters Antonina and Helena Dąbrowska send their father off to defend Poland against the looming threat of German invasion. The next day, the first bombs fall on Warsaw, decimating their beloved city and shattering the world of their youth.
When Antonina’s beloved Marek is forced behind ghetto walls along with the rest of Warsaw’s Jewish population, Antonina turns her worry into action and becomes a key figure in a daring network of women risking their lives to shelter Jewish children. Helena finds herself drawn into the ranks of Poland’s secret army, joining the fight to free her homeland from occupation. But the secrets both are forced to keep threaten to tear the sisters apart–and the cost of resistance proves greater than either ever imagined.
Shining a light on the oft-forgotten history of Poland during WWII and inspired by true stories of ordinary individuals who fought to preserve freedom and humanity in the darkest of times, The Warsaw Sisters is a richly rendered portrait of courage, sacrifice, and the resilience of our deepest ties.
Amanda Barratt is the bestselling author of numerous historical novels and novellas including THE WARSAW SISTERS, WITHIN THESE WALLS OF SORROW, and THE WHITE ROSE RESISTS. Her work has been the recipient of the Christy Award and the Carol Award, as well as an Honorable Mention in the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards.
Amanda is passionate about illuminating oft-forgotten facets of history through a fictional narrative. She lives in Michigan and can often be found researching her next novel, catching up on her to-be-read stack, or savoring a slice of her favorite lemon cake.
The Warsaw Sisters is a WWII-era novel by talented author Amanda Barratt. This book, as her previous books, is extremely well-researched and written. Set in Warsaw from the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany until the end of WWII, it does not sugarcoat or mask the privations of war, the cruelty of the Nazi regime, or the crimes perpetrated against the people of Poland, especially the Jewish population. It’s a novel of survival of spirit and faith in the midst of extreme physical and emotional stress. I had to pause in my reading of the book in order to take a few breaths of relief even as I wanted/needed to keep turning the pages. I had to find out what happened to sisters Antonina and Helena and their beloved city. The two main characters are what give this book heart and soul. Although twins, the two are so different, yet their determination to have purpose in the midst of tragedy spoke of the Polish people of the time. I knew little about the capital city of Poland during WWII, but Warsaw became almost as beloved by this reader as it was to Antonina and Helena. Not the buildings, but the people who stood against evil oppression in small and large ways — each making a difference. Antonina and Helena take similar stands, yet apart from each other. Secrecy was necessary for the clandestine work they undertook, as well as to preserve the safety of those they held dear. I ached for them as the once close sisters grew further apart. There is much loss in this book, as history will attest. Yet love, hope, and faith in a God who never leaves remains.
The Warsaw Sisters is a powerful novel. The writing style is stunningly beautiful, the characters will remain in the reader”s heart, and the strong message of God’s presence in the midst of terror is hard won. I cannot praise this book enough. You’ll find that you need to talk about it, so consider it for your book club. Very highly recommended.
Very Highly Recommended.
Great for Book Clubs.
Audience: Adults.
(I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
What a powerful book! Amanda Barratt has done it again — written a historical novel that allows the reader to enter the story, experiencing the time and place. WWII-era Poland is the setting of The Warsaw Sisters, and the story comes alive with the first person voices of twin sisters Antonina and Helena. Don”t miss this book!
Here are the first lines:
Antonina-and-Helena.
That was how I remembered our names. Spoke in a single breath, always blended together.
On a golden August morning in 1939, sisters Antonina and Helena Dąbrowska send their father off to defend Poland against the looming threat of German invasion. The next day, the first bombs fall on Warsaw, decimating their beloved city and shattering the world of their youth.
When Antonina’s beloved Marek is forced behind ghetto walls along with the rest of Warsaw’s Jewish population, Antonina turns her worry into action and becomes a key figure in a daring network of women risking their lives to shelter Jewish children. Helena finds herself drawn into the ranks of Poland’s secret army, joining the fight to free her homeland from occupation. But the secrets both are forced to keep threaten to tear the sisters apart–and the cost of resistance proves greater than either ever imagined.
Shining a light on the oft-forgotten history of Poland during WWII and inspired by true stories of ordinary individuals who fought to preserve freedom and humanity in the darkest of times, The Warsaw Sisters is a richly rendered portrait of courage, sacrifice, and the resilience of our deepest ties.
Amanda Barratt is the bestselling author of numerous historical novels and novellas including THE WARSAW SISTERS, WITHIN THESE WALLS OF SORROW, and THE WHITE ROSE RESISTS. Her work has been the recipient of the Christy Award and the Carol Award, as well as an Honorable Mention in the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards.
Amanda is passionate about illuminating oft-forgotten facets of history through a fictional narrative. She lives in Michigan and can often be found researching her next novel, catching up on her to-be-read stack, or savoring a slice of her favorite lemon cake.
Happy release day to one of my favorite authors — Amanda Barratt. Amanda’s WWII-era novels often cover little known, yet important events. Her latest book, The Warsaw Sisters, is set in Poland and features the first person voices of twin sisters Antonina and Helena. I am reading it now and have lost myself in the time and place. That is Amanda’s strength — allowing the reader to find themselves in the story. You do not want to miss this book!
On a golden August morning in 1939, sisters Antonina and Helena Dąbrowska send their father off to defend Poland against the looming threat of German invasion. The next day, the first bombs fall on Warsaw, decimating their beloved city and shattering the world of their youth.
When Antonina’s beloved Marek is forced behind ghetto walls along with the rest of Warsaw’s Jewish population, Antonina turns her worry into action and becomes a key figure in a daring network of women risking their lives to shelter Jewish children. Helena finds herself drawn into the ranks of Poland’s secret army, joining the fight to free her homeland from occupation. But the secrets both are forced to keep threaten to tear the sisters apart–and the cost of resistance proves greater than either ever imagined.
Shining a light on the oft-forgotten history of Poland during WWII and inspired by true stories of ordinary individuals who fought to preserve freedom and humanity in the darkest of times, The Warsaw Sisters is a richly rendered portrait of courage, sacrifice, and the resilience of our deepest ties.
Amanda Barratt is the bestselling author of numerous historical novels and novellas including THE WARSAW SISTERS, WITHIN THESE WALLS OF SORROW, and THE WHITE ROSE RESISTS. Her work has been the recipient of the Christy Award and the Carol Award, as well as an Honorable Mention in the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards.
Amanda is passionate about illuminating oft-forgotten facets of history through a fictional narrative. She lives in Michigan and can often be found researching her next novel, catching up on her to-be-read stack, or savoring a slice of her favorite lemon cake.
Happy Tuesday! I have posted on this week’s topic, Bookish Jobs, before, so I am tweaking the topic again. 😉 Sometimes a character’s occupation is essential to the story line. If they hadn’t held these jobs, there would have been no story! I hope one of the books on my list piques your interest.
Just a couple more days and it’s FALL! Here in the sunny South, the temps are edging down, but the real Fall weather won’t show up for at least a month (sometimes more). But that doesn’t keep me from piling up a bunch of books to read for the season. I have had a ton of “required” reading the past few months, but I am happy that a lot of pleasure reads are in my future. I have more than 10, but I will keep the list to the next 10 books I will be enjoying in the coming weeks. I read across genres, so there should be something for everyone.
Happy Tuesday! I hope you enjoyed your long weekend with some rest and reading. I traveled to Chicago to participate in the Windy City Saga Tour hosted by Jocelyn Green. It certainly defied expectations! It was such a fantastic trip filled with lots of reader-nerd fun. I was especially thrilled to meet in person many of my favorite authors. If you ever get the opportunity to join a literary tour, I heartily encourage it.
Speaking of defying expectations, my list today includes books I knew I probably would like, but didn’t realize how much I would love them. They are a mix of genres, so there is definitely something for everyone. I hope you find a book to love.
Top Books That Defied Expectations
Fatal Code by Natalie Walters
In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer
The Lady’s Mine by Francine Rivers
The Librarian of Saint-Malo by Mario Escobar
The Long March Home by Tosca Lee And Marcus Brotherton
Happy Tuesday all! I was in Alaska for two weeks and am still trying to get caught up here at home. It doesn’t help that there are some shorter road trips in store in the next few weeks. But with the piling up of chores and the mountains of laundry accumulating, I still have BOOKS as a major priority. 😉 Last week I shared some books that you need to add to your Summer TBR, many of which release July 2023 and after. Today’s list adds to those, so you better get reading!
Top Most Anticipated Books of The Rest of 2023
Break of Day by Colleen Coble (July)
Cold Pursuit by Nancy Mehl (July)
Countdown by Lynette Eason (August)
Facing The Enemy by DiAnn Mills (September)
Into The Fire by Irene Hannon (October)
The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater by Jaime Jo Wright (October)
Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard (October)
You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Toni Shiloh (September)
The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt (November)
The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass by Katie Powner (September)
For my book club, Sarah Sundin is a must-read author. She always delivers a great story filled with well-researched details. The Sound of Light, a WWII-era novel set in Denmark, did not disappoint. If you liked it too, then I have a few more reading recommendations. Whether the setting is unique or it was inspired by true events. the three novels are all great stories. Hope you find one to love.
The Medallion by Cathy Gohlke
For fans of bestselling World War II fiction like Sarah’s Key and The Nightingale comes an illuminating tale of courage, sacrifice, and survival, about two couples whose lives are ravaged by Hitler’s mad war yet eventually redeemed through the fate of one little girl.
Seemingly overnight, the German blitzkrieg of Warsaw in 1939 turns its streets to a war zone and shatters the life of each citizen—Polish, Jewish, or otherwise. Sophie Kumiega, a British bride working in the city’s library, awaits news of her husband, Janek, recently deployed with the Polish Air Force. Though Sophie is determined that she and the baby in her womb will stay safe, the days ahead will draw her into the plight of those around her, compelling her to help, whatever the danger.
Rosa and Itzhak Dunovich never imagined they would welcome their longed-for first child in the Jewish ghetto, or that they would let anything tear their family apart. But as daily atrocities intensify, Rosa soon faces a terrifying reality: to save their daughter’s life, she must send her into hiding. Her only hope of finding her after the war—if any of them survive—is a medallion she cuts in half and places around her neck.
Inspired by true events of Poland’s darkest days and brightest heroes, The Medallion paints a stunning portrait of war and its aftermath, daring us to believe that when all seems lost, God can make a way forward.
Snow on The Tulips by Liz Tolsma
A stranger’s life hangs in the balance. But to save him is to risk everything. The war is drawing to a close, but the Nazis still occupy part of the Netherlands. After the losses she’s endured, war widow Cornelia is only a shadow of the woman she once was. She fights now to protect her younger brother, Johan, who lives in hiding. When Johan brings Gerrit Laninga, a wounded Dutch Resistance member, to Cornelia’s doorstep, their lives are forever altered. Although scared of the consequences of harboring a wanted man, Cornelia’s faith won’t let her turn him out.
As she nurses Gerrit back to health, she is drawn to his fierce passion and ideals, and notices a shift within herself. Gerrit’s intensity challenges her, making her want to live fully, despite the fear that constrains her. When the opportunity to join him in the Resistance presents itself, Cornelia must summon every ounce of courage imaginable. She is as terrified of loving Gerrit as she is of losing him. But as the winter landscape thaws, so too does her heart. Will she get a second chance at true love? She fears their story will end before it even begins.
Within These Walls of Sorrow by Amanda Barratt
Zosia Lewandowska knows the brutal realities of war all too well. Within weeks of Germany’s invasion of her Polish homeland, she lost the man she loves. As ghetto walls rise and the occupiers tighten their grip on the city of Krakow, Zosia joins pharmacist Tadeusz Pankiewicz and his staff in the heart of the Krakow ghetto as they risk their lives to aid the Jewish people trapped by Nazi oppression.
Hania Silverman’s carefree girlhood is shattered as her family is forced into the ghetto. Struggling to survive in a world hemmed in by walls and rife with cruelty and despair, she encounters Zosia, her former neighbor, at the pharmacy. As deportation winnow the ghetto’s population and snatch those she holds dear, Hania’s natural resiliency is exhausted by reality.
Zodia and Hania’s lives intertwine as they face the griefs and fears thrust upon them by war, until one day, they are forced to make a desperate choice . . . one that will inexorably bind them together, even as they are torn apart.
Amanda Barratt’s meticulous research and lush, award-winning writing shine once again in this moving look at a group of unsung heroes who fought for hope and humanity in the most harrowing of times.
I have a long list of must-read authors and always have a recommendation when someone asks for (or hints at needing 😉 ) a suggestion. This week’s TTT calls for those books we most recommend. I probably have 100s depending on genre likes and dislikes. But I decided to stay within the parameters of 10 only. Whew! It was hard. I know I’mm leaving some deserving novel off my list, but the ones I chose are those I suggest to people who want a thought-provoking book, one that is special. There are a number of genres represented because a good story well-told is my only criteria. You’ve seen these books in lots of other posts — they are that good! I probably need to post a part 2 in an upcoming Freebie week.
Before I Called You Mine by Nicole Deese (contemporary romance)
Lauren Bailey may be a romantic at heart, but after a decade of matchmaking schemes gone wrong, there’s only one match she’s committed to now–the one that will make her a mother. Lauren is a dedicated first-grade teacher in Idaho, and her love for children has led her to the path of international adoption. To satisfy her adoption agency’s requirements, she gladly agreed to remain single for the foreseeable future; however, just as her long wait comes to an end, Lauren is blindsided by a complication she never saw coming: Joshua Avery.
Joshua may be a substitute teacher by day, but Lauren finds his passion for creating educational technology as fascinating as his antics in the classroom. Though she does her best to downplay the undeniable connection between them, his relentless pursuit of her heart puts her commitment to stay unattached to the test and causes her once-firm conviction to waver.
With an impossible decision looming, Lauren might very well find herself choosing between the two deepest desires of her heart . . . even if saying yes to one means letting go of the other.
Hidden Among The Stars by Melanie Dobson (dual timelines/historical)
The year is 1938, and as Hitler’s troops sweep into Vienna, Austrian Max Dornbach promises to help his Jewish friends hide their most valuable possessions from the Nazis, smuggling them to his family’s summer estate near the picturesque village of Hallstatt. He enlists the help of Annika Knopf, his childhood friend and the caretaker’s daughter, who is eager to help the man she’s loved her entire life. But when Max also brings Luzia Weiss, a young Jewish woman, to hide at the castle, it complicates Annika’s feelings and puts their entire plan—even their very lives—in jeopardy. Especially when the Nazis come to scour the estate and find both Luzia and the treasure gone.
Eighty years later, Callie Randall is mostly content with her quiet life, running a bookstore with her sister and reaching out into the world through her blog. Then she finds a cryptic list in an old edition of Bambithat connects her to Annika’s story . . . and maybe to the long-buried story of a dear friend. As she digs into the past, Callie must risk venturing outside the safe world she’s built for a chance at answers, adventure, and maybe even new love.
Miranda Warning by Heather Day Gilbert (mystery)
Child of the Appalachian mountains, Tess Spencer has experienced more than her share of heartache. The Glock-wielding, knife-carrying housewife knows how to survive whatever life throws at her.
But when an anonymous warning note shows up in her best friend Miranda’s mailbox — a note written in a dead woman’s handwriting — Tess quickly discovers that ghosts are alive and well in Buckneck, West Virginia. Hot on a cold trail, she must use limited clues and her keen insight into human nature to unmask the killer . . . or the next victim might be Tess herself.
Tinged with the supernatural and overshadowed by the mountains’ lush, protective presence, this twisting psychological mystery is the first in A Murder in the Mountains series.
No One Ever Asked by Katie Ganshert (general fiction)
When an impoverished school district loses its accreditation and the affluent community of Crystal Ridge has no choice but to open their school doors, the lives of three very different women converge: Camille Gray — the wife of an executive, mother of three, long-standing PTA chairwoman and champion fundraiser — faced with a shocking discovery that threatens to tear her picture-perfect world apart at the seams. Jen Covington, the career nurse whose long, painful journey to motherhood finally resulted in adoption but she is struggling with a happily-ever-after so much harder than she anticipated. Twenty-two-year-old Anaya Jones–the first woman in her family to graduate college and a brand new teacher at Crystal Ridge’s top elementary school, unprepared for the powder-keg situation she’s stepped into. Tensions rise within and without, culminating in an unforeseen event that impacts them all. This story explores the implicit biases impacting American society, and asks the ultimate question: What does it mean to be human? Why are we so quick to put labels on each other and categorize people as “this” or “that”, when such complexity exists in each person?
The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox (dual timelines/historical/general fiction)
Present Day. After tragedy plunges her into grief and unresolved anger, Sarah Ashby returns to her childhood home determined to finally follow her long-denied dream of running Old Depot Grocery alongside her mother and grandmother. But when she arrives, her mother, Rosemary, announces to her that the store is closing. Sarah and her grandmother, Glory Ann, make a pact to save the store, but Rosemary has worked her entire life to make sure her daughter never follows in her footsteps. She has her reasons–but she’ll certainly never reveal the real one.
1965. Glory Ann confesses to her family that she’s pregnant with her deceased fiancé’s baby. Pressured into a marriage of convenience with a shopkeeper to preserve the family reputation, Glory Ann vows never to love again. But some promises are not as easily kept as she imagined.
This dual-timeline story from Amanda Cox deftly explores the complexity of a mother-daughter dynamic, the way the secrets we keep shape our lives and the lives of others, and the healing power of telling the truth.
Stories That Bind Us by Susie Finkbeiner (general fiction)
Betty Sweet never expected to be a widow at 40. With so much life still in front of her, she tries to figure out what’s next. She couldn’t have imagined what God had in mind. When her estranged sister is committed to a sanitarium, Betty finds herself taking on the care of a 5-year-old nephew she never knew she had.
In 1960s LaFontaine, Michigan, they make an odd pair. Betty with her pink button nose and bouffant hair. Hugo with his light brown skin and large brown eyes. But more powerful than what makes them different is what they share: the heartache of an empty space in their lives. Slowly, they will learn to trust one another as they discover common ground and healing through the magic of storytelling.
Award-winning author Susie Finkbeiner offers fans a novel that invites us to rediscover the power of story to open the doors of our hearts.
Water from My Heart by Charles Martin (general fiction)
Charlie Finn had to grow up fast, living alone by age 16. Highly intelligent, he earned a life-changing scholarship to Harvard, where he learned how to survive and thrive on the outskirts of privileged society. That skill served him well in the cutthroat business world, as it does in more lucrative but dangerous ventures he now operates off the coast of Miami. Charlie tries to separate relationships from work. But when his choices produce devastating consequences, he sets out to right wrongs, traveling to Central America, where he will meet those who have paid for his actions, including a woman and her young daughter.
Will their fated encounter present Charlie with a way to seek the redemption he thought was impossible — and free his heart to love one woman as he never knew he could?
When The Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer (historical/romance/time travel)
How will she choose, knowing all she must sacrifice?
Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other. While she’s the same person at her core in both times, she’s leading two vastly different lives.
In Colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives–and any hope of love–are put in jeopardy.
Libby’s life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about–women’s suffrage–is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe only complicates matters.
But Libby knows she’s not destined to live two lives forever. On her twenty-first birthday, she must choose one path and forfeit the other–but how can she choose when she has so much to lose in each life?
Where The Blue Sky Begins by Katie Powner (general fiction)
Sometimes the hardest road of all is the road home.
When confident and handsome Eric Larson is sent to a rural Montana town to work in the local branch of his uncle’s financial company, he’s determined to exceed everyone’s expectations, earn a promotion, and be back in Seattle by the end of summer. Yet nothing could prepare him for the lessons this small town has in store.
At forty-six years old, eccentric and outspoken Eunice Parker has come to accept her terminal illness and has given herself one final goal: seek forgiveness from everyone on her bucket list before her time runs out. But it will take more courage than she can muster on her own.
After an accident pushes Eric and Eunice together, the unlikely pair is forced to spend more time with each other than either would like, which challenges their deepest prejudices and beliefs. As summer draws to a close, neither Eric nor Eunice is where they thought they would be, but they both wrestle with the same important question: What matters most when the end is near?
Within These Walls of Sorrow by Amanda Barratt (historical fiction)
Zosia Lewandowska knows the brutal realities of war all too well. Within weeks of Germany’s invasion of her Polish homeland, she lost the man she loves. As ghetto walls rise and the occupiers tighten their grip on the city of Krakow, Zosia joins pharmacist Tadeusz Pankiewicz and his staff in the heart of the Krakow ghetto as they risk their lives to aid the Jewish people trapped by Nazi oppression.
Hania Silverman’s carefree girlhood is shattered as her family is forced into the ghetto. Struggling to survive in a world hemmed in by walls and rife with cruelty and despair, she encounters Zosia, her former neighbor, at the pharmacy. As deportation winnow the ghetto’s population and snatch those she holds dear, Hania’s natural resiliency is exhausted by reality. Zodia and Hania’s lives intertwine as they face the griefs and fears thrust upon them by war, until one day, they are forced to make a desperate choice . . . one that will inexorably bind them together, even as they are torn apart.
Amanda Barratt’s meticulous research and lush, award-winning writing shine once again in this moving look at a group of unsung heroes who fought for hope and humanity in the most harrowing of times.
Happy Tuesday! I love when a TTT topic is easy peasy! This week all I needed to do was pull random books from my shelves. I picked the 10th book from 10 different shelves (husband’s TBR, contemporary fiction, Biblical fiction, historical fiction, signed copies, suspense, etc.) It was a great reminder of all the books I lovingly bought and shelved and then neglected. 😉 I’ve only read 3 from the list and have included links to their reviews. Now to read the other 7!
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