My first book by Sharon Maas I love reading historical fiction although I did struggle with this a little at first, after ready a few chapters I was addicted. I needed to find out what Madge did, I needed to find out about Leah’s experience. I was hooked and hated each time I had to put it down. The Children of Berlin is such as interesting read, filled of war facts and an interesting viewpoint of both an Aryan and a Jewish child. I book jam-packed of betrayal, love, friendships and forgiveness.

I would like to thank Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Oh, my, where to begin?
I am an avid reader of WW2 historical fiction, but I have never read a book quite like this one…
Travel back to Berlin, Germany of the 30’s and 40’s. Leah and Magda are best friends; they’ve lived and played in the same building, “shared” each other’s families, attended the same school since childhood. Now they are teenagers together, starting to notice young men, and fuss about their appearances. Leah comes from a Jewish family; Magda’s family is Catholic. In 1933 when Adolf Hitler comes to power, this difference in background, which has never before been a problem between them, slowly creates a chasm in the friendship. Magda throws her heart and soul into becoming a “Maiden for Hitler”, and Nazi ideology becomes her “religion”. Not only at odds with Leah, but with her own family, who do not see Hitler as the savior of Germany, the rift becomes impassable as WW2 takes place and Magda continues to revere her Fuhrer…
The book begins with Leah, as an elderly woman, receiving a letter from Magda, after many decades of non-communication have passed. The author has Leah tell her story in her own words, in narrative form. In alternating chapters, Magda tells her story of the war and its aftermath through the letter that she has sent to Leah, in hopes that her former friend will actually read it. This makes for a very powerful, tense, and heart-rending novel. A must for readers of historical fiction.

THE CHILDREN OF BERLIN by SHARON MAAS is the bittersweet WW11:story of two young girls, one a Jew and the other a gentile, who grow up together in Berlin and are best friends, until Magda Bosch, at fifteen, becomes enamoured with Hitler and his plans for Germany. It is not long before she joins the Hitler youth and becomes a full blown Nazi. At first Leah Gottliebs does not believe Magda’s brother Markus when he tells her not to trust his sister…..
We come across Leah in Bexhill-On-Sea in England in 1963 where she receives a lengthy letter from Magda, which serves as a background to the horrific experiences Leah and her family, and the Jews in general, went through during the war.
It is a cleverly written novel in which we see bravery and loving family valuess against the backdrop of hatred for the Jews and those who refused to support Hitler’s madness.
Will reconciliation and forgiveness ever be possible or have things gone too far?…..
I found the novel interesting and inspirational, with a beautiful love story, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre.
I was given a free copy of the book by Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

My first novel by Maas, and she does Historical Fiction proud. This novel moved me in so many ways.
Berlin, 1933

Two best friends Leah and Magda make different choices when Hitler comes into power. They grew up best friends and the had crushes on each other brothers. Magda has decided to join the Hitler Youth, which hurts Leah because she knows of Hitler’s hatred of Jews. Magda’s brother Markus does not follow into his sisters’ footsteps. Leah and Markus bond together.

Markus and Magda become estranged with their beliefs and Leah loses her best friend.
This novel follows many years of the life of each of these young adults and the choices they make. They each have to live with the consequences.

A powerful and gut-wrenching novel about family, sacrifices, love and betrayal. I look forward to more of this authors novels

I have read many WorldWar 2 novels, but it is Sharon Maas who stirs my emotions and splits my heart in two with her indepth storyline, research of the time-line and brilliant writing style.
The story is told through the perspective of two teenage best friends in Berlin. One Jewish, the other Aryan, and how the war separated the bond they never thought would break.

The book is heartbreaking as we see the atrocities and devastation the Germans, under Hitlers regime caused.

For those who have read The Tatooist of Auschwitz, The Alice Network, etc
I highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgally and Sharon Maas
for the ARC. All opinions are freely given and my own.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC of The Children of Berlin by Sharon Maas. This novel begins with two teenage girls living in Berlin before the war and the atrocities that would pull them in different directions. Magda, an aryan German gets swept away by the National Socialist Party and pulls ever so slowly away from her best friend who happens to be Jewish. The story highlights not only the horrors of what the Jewish population was subjected to but also allows a glimpse into how the German population was able to turn a blind eye to it. The question I’ve often asked myself is how could people be so blind but the author, in a poignant way, explains through Magda’s views how the average German living in Berlin was able to reason away the atrocities committed by their government. After all, how could sane people believe a government could be so cold, callous and calculating towards their own people. It definitely gave me reason to think and, of course, also question myself a lot more about what the average citizen was thinking during that moment in time. It’s a story I would recommend to others.

I am so glad I picked this book up, I adore this author’s stories and this was another story that touched my heart – it was a wonderful story and it is one that will stay with me!

I thought that the story was very well written and I loved the way that the author chose to tell the story with the view from Leah being told to the reader in person and the story from Magda being retrospective by letter – I really enjoyed that approach.

This was a book that captured me from the cover and the blurb, reading the story itself, the author drew me in, and the book held my attention right to the end. The book took me through quite few emotions, and she brought the setting, and the characters to life so well and I really did feel for Leah and can only imagine some of the horrors that people went through.

I thought that they were very well-developed characters that were believable and worked really well together and with the plot. I loved being taken back in time again by this author – I have had a real binge on books in this era and period lately and this was one that will stay with me, it was heart-wrenching at times but so well done. I loved reading the end too and the author explains the link from some of the characters in the book to real people that she used as the inspiration for the story.

It is 5 stars from me for this one – very highly recommended and I love that cover too!!

Lots of emotions reading this one! Had my attention from start to finish… I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day. Can't wait for more from this amazing author What an absolute cracker of a book!!!… sucked me straight in… absolutely addictive page turner… absolutely absorbed me… compelling, page-turning… will keep you up late at night

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

As an original Dutch girl, with grandparents surviving the 2nd world War and listening to their stories, I always have been drawn to 2nd World War books. Growing up in Amsterdam and visited the Anne Frank Museum so many times, the stories get to me every time.

Imagine yourself with your best friend. Friends from when you were young kids. Your parents being friends and seeing each other daily. Swearing to each other that nothing will ever come between you. But what if you are a Jewish girl and your best friend joins the nazis. I have never understood how you can love a person one day, but hate the same person the next day...only because someone else is telling you to do so.
That is the story of ‘The Children in Berlin’ by Sharon Maas.

It's the story of Leah, a Jewish girl and her best friend Magda who wants to be a proud German. The story starts as Leah received a letter from Magda, in which she tries to explain or excuse why she became a monster. The letter takes you back just before Hitler got power. The letter is written from Magdas POV and Sharon brilliantly let you in on Leah her memories of the events Magda describes in her letter (in Leah her POV). The story takes you all the way through the war and the heartache. The opposite views and experiences of Magda and Leah are so well written that it just sucks you in. I hate spoilers, so I won’t go into details.

I couldn't put this book aside. I read it holding my breath, I cried, I hated, I loved, I understood....I think I have gone through every emotion there is. How I admire Leah...her love, her strength and her willingness to eventually forgive. This may sound weird, but a part of me understood Magda her wish for a better life. I was, and still am amazed by how easy it can be to brainwash people. Targeting young naive children and turning them in horrific human beings. I wish we learned from that, but it's still happening around the world. This book just swept me away and even writing this review I'm overwhelmed with emotions. If I could I would give it 10 stars.

This is a story of WWII. Two young women, best of friends, Leah a Jew and Magda who becomes part of the Nazi party. The story is told from the viewpoints of Leah and Magda. It is a compelling story that is hard to read but at the same time hard to put down. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

A coming of age story during the Nazi era, one a dedicated Nazi, the other a Jewish girl. Two friends, as close as sisters, who are driven apart by politics.