I have read many books based in the WWII time frame, and love those that tell a story in a way I haven't heard it before. Hidden Among the Stars introduces Austrians Max Dornbach and Annika Knopf, childhood playmates who have grown up in very different worlds. Max is the son of very wealthy parents, while Annika is the daughter of the caretaker of his family's summer home. As the Nazis take over Austria, Max stands between two worlds. In one, he is in love with Jewish musician, Luzia Weiss and helping his Jewish friends hide their valuables. In the other, he is the son of a prominent banker, and expected to join the Nazi party. Annika has loved Max, almost as long as she's known him, but when he brings Luzi to the estate to hide her, will she keep his secret?

Callie Reynolds runs a bookstore, and loves her quiet life as Story Girl to the local children. When her sister buys her a vintage copy of Bambi, Callie is excited to find not only a name - Annika Knopf - inside the cover, but a cryptic list hand-written within the story. As she searches for answers, she begins to find connections to her own story, and to the story of an old family friend. Will she risk stepping out of her comfort zone for a chance to find answers for her friend, and possibly new love for herself?

Wow. I did not expect this book to go in the direction it went! I love that the characters from the past are just as vivid, with just as strong personalities, as the characters from the present. This is a wonderful story of lost/found love, lost/found family and lost/found treasure. It is a definite recommendation from me!

Really enjoyed this wonderful read from Ms. Dobson. She weaves together an amazing story with characters that are rich and believeble

“When your heart is yanked out, it’s hard to cram it back into your chest again.”
That's the perfect line from this book. The struggles and deep wounds of war are not easily overcome, nor are they easy to read. They are, however, necessary for the world to understand the depravity of the past sk they we might not repeat it in our future.
Hidden Among the Stars is a beautifully written dual timeline that speaks of hope and family with a passion that shredded my heart and stitched it together again
Excellent. Excellent novel.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I find this book being hard to review, because I need to think about why I am not wholly satisfied here. I love this authoress, so why this novel feel so flat to me?
The stories are interesting - both Calli and Josh´s American/modern side of the story and Annika, Max and Luzi´s Austrian/historical side of the story. The stories both have their strenghts and maybe weaknesses - the modern part takes on topic about breaking the walls of fear and enter into the light and the possibilities; the historical part is more about the evil and redemption in the Nazi-saddled Austria just before the WW2. The modern part is lighter and has some very cute parts - like Calli being a bookstore co-owner and a lover of children book older and new (yay!). I am very grateful for all the info about the books for children, their authors and their personal stories and I also think that more adults should reads these books (and YA, too), because they contains uch wisdom. Tales are, after all, the pure stories about the fights of good against evil. Yet, the potential love story here falls quite flat, as if their part was written simply because it is a good fit for the story.
As for the historical part - it is quite well-researched. I am in awe for all the hard work of the authoress (and maybe some collaborators). I also like how she was not trying to save her characters from the hardships, and all the main characters (Annika, Max and Luzi) suffer much (I find this part of the storytelling being very honest, even if it is quite heartbreaking).
Yet - the final parts of the historical story somehow does not fit well for me. I do not wish to spoil here, so I can only say that while I get Annika, I do not get Luzi and Hermann (Hermann the most, as there is a possible selfish and cowardly motif for him - never disputed and researched).
Maybe the love parts are what suck here - Annika comes off as a purest character, Max the second. But the other characters? Friends and family are believable in loving each others, but men and women feel flat together. And movie-y like.
My nation has also never made full, humility-driven peace with its own Nazi past and these forces are on the rise in Europe, again - so we should think hard about the causes of this evil and its spread. The novel never goes there. (I know, these questions are my own and there is no reason why the authoress should go there. Yet I miss the broader discussion questions about the causes of the evil).
The book is also a bit preachy for me - as if such an evil was ever explainable easily! Do not get me wrong, I can attest to all the standpoints made in the book - yet the statements feel like they try to explain all the pain swiftly and easily, with few sentences. Yet - this is not always possible. The pain sometimes is also a cross to bear, and one is called again and again to make their heart being like a Christ´s.

So maybe this is what feels flat - this is more a message than a storytelling. Which is not wrong - yet this is not my cup of coffee.

Yet for the second time - I have learned something there and it made me feel, think and understand. Even writing this review has made me think! And this is always good. Hence the high ratings - anything that makes their reader think is a good work.

"Only God knows the entire score of our lives , but we all have our assigned parts, measures to sing solo or with a choir."

Modern time - Callie and her sister have a bookstore, and she reads stories to children. She hides painful things in her life and needs someone she can trust in her life. She blogs about second hand books they bring into the store, and is given one that belonged to an Austrian girl just before Hitler took their country over. It's interesting to go back in time (1938) and learn more about her and those in her life at that time. The story weaves back and forth through both times, and is so well written it leaves you on the edge of your seat wondering how it will turn out for those in both time frames. Who would ever dream that someone like Hitler could ever come along. Sure, we all have people who don't like us for one reason or another, but never on the scale that was. Who would dream up the torture and mistreatment at that time and the evil that some could commit on others. Thankfully very few, but we all deal with situations in our own way. This is a very good story in a beautiful setting. I don't like to see books come to and end, but I needed to get to the end to know what happened.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
#HiddenAmongTheStars #MelanieDobson #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #5Stars

From Novel PASTimes:

In most dual-time period novels I prefer the historical line more than the contemporary one. In Melanie Dobson’s new novel, Hidden Among the Stars, I was deeply immersed in both. In the contemporary line we meet Callie, a bookstore owner who reads stories to children and is comfortable living in the secluded nest of Mount Vernon, Ohio. This appealed to me because I live nearby. The author has definitely been here as everything she described was completely accurate from the hiking trail to the Ohio State campus. That was a bonus, however, because the world of children’s stories and the compelling backstory of Callie and her sister and their mysterious but loving mentor Charlotte kept me turning pages.

Likewise the stories of Annika and the boy she admires Max and the girl he longs to marry Luzia set in Austria at the onset of WWII was so vividly drawn and compelling that I could not say which storyline I preferred.

The stories are tied together at the beginning. We know what the mystery is about: A bookstore owner discovers a cryptic list in an old book and finds herself linked to the story of a mysterious Austrian castle, where priceless treasures were hidden in the early days of WWII. We, along with Callie, suspect that Charlotte, who spent time in an orphanage in France during the war, has some connection to this old book that no one yet understands, not even Charlotte. All the characters, even Josh the man that Callie finds herself drawn to, have pasts that make it hard for them to trust and love again, and that makes a reader root for them all.

The faith element is clear in this novel and the characters cling to the hope that Jesus brings into their lives. If I have any complaint, it’s very slight. I thought the first time Josh tells Callie about his faith it seemed more like a sermon than a conversation. However, when it comes up later it flows naturally within the story. And when you are dealing with personal loss (contemporary) and persecution of the Jews (historical) clinging to one’s faith is expected. The novel did not come off preachy in my opinion.

In the Author’s Note, Melanie explains that she indeed has been to the places she writes about. From a bookstore in a small Ohio town to a castle beside a lake in Austria, these places spoke to her and they certainly spoke to me as I read the story, not just as interesting locations, but as places where common people lived, loved, and did the best they could to overcome obstacles and evil. I loved this book. I think you will too!

4.5 stars
A solid WW2 story with dashes of contemporary and plenty of emotional moments.
I found that I was more captured by the historic characters (after all, they were the ones in danger) than the modern ones, though Callie and Charlotte weren’t unsympathetic by any means. Annika at first repelled me by her attitude (not quite sure why, except of how she was convinced her life was bad, but we have the comparison to Luzi’s lot and see how much worse it could get)—so for me I loved that she grew so much as a character into the girl who did the most heroic thing in the story. Luzi I loved quite easily, and Callie too, though I didn’t feel like I “knew” Max and Josh quite as well.

Definitely recommended, and be sure to have a box of Kleenex handy!

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.

Hidden among the Stars is a masterfully written novel that gripes you from the first chapter to the last. With dual timelines you have both a contemporary story and a historical story write during the start World War II, that are beautifully woven together in unexpected ways.

In the contemporary story you meet Callie, “The Story Girl” a small bookstore owner who has a mission to reunite objects left in books with their owners. When given a copy of Bambi for her birthday she embarks on a Journey that brings more that she ever expected. In the historical timeline you will follow Annika, Max and Luzia as their worlds are turned upside down in 1938 With treasure hunting in both stories you will find the true treasure is often not what you expected it to be.

Melanie Dobson, the author has written a beautiful story that shows some of the people who were brave enough to fight against the Nazis, even if in small ways. With danger, mystery, love, hate, sacrifice and loss Hidden Among the Stars is a story that will not soon be forgotten.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. This is no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

Bookseller Callie "Story Girl" needs an adventure. She has overcome a broken engagement but has failed to move forward with her life. She hides among the carefully chosen books of the shop she runs with her sister. An old copy of Bambi turns out to be the key to her future. Written in the margins of the book are an inventory list and Callie sets out to unravel the mystery. Help comes from an OSU history professor and background comes from the surviving children of an estate in Idaho. There's another story in the book from the German occupation of Austria during WWII. For the reader, this gives the background of the mystery list in the pages of the Bambi book. It's a clever story, serving up a piece of history.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts.

“Fear… was a curious thing. Motivating some to hurt and others to heal.”

This theme of fear causing one to hurt or heal others was present and captivating throughout. It definitely got me thinking deeper as I advanced through the chapters.

The complexities of this exquisite time-slip story were numerous yet not difficult to follow. I was thrown off a teensy bit when we first slipped into present-day America, as I was expecting this to be a story fully immersed in WWII (I don’t often read book blurbs, because they so many times contain spoilers). However, I found myself enjoying Callie’s modern adventure as much as I was Annika’s, Luzi’s, and Max’s historical ones.

The characters were each amazing. From the elderly to the children and all the ages between, they had great personalities that were very much each character’s own unique voice, and they all brought something special to the tale. Mischief, secrets, crushes, and loves… there was plenty to keep me interested and guessing along the journey.

When the climax arrived, I became a mushy mess. Yep, I was crying. Why? Well, I can’t give everything away! But seriously, the grand finale was definitely worth the emotional read, y’all. This was my kind of book through and through, but that finish? That capped it off as a favorite for me.

A couple of minor things that drove me a bit batty:

The opening quote was not from the Bible, as expected with Christian fiction; rather, it was from “Apocrypha.”

The opening line of the entire book was a fragment. I understand sentence fragments are used in fiction, but when they open the story, that, to me, does not set a good tone. This story, thankfully, did not carry as many fragments as I expected from that beginning, so it overcame that tone-setter, but I don’t recommend other writers begin their stories this way as it can be off-putting and unsettling for the reader.

Content: alcohol (including being used as a sleeping medication once), tobacco, expletive, rape

Honestly, I had a hard time starting this book. It wasn’t because I thought the introduction was boring, or because the writing style was full of errors, because the introduction was anything but boring and I didn’t notice any errors. No, I didn’t want to start this book because I knew I would get pulled into it; I would get drawn to the characters and then tragedy would hit. I don’t like sad books. I’m the type of girl who re-imagines happy endings in my head if the written endings aren’t happy enough for me. However, I also wanted a challenge. I wanted to read a book that was different from normal. And now that it’s over, I’m so glad I read it. Because, you see, Melanie Dobson tells a fascinating story in Hidden Among the Stars, and while it may not end like I would have written it, the ending is happy in a realistic way and leaves the reader thinking about Biblical truths instead of just feeling a fluffy, happily ever after high. So, who would I recommend this book for? I would recommend this for those who enjoy contemporary and historical books since this book takes place in the past and now. I would recommend it for those who enjoy reading about the hardships that took place during World War II, specifically what happened to the Jews. I would not recommend it to those looking for a light read because this book will send you on an emotional roller coaster. But do, I recommend this book to those who are brave enough? Yes, I do. It was definitely worth the emotions.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4.5 Stars rounded up. I have been reading a lot of historical fiction surrounding WWII, so when I saw reviews popping up for this book, I decided it would be one that I would enjoy. I am very glad I made that decision. The story is about the plight of the Austians after Hitler marched in and took over the country.

Callie is a bookstore owner in small town America. When she receives an old copy of Bambi, written by Austrian Felix Saltern, she carefully looks over the book. Not only does she find the original owner's name in the book, Annika, but she finds lists of valuables hidden among the pages. She is not able to read it, but once it is translated, it leads her on a journey to find Annika or her family to return the book. She also finds a picture of a man named Max that sends her in another direction. Meeting up with a professor that is heading to Austria to try and recover treasure dumped by the Nazis as they fled the allies, they form a bond that leads them both to Austria. There is a second book that also has important clues to the past. Charlotte, Callie's foster mother of sorts, has had this book since she was a child dropped off at an orphanage in France during the war.

In the second storyline, we go back in time to Austria in 1938, where Annika is the daughter of the caretaker of an estate in the lake region of Austria. The castle is owned by a wealthy Viennese family as their summer house. Annika is in love with the owner's son, Max, but does he share her love? It seems Max is in love with a young Jewess, Luzia Weiss, who is in danger in this nazi occupied country along with so many others.

Melanie Dobson weaves a marvellous tale of two times, separated by an ocean and 80 years. The lives of several characters are brought together by a simple children's book. It is a story of the terror of the Nazi regime and the lives of the Jewish people devastated during the holocaust. It is also the story of what happens to those left behind and the generations that followed them. What happened to Annika, Luzia, Max, Marta and the rest of their families? I was captivated by this story and read it in a couple of days. It is emotional and gripping, and the characters will linger in your heart for a long time to come. It’s a novel about, as the author says, “ordinary people who resisted evil in their own extraordinary way”. A must read from intriguing start to compelling finish! All in all I found this book to be a remarkable story, recommended to all lovers of Historical Fiction, especially during the WWII time. The publisher, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., generously provided me with a copy of this book to read. The rating, opinions and ideas shared are my own.

Melanie Dobson is one of my favorite authors, and I am glad to say that she has triumphed once again. This novel is emotionally poignant and touching. I loved how the story of Bambi is connected to the story. Overall, I recommend this for fans of Lucinda Riley’s Seven Sisters series.

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. 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 Bambi that connects her to Annika’s story . . . and maybe to the long-buried story of a dear friend.

After reading Catching the Wind by Ms. Dobson, I was really excited to learn about this book. She has a way with writing stories that alternate between current day and the past and this book was no exception. Sometimes you begin to think that there have been so many stories told about World War 2, there can be nothing new to write. But this story, while dealing with hiding of Jewish treasures, was different from any I have read so far. She also throws in a few surprises and this one included just such a twist. I really enjoyed the characters in the story and how she makes them so believable that you hate the bad ones and love the good ones.

I really hope that she adds more to her collection of stories involving the war and how it effected people during that time, as well as, people today. I sometimes think we are beginning to forget the war and I think that it is great there are those who help us remember through the stories they write. I received a free copy of this book. The comments are my own.

I absolutely loved this book! Full review can be found on Hope by the Book website. www.hopebythebook.com

Hidden Among the Stars by Melanie Dobson is a fantastic novel set in World War II. I love reading novels set in this time period and have read quite a few. What sets this book apart is the dual time periods of World War II and present day, stories that interweave with each other. Full of suspense and pain, love and sacrifice, this novel is a great read for anyone who loves historical fiction and for anyone who loves great storytelling. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Hidden Among the Stars
by Melanie Dobson
Tyndale House Publishers
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Christian , Historical Fiction
Pub Date 04 Sep 2018

I am reviewing a copy of Hidden Among the Stars through Tyndale House Publishers and Netgalley:


It's 1938 when Austrian Max Dornbach promises to help his Jewish Friends hide their most valuable possessions as the Nazi troops are sweeping through Vienna. He smuggled the items from the Nazi's, and hides them at his picturesque summer estate at Hallstatt. He asks for Annika Knopf, his friend from childhood as well as the caretakers daughter for help. She readily agrees, still in love with Max. After Max snuggles in Lucia Weiss, a young Jewish Woman to hide in the castle. It not only Annika's feelings but could put everything at jeopardy. Especially after the Nazi's come to this state to find both the treasure and Lucia gone.



Eight decades later Callie Randall is happy and content with her quiet life, she runs a bookstore with her sister and reaching out into the world with her blog. But she finds a cryptic list in an old edition of Bambi, one that connects her to Annika's story and possibly to the long buried story of a good friend. Digging into the past means Callie must venture out of her safe world of her making to find answers and possibly even now.

I give Hidden Among the Stars five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This was an amazing story. I haven't read very many stories that switched eras like this one did. Callie's quest for answers to the mystery she came across in an old book was intriguing. The story from the war was both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I was quite surprised by the twist near the end. I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes to read about World War II.
I appreciated the discrete way in which difficult scenes were described. Once there was an attempted rape, which was the closest I found myself to being uncomfortable with the book; later there was a rape but it was not described.
I received a free ecopy of this book from NetGalley and chose to write a review.

Hidden Among the Stars is a powerful dual timeline story—definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year.
The past story begins in Austria in 1938, just after Adolf Hitler has annexed the country. Anyone who knows anything of twentieth century history suspects this isn’t going to end well. Max is the only son of a well-off Vienna banker. Luzi is the Jewish violinist he loves, and Annika is the daughter of a family servant … who loves Max.

The present story is that of Calisandra Anne Randall. Callie is the half-owner of a children’s bookstore in small-town Ohio. The bookstore has been Callie’s refuge since she was a child. Now she’s making it a place where the next generation of children meet and come to love some of her favourite fictional characters.

Callie sells both new and secondhand books, and often finds things hidden in the books she sells. But Bambi is different. It’s not just the photograph hidden inside the book that captures her attention. It’s the German words written between the lines of the book. Callie’s attempts to find the story behind the book lead her to Austria and a mystery that’s almost eighty years old.

There were so many things that impressed me about Hidden in the Stars. The way the two plot lines intertwined and intersected. The characters. The writing. The excellent historical research. The faith aspect. It all adds up to a lot more than the cover promised. And I was equally invested in the past and present stories, which is rare. (Yes, I’m one of those readers who usually wants to skip forward and read only half the story.)

The writing was excellent. My writer/editor self I was especially impressed by the way the author combined first person present tense for the contemporary story with third person past tense for the historical story. Mixing first and third person is not a technique for beginners. Mixing present and past tense is even more impressive. That Melanie Dobson managed to do both seamlessly is outstanding writing.

The historical research never overwhelmed the story. It was good to read a novel set in Austria rather than the more traditional Germany. And it was wonderful to read a story that didn’t have any obvious historical inaccuracies yet managed to share new information. (The author’s note at the end explained a couple of things I’d wondered about.)

I was also impressed by the way the Christian elements were woven into the plot. The first half had very few religious references—Jewish or Christian. The second half brought out many truths about the nature of God, and the nature of good and evil. Unfortunately, World War II taught us a lot about evil … if we care to learn.

Recommended for fans of dual timeline stories with a hint of romance from authors like Kristy Cambron, Heidi Chiavaroli, and Cathy Gohlke. Thanks to Tyndale House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

I really have come to enjoy Historical Fiction and especially in cases where the past and the present come togetherCome on a journey to Austria and the village of Hallstatt where the adventure begins. Joining the journey is Annika Knopf and her friend Max Dornbach as they see the changing times of Hitler's Regime and how it is putting a strain on their friendship.

The story goes from Austria to the USA with Callie Randall, a bookstore and an old rare book. Inside the pages of a book is a cryptic message that Callie is intent on solving with the help of some friends. What happens when the past collides with the present day? What mysteries are hidden and just waiting to be unearthed?

Will Annika Knopf and Max Dornbach find love or will the war that is raging around them tear them apart? What secrets are between them that will remain hidden or be unearthed? What secrets are found within the pages of the old book? Will Callie be content just sitting by and not solving a mystery? Or will she move out of her comfort zone? Or will she be content in staying where she is at?

Melaine Dobson takes you on this journey where the past has laid hidden for so long and is just waiting to be discovered. Come on this journey that links the past with the present and the mysteries that are just waiting to be solved. Are they found within the pages of an old book?

What happened to Annika, Max, Luiza? What happens to Callie? To discover the answers to these and many more questions you will have to step between the pages of this book Hidden Among the Stars by Melanie Dobson.