A compelling story that i just had to keep reading. The book covers the harrowing aspects of life in Auschwitz, bu was not as disturbing to read as some others have been. It revolves around the stories of too young women who find themselves in a living hell and become firm friends who are determined to survive.. How true it is, i do not know, but as an emotion read it fits the bill and had me hooked. I would recommend it

Thank you to net galley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for review based upon my honest opinion.

This is the second book that I have read from this author and as much as I enjoyed the last one this one was so moving, so the haunting, it almost felt like you were reading an autobiography not a fictional story.  After reading the authors notes, I realized how much time, effort and research were put into this book and it really came through. You really got the feeling of the time and could feel the terror that these women and their families endured in Auschwitz. The story of Eva and Sophie and their friendship, their loves, and the lives that they lead were so moving. Definitely have a Kleenex with you when you’re reading this book. Will definitely be reading more books from this author I really like her style and depth of story.

A truly amazing novel of the Holocaust.  A very powerful and riveting read.  Almost impossible to put down.  A compelling account of the atrocities of WWII.

Phenomenal read.!!!

The Child of Auschwitz is a emotional historical novel loosely based on a true story. It is well written and a must read.

This book, though based on apparently true events, does not ring true at all. This is a Holocaust novel you should avoid. There are so many more out there that give a more realistic portrayal.

Based loosely around the true story of a woman who gave birth in Auschwitz, it is a beautiful story of love, heartbreak and hope.

If you enjoy WWII fiction this highlights the terrors men and women endured in Auschwitz, but he characters are likeable and Eva's hopeful outlook makes it an enjoyable and emotional read. 

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

It’s difficult to describe how beautiful and how heartbreaking this book is.

We all know about the horrors of Auschwitz, but this makes it so much more real, as we get to experience it through the eyes of the characters of this book. Although the characters are fictional, they feel so real, and of course, they reflect the true stories of Auschwitz.

The story is so compelling, and I loved the way it flicked back and forth between the characters’ lives before and during their time in Auschwitz. These were just ordinary people living their lives, who were thrown into this living hell.

The descriptive passages are very evocative and the whole novel feels so authentic. It’s so well written and flows so well, I couldn’t put it down.

This is a book that will stay with me for a long time, it’s an absolute must-read.

This is truly one of the best books that I have read in a long time!   I stayed up all night long reading this book.  I love anything about Auschwitz and this one was one of my favorites.  It is the story of families separated in the Camps and searching for each other.  Who lives and who dies?  How do you have a baby in Auschwitz and expect to survive??    Families sent to hell and the fight for survival.  This book brought tears to my eyes a few times.  This is a 5+ star book!!!   Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am speechless. 

  I couldn't put it down in certain areas so I just kept reading through the night. 

Most people know the pain the Nazi's inflicted, but I felt an intimate connection to Eva and Sophie and their time in Auschwitz.  The horrors they witnessed and went through brought tears to my eyes. All through the days and nights, these women held on to hope no matter how ridiculous in the face of the evil they lived with. They kept themselves alive. 

This book affected me so much. I dont believe I will soon forget the anguish faced, the people lost and the child born in this story. It will stay with me for many nights to come.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Emotionally raw new about the hortos experienced in a concentration camp. The characters are well-written and relatable.   I loved the ending.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a quick read and a pretty good story. It took a little time to get into and there were a few times when I kept mixing up Eva and Sofie, but overall worth the time to read it.

"I was born into a world that had forbidden my existence.

The simple fact of me, had any of the authorities known, would have been enough to end my life before it had even begun. Still, I came. Small, and half-starved, yet determined to be alive, on one of the coldest nights in one of the darkest places in human history"

Could a baby been born in Auschwitz and survive? It seems impossible and yet it is true. Generally babies were routinely killed in the camps for they could do no work...in fact they kept their mothers from working. So to both be born and to survive is an incredible tale worth telling. Though fictionalised, THE CHILD OF AUSCHWITZ is a heartbreaking yet brave story based on that of Vera Bein, who gave birth to her daughter Angela on the top bunk in her barracks at Auschwtiz in December 1944.

"I barely made a sound, my underdeveloped lungs unable to allow me to cry. It would make my life hard, a price I would pay for all my years, but it is why I survived.
You see, there were children born in Auschwitz.
And I was one of them."

The story begins in the present day in Prague. An elderly woman is sifting through letters written in another time, another place. Letters her mother had written, telling the story of a story that began long before she was born. It was time. She had put it off for far too long waiting for the right moment to tell this story - her mother's story.

"She put her glasses back on her nose, and turned over a fresh sheet of paper. Then she touched the photograph in its gilt frame that was always on her desk, of a young, thin woman with very short dark hair and a baby in her arms.
She had one last story to tell.
Theirs.
And it began in hell on earth."

Prague, 1938. Eva was a young aspiring artist when she met Michal. She would listen to him play his violin each day and leave him a little something in return. He was a violinist in a symphony orchestra and one day he reciprocated the gift with two tickets to see him play. Michal affectionately called her "peach girl" because of the first gift she had left him was a peach.

It wasn't long before Eva knew she was in love and that they would be married. But there was unrest in Czechoslovakia in light of the Nazi occupation in Austria with Jews being stripped of their basic human rights. But Eva's uncle declared them to be safe and should it come to that they could make their escape.

Amidst all the unrest, Eva and Michal married, taking residence in his little flat, while he played in his symphony and she studied art. But then the Nazis came...and Jews were forbidden to attend school, to own a business, a house - anything.

Prague, 1942. Eva Adami had only been married for twelve months when the Nazis took Michal away. He was sent to Jewish ghetto Terezin, a concentration camp just north of Prague. A few short months later, Eva and her parents followed and she was delighted to be reunited with Michal, and although still separated they were able to see one another frequently. But it wasn't long before Michal was sent to Auschwitz...and Eva was devastated. So when the opportunity arose Eva volunteered to be sent there also...in order to find her husband.

For two days, Eva endured the long train journey with her new friend Sofie Weis, whom she met in Terezin, being treated like nothing short of an animal. She is tired, hungry, thirsty and in shock. For Eva, Sofie and thousands of Jews, nothing could prepare them for the horrors that await them at Auschwitz. They are sorted into groups - right to work, left to the gas chambers - then are told to remove their clothes, standing naked before the guards, their heads are shaved and numbers are tattooed on their arms. Like starving animals they then scramble through a pile of dirty clothing to cover themselves. The nightmare has begun.

Eva and Sofie find comfort in their friendship as life in Auschwitz begins. They have both been separated from loved ones with plans to find them...and they both came to Auschwitz for that purpose. Eva to find her beloved Michal, and Sofie to find her cousin Lotte who betrayed her when she informed the Germans that she and her family were feeling the country, therefore separating Sofie from her baby son Tomas. Lotte had placed Tomas somewhere safe while she was sent here to Auschwitz. And Sofie was determined to find her.

In Auschwitz, Eva and Sofie meet Helga and Vanda, sharing a bunk together in their awful accommodation, with their days spent being lined up and counted twice daily, standing in the freezing cold rain and snow. The guards are cruel, taking great pleasure in humiliating them, making them stand in the cold for hours. But like any prison, there are favours to be had and currency in the form of anything to gain them that favour. Even for the smallest request. Eva and Sofie soon learn the system and how to best take advantage of it to survive. Sofie has caught the eye of one of the guards, Meier, and she uses that to her advantage. So when Eva discovers Michal is in the camp hospital, after months of searching for him, Sofie makes a choice to succumb to Meier's demands so that Eva can spend half an hour with her husband.

Soon the target of an especially nasty guard, Hinterschloss, who takes enormous pleasure in humiliating her, Eva is forced to into doing hard labour on a railway which is a 3km walk away. She is being worked to death, is thin with starvation and malnutrition, and barely has the strength to remain standing. She is then told the distressing news that Michal has been moved to a factory camp where they build airplanes for the Nazis. While Eva would prefer him to be here with her, she knows he is much safer there. And then, not thinking that it was remotely possible, Eva soon discovers that she is pregnant. Eva knows she must hide her pregnancy from the guards, as killing pregnant women had been known to occur.

Then one night, in January 1945, after receiving the most devastating news, Eva goes into labour...and her baby daughter is born on the top bunk of their barracks, her existence hidden from the guards. But she is small, her lungs are under developed and they are sure she will not survive.

Eva and Sofie know that they cannot last much longer in Auschwitz. The conditions are appalling, the food inedible (what there is of it), and if the war doesn't end soon, the are sure they will die there if they cannot get out alive. The two women make a promise to each other that they WILL survive this together, and in the event that they don't that they look after each other's children - to find baby Tomas and to keep Eva's baby safe.

When I started THE CHILD OF AUSCHWITZ, I thought it was going to be primarily about a child growing up in Auschwitz but it was more about the friendships of the women there. Together, they helped each other survive the harsh conditions, offering comfort and words of encouragement. The friendship between Eva and Sofie is one of loyalty as they continually put their lives on the line for each other again and again. It is a story of love, of friendship, of selflessness, extending beyond the confines of the camp and its horrifying conditions.

Told in varying timelines, THE CHILD OF AUSCHWITZ is a novel, not a memoir. Beginning in the present day, the story then unfolds in the dual time of 1938 and 1942 with heartbreaking realism. The flow between the timelines is seamless and is woven together magnificently with such precise detail.

THE CHILD OF AUSCHWITZ is a beautifully written, harrowing tale of unimaginable horrors and abuse that is both heartwrenching and touching. In the midst of the abhorrent conditions this is also a story of hope.

When I began THE CHILD OF AUSCHWITZ I really wasn't sure what to expect, but it left me in tears as I read the final chapters.

A compelling read that is so beautifully written of a harrowing time, THE CHILD OF AUSCHWITZ is both heartbreaking and uplifting...and unforgettable. The best story of Auschwitz I have read and my first by Lily Graham.

I would like to thank #LilyGraham, #NetGalley and #Bookouture> for an ARC of #TheChildOfAuschwitz in exchange for an honest review.

Set in 1942 and Eva Adami has boarded a train to Auschwitz. Separated from her husband Michal, who was sent there six months earlier she is hoping to be reunited with him there but when she arrives at Auschwitz, there is no sign of Michal. . When Eva realises she is pregnant she fears she has endangered both the lives of herself and a friend. The women promise to protect each other’s children, should the worst occur. 

I found this a heart-breaking story of survival, where life or death relies on the smallest chance and happiness can be found in the darkest times. This book held me captive till the end which I was not expecting and which moved me to heaving sobs at the end of the book. If a book can do that through words the the writer obviously knows how to write and get through to their readers.

I was born ... on one of the coldest nights in one of the darkest places in human history.

It’s a perfect beginning for this book. The story of Eva and Sofie, two friends sent to Auschwitz, is blood chilling and heart warming. This may sound like an oxymoron, but in this case, it’s more ironic. The horrific atrocities witnessed and endured are unfathomable, but alongside such deep evil the light of hope and courage and love burns bright. 

The writing style is engaging, with plenty of dialogue and character depth. The astounding act of getting pregnant in such a hell-hole is crazy enough, but to be able to nurture that pregnancy enough to keep the baby alive, let alone birth and hide a preemie infant, is nothing short of miraculous. I recommend this for anyone who enjoys history, cheering for the underdog, or needs a reminder of the power of a mother’s love.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

Eva Adam boards the train to Auschwitz-Birkenau, naively hoping she will find her husband Michael when she arrives. A week ago, she didn’t believe that camps for extermination even existed. Now, faced with the unimaginable, she must pull every ounce of hope left to survive and possibly find her husband.

Through a series of flashbacks, readers piece together the fabric of Eva and Michaels story, Graham reminds us that every camp inmate had a backstory that mattered. We're reminded of this human element when Eva begins saving photos of families she finds.

Though it can get her killed, it ultimately leads her to Michael. With help from her friend Sofie, who is searching for her own son and cousin after a devastating betrayal, Eva connects with her husband in a peaking moment of hope in the worst place on earth.

Eva births the baby they conceive in Auschwitz with the help of the other weak, but incredibly strong, women around her. Graham reminds us that for anyone, whether a child or inmate of Auschwitz, survival largely depends on trust. And hope, in a place where those things shouldn’t exist at all.

But is hope enough? Do Eva and Sofie survive? Will they reunite with their children and families?

Though many historical fiction novels of this period carry the same message, Lily Graham’s is more poignant in The Child of Auschwitz. Her writing is graceful, yet rough. Unlike other stories, hers doesn't end with a typical liberation of the camps. She reminds us that the happiest of happy endings after Auschwitz isn’t truly happy at all, but full of heartbreak and loss. Do those who make it have a home to return to? Are reunions with survivors who didn’t perish even joyful? Liberation certainly was not the end.

Despite the many WWII era historical fiction novels in publication, The Child of Auschwitz manages to stand out. By focusing on a lesser discussed subject - the children born in Auschwitz - and her unique writing style, Lily Graham sets herself and her book apart. It's truly one of those books that leave you speechless, with tears streaming down your face.

This book....wow.  So moving, so hard to read, such a sweet sweet story of family, friendship, love, all in the midst of the worst circumstances on earth.  Thank you thank you for allowing me the opportunity to review this incredible book!

If I had to sum up this book in one word, it would be hope. Eva survived on hope, as did her daughter. And though the author did an amazing job of describing the horror that Eva and the other women endured, there is no way I could ever even comprehend the conditions at Auschwitz. The most astounding part of this story was that the main character actually gave birth to a daughter and she survived!! I always hesitate to say that books like these are good, because of the subject, but this was a really good book!! 

I received this book from Netgalley and Bookouture for my honest review.

The Child of Auschwitz by Lily Graham was a heart breaking story of death, despair, survival and hope. It's set in a Auschwitz concentration camp in the second world war. You will need tissues for this one. 
It follows the story of Sophie and Eva who were prisoners in a concentration camp. How they became friends, as they struggled to survived in the Auschwitz concentration camp.  

In 1942, Eva Adami boarded a train to Auschwitz. She is exhausted from standing for two days and is pressed against so many bodies within the carriage, she is finding it hard to breathe. She is thinking and hoping to find her beloved husband Michal who was sent there six months earlier. When Eva arrives at  Auschwitz, she does not find Michal, she is shocked on what she see's in front of her. Eva becomes friends with Sophie, who is her bunkmate within her unit she has been put in. Days pass into months and they both learn from each other. Eva's dream and hope was to find her beloved husband Michal but hopes of finding him are becoming slim. Sofie is hoping she will be reunited with her son Tomas who is over the border in an orphanage in Austria. 
Eva, realises and fears she is pregnant and she knows she is putting all their lives endangers. Their friendship becomes stronger and they both promise to protect both of their children if the worst may happen. (don't forget your tissues - You will need them) 

Eva's has the baby. OMG She is so tiny and does not make a sound. She has not cried! But she is breathing but, only just.

Does she survive?

Does Eva find her beloved Husband Michal?

Does Sofie get reunited with her sonTomas?

OMG What a Book (Sniff Sniff) 

Well, You will need to read this book!

I highly Recommend The Child Of Auschwitz. 

This book was inspired by a true story. A young girl called Vera Bein gave birth to her daughter in concentration camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau in December 1944. The baby only weighed just 1kg and was too weak to cry. Records show over 680 children were born in Auschwitz-Birkenau and to date only a handful of them are known to have survived. This book was a great read and an emotional ride to learn how one small child born so tiny survived.


Massive Thank You to NetGalley, Bookoture and Lily Graham for my copy of her new book: The Child Of Auschwitz.

Having read almost the whole book I couldn’t way to pour my thoughts about this book into a review. I’ll update this review upon finishing the book. 
I’m a lover of Historical Fiction, and this book is right up my alley. The way it described the living quarters in Auschwitz, the loneliness, the living conditions, the fear, just beautifully crafted.
At first, the book didn’t quite catch my eye other than the title that sounded interesting but after the first couple chapters, once we get to know Eva and her story, I couldn’t put it down.
Like I said, I’m still working my way through this book but I just wanted to update on my progress. This is a must-read for us Historical Fiction fans.

timeline, netgalley, romance, ww-ii

This is a heartwrenching story of the horrors, abuse and terrors of the lives of Jews at both Terezin and Auschwitz concentration camps. The main characters are two young Jewish women Eva and Sophie. It is written in a split-time format beginning and ending with the elderly daughter of Eva, one time period covers Eva's meeting, romance, and early marriage with her husband Michal, and the last and most prominent is the time in the concentration camps.

Graham paints an excellent picture of life in a concentration camp particularly Auschwitz, and her historical research is evident. It is notated at the beginning that the story is based on true events. I can't even begin to imagine the courage, fortitude, and determination both Eva and Sophie had to live through the horrors with which they were inflicted. The things they had to do to survive were unimaginable. The pace and manner in which Graham built the story to the beautiful ending left me with hope for those who survived and sadness for the majority who didn't.

Well written and I will be looking for other books by this new-to-me author.