Cover Image: Three Sisters

Three Sisters

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This is such a beautiful work of historical fiction! Three sisters promise their father that they’d always stay together, and they do, even as their journey takes them to Auschwitz I didn’t realize that the book was based on a true story and that 2 of the remaining sisters gave the author the story. This book is mesmerizing, 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

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Few books exist that cover the death camp survivors and their lives after rescue. Heather Morris has given just such a story to her readers and it's both inspirational and heart rending. These three sisters, expecting death every day, managed to stay together and keep their faith during some of the darkest days in history. Morris has skillfully brought these sisters to life off the page as we follow their first steps of freedom and beyond. This is not light reading, expect to have your emotions swing as the sisters learn what comes next for them.

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Reading this book transported me to the past. I enjoyed all the other books by this author. The attention to detail and overall writing style is so raw and transports the reader to that time period. I really enjoyed the book the three sisters, I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

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3.5 ⭐️

This was a good book, but it was a typical WW2 story with a side of romance. I liked the sister part, but I think I would have appreciated it more if I had a sister of my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy of this book.

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A Harrowing Story I Can’t Believe Actually Happened

Reading a Holocaust book is always a tough read, but seeing what the three sisters endured added a whole other layer, on top of the fact that this is based on a true story. These sisters really did lose their mother and grandfather and had to deal with Auschwitz, the death marches, and antisemitism.

Cibi, Magda and Livia fight to keep the promise that they made to their father to always be together and help one another no matter what. This is a promise that is increasingly hard to keep as the sisters are separated time and time again as the war rages on and then ends with the whole continent being turned upside down. From death camps to adjusting to freedom in a new country, the sisters each have their own unique stories and experiences, which really adds to the charm and heartbreak of this novel.

As with any WWII Holocaust story I wish this wouldn’t have ever happened to begin with. I think the author did a phenomenal job of keeping the integrity of the sister’s story.

My favorite part was the afterwards at the end of the novel that share notes from those that lived this story, the sisters themselves. There were so many moments that I was reading that I was trying to wrap my mind around the fact that this was based on a true story, but reading these notes really brought it all home. So many didn’t live to tell their stories, but I am so thankful that Cibi, Magda and Livia made it through and lived to tell the tale.

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Three Sisters was the third book by Heather Morris that I had the opportunity to read. It was not my favorite of her books but I appreciated that Heather Morris was able to share the sister’s story with her readers. These stories must continue to be handed down and talked about through future generations so that a Holocaust can never happen again. As in her two previous novels, Heather Morris was able to convey and portray through dialogue and acts the love, anguish, terror, regrets, bravery, courage, determination and resilience all three sisters experienced during the Nazi occupation and their time in Auschwitz/Birkenau. I listened to the audiobook that was brilliantly narrated by Finty Williams. She was able to give distinction between the various characters.

Cibi, Magda and Livia grew up in a loving home in Vranov, Slovakia. The three sisters lived with their mother, father and grandfather. All was well with the girls until the Nazis arrived. Their father asked all three of his daughters when they were still young girls to promise him that they would always stay together and look out for one another. The sisters never allowed themselves to forget that promise they made to their father. When the Nazis ordered Livia, the youngest of the three sisters, to report to the synagogue to work for the Germans, Cibi, the eldest of the three sisters, would not allow Livia to go by herself. It was ten years since the sisters made that promise to their father, but not one of them forgot about it. Cibi was 19 years old in 1942. She would not let Livia go by herself. Cibi insisted that she would accompany Livia and watch out for her. Neither sister could have ever imagined what the German’s intentions were on that fateful day. It was Livia’s and Cibi’s fate that they were brought to Auschwitz by cattle car. Their middle sister, Magda would be spared that fate for now. Magda had been sick and was in the hospital recuperating when the Nazis were making their selections for deportation. For two years after Cibi and Livia were taken to Auschwitz, Magda remained at home but felt remorse and guilt that she was at home and her sisters had been taken away. In 1944, two years after Cibi and Livia had been taken to Auschwitz, Magda, her mother and grandfather were transported to Auschwitz as well. The sisters faced starvation. They were forced to perform strenuous and senseless hard labor each and every day no matter how hot or cold it was outside. The daily brutalities that the evil and hateful guards showed the prisoners were more than anyone should be made to endure. They saw death all around them each day. The sisters helped each other to survive.Then as the war started to go in favor of the Allies, the Nazis made the prisoners of Auschwitz/Birkenau go on a death march. The sisters were lucky enough to escape and hide in the forest for many days until they were finally rescued. When the three sisters made their way back to their childhood home they were disillusioned and disgusted to find someone else living in their home. They discovered that the attitudes of the Slovs toward Jews had not changed much since the end of the war. Even though the war was over and the sisters had suffered unmercifully in the camp, beyond anyone’s comprehension, anti Semitic feelings about the Jews were still present. Cibi, Magda and Livia decided that Israel would become their new home. Once in Israel, it was still hard to lose the memories of what they had endured in Auschwitz. All three sisters found it impossible to eradicate all that they had witnessed and lived through from their thoughts, dreams and daily lives. The ghosts of their past were always present along with some secrets. Could the sisters ever find that carefree and happy life they each sought?

Three Sisters by Heather Morris was inspired by real events. Cibi’s son contacted Heather Morris after reading The Tattooist of Auschwitz to ask her if she would tell her mother’s and aunt’s stories. Heather Morris interviewed and spent quality time with many members of the sister’s family and with each sister so that their story could be told in its entirety. Within the pages of Three Sisters, there were also references to Lale, Gita and Cilka. This powerful and insightful novel was the last in the trilogy. It was commendable that Heather Morris was able to relate all these stories in her three novels. Three Sisters was an exploration of courage, a reminder of how important family is and the continued efforts to keep a most important promise made so long ago.I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen this advanced audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Three Sisters will be available on October 5th.

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If you love historical novels than The Three Sisters is a book for you. I was in a groove of reading books about the Second World War and all the atrocities and miracles that happened during this dark time period.
I am fascinated by the ways that people who were carted off in the dead of night to some horrible prison could still maintain their sanity and even find ways to make life bearable.
The Three Sisters are a case in point. They do what they need to do in order to survive!

This book had me thinking about what I would do in their place. Would I have the courage and determination to see the end of this torture or would my spirit die quickly along with my body?

This is a very good book to read and will open your eyes again to the atrocities that happened during the war. Hopefully humanity will never ever let this happen again.

I received an arc copy of this book for my honest review.

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Historical Fiction is not my normal genre, but I have to say I really enjoyed this book. It was sad to read how they survived, but it was also interesting. It was horrible how they were treated and what they made them do. I would definitely recommend this book.

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THREE SISTERS • Heather Morris • Pub Date: October 19, 2021

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Caveat: I opted to listen to the audiobook, post-publishing date.

Abridged Synopsis: This is the third book in The Tattooist of Auschwitz series. Each book tells individual stories based on true survivors and events in history. This story follows the inspirational lives of three sisters: Livia, Magda, and Cibi. As young girls they beat the odds, surviving years of imprisonment in Nazi Germany's most notorious death camp, Auschwitz. But surviving the camps was only the beginning of their fight for freedom. As the sisters try to build a life for themselves after the war, they must face the ghosts of their past - and some secrets that they have kept from each other - to find true peace and happiness.

It will never feel right to rate or review a book like this one. Having stories like these immortalized is a gift. We should never forget the horrors in our history, else we are doomed to repeat them. But what I especially praise this story for is giving readers EVERYTHING - not just the pain and suffering about life in a concentration camp.

We have all heard about the atrocities that occurred in Auschwitz/Birkenau (and other camps like it) during WWII. But what was always skimmed over was what happened next. There were so many displaced; so many grieving; so many suffering, haunted years after their bodies healed. The story of the three sisters did not shy away from what went into building a life after the camps, after losing their home, and so many loved ones. And equally as important? Readers got to share their journey towards healing and joy as they built not just a life but an entire legacy.

The only thing I missed from this beautifully well-written book was...something new. While Morris clearly did her research, Morris brought nothing new to an over-saturated genre. This book was also less intense and a little less impactful than Morris' prior works. But this does not diminish the importance of recording stories like these, and the impact that the sisters had on me.

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Thank you St. Martin's Press ​and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.
In this emotionally charged narrative, Heather Morris skillfully portrays the stories of three sisters, showcasing their hardships, love, determination, and unwavering strength. The author's personal touch is evident as she delves into the lives of their parents and grandfather, providing a poignant backdrop. The raw emotions and familial connections left me deeply moved. Heather Morris continues to impress, and I eagerly anticipate her future works. This series has really touched me!

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The Three Sisters by Heather Morris was a heartbreaking yet inspiring story, which is on par with Morris' latest novels, "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" and "Cilka's Journey". While Tattooist focused on a love story and Cilka focused on a single person's story, I found the story of sisters to be moving and compelling. In my opinion, there is just something about sibling relationships that persevere through tragic events that tugs on the heart strings a bit more. I also enjoyed the little easter eggs when we come across characters from the other novels. It really took me by surprise and tied the whole lot together. I listened to this on audio and would not recommend it. I found myself missing some details and had to go back to listen several times. I read the other two novels, and found that I could take my time going through them with a bit more focus on detail and, therefore, appreciated the stories more. However, I still highly recommend "Three Sisters" for anyone interested in historical fiction as well as to those who have read the other two novels that compliment this one.

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It's been awhile since I read the first two novels so maybe I didn't remember as much as I should have but this one didn't grab me as strongly as the others. It was a nice conclusion to the trilogy and I really enjoyed the afterwards by various characters of the book.

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Great book by a great author. Her research shows. I've enjoyed her othe work. Each book just gets better and better. Please make a movie or tv series out of this.

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Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. My reviews can be read on my GoodReads account here: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1335387-kelly

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Another excellent read by this author. It was such a good read full of historical information. This is a book I highly recommend.

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One day, Cibi, Magda and Livia’s father sits them down and makes them promise to stay together and always look out for each other. While he probably didn’t sense what was over the horizon with WWII, he did sense that he didn’t have long for this Earth. Years and years later, when the soldiers come to their house in Slovakia for all the teenage girls, the oldest, Cibi, is away learning to survive if she gets to Israel. The next oldest, Magda, is taken away to the hospital to hide out. The youngest should be safe, but when they come for the older two, they take Livia. Before Magda can get out of the hospital, Cibi follows her sister and they both end up in a concentration camp.

Three Sisters is the third book by Heather Morris about people who were in concentration camps. The book comes out Oct. 5, 2021. I was able to get an advanced copy from NetGalley. Morris wrote The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Cilka’s Journey. This is a book that would be work pre-ordering!

The book shows how Cibi and Livia survive and, yet, two years later, their sister Magda is sent to join them. Each does what it takes to live, but also to help their sisters. Lale from the Tattooist of Auschwitz is briefly mentioned in the book and Cilka is alluded to in passing. When the sisters feel like all hope is lost, they cling to the promise their father had them make and stive to keep it at all costs.

The book is based on the story of three real sisters who did survive the Holocaust. There are interviews with them or their children at the end of the book. I was left again in awe of what people can survive. Evil must always be stopped to prevent anything like this from ever happening again!

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Three Sisters is an amazing novel— poignant while somehow inspiring hope (which sounds like an oxymoron, I know). After loving her The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Cilka’s Journey, I had high expectations for Three Sisters, and I have to confess that Heather Morris totally demolished those expectations.

Cibi, Magda, and Livia promise their father, shortly before his early death, to always stay together. When Livia is sent by the Nazis to Auschwitz, Cibi goes with her to protect her or die with her in order to fulfill that promise. Magda is ill at the time and is protected by a Christian doctor who has her hospitalized to avoid the Nazis’ rounding up of teenaged children. Magda is released from the hospital and lives at home with their mother and grandfather for two years in the ever increasing Nazi atrocities before they, too, are transported to Auschwitz.

The novel describes the horrors these sisters and other concentration camp prisoners faced, and it is absolutely heart wrenching. However, Morris doesn’t just end the book when the sisters survive the camps and death marches and return to Slovakia. Instead, she continues their story as these three amazingly brave and strong sisters pursue full and happy lives full of love and family in Israel.

This book had me in absolute tears at many points; however, the end of the book left with me hope and amazement. Morris does such an artful job of telling the three sisters’ story, and it is authors like her that are crucial to telling these painful and difficult stories so that these atrocities are never forgotten and never again repeated.

Thank you to Morris, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

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Wonderful ! Historical insight and the story of survival and sisterhood. Makes a reader want to know more about the WWII era and the time after when the sisters settled and moved forward with their lives.

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This book is the third installment of the Tattooist of Auschwitz. It is recommended that you read the first two installments first. The book is a true story of 3 Slovakian sisters, and their struggles to stay alive. A true story, and very compelling read.

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Loved this book! Beautiful writing and characters and such an amazing true story! It hooks you in from the very beginning and keeps you wondering what will happen until the last page.

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