I have so many thoughts and feelings about @madelinemmartin newest masterpiece The Keeper Of Hidden Books.

I don’t tend to get to personal on this account but this book hit on something so close to my heart I’m going to share.

My grandpa was born in Poland. He went through the Second World War. He was imprisoned by the Nazis. He fought with the Polish underground. We know very little about his time before he crossed the Atlantic because he rarely spoke of it as it was too painful. This was not his story. But this was the story of his homeland and their fight for independence. This was the story of the incredible bravery and strength of his countryman. This was a window into the life of a man who was one of the greatest influences of my life who I miss very much. He was proud to be Polish. I was overjoyed to see his real first name, he went by a western version, as a character in this story. This book will forever be a favourite for bringing him back to me in a whole new way.

I have read many books about this time period and this area but none have ever captured Polands occupation and fight for freedom like this one.

The Keeper of Hidden Books tells the story of the woman and men who put themselves at considerable risk to preserve the stories that were slated for destruction. They knew the value of holding onto their heritage for the future, and the power of books to hold their fellow citizens through the occupation.

If you are a lover of history you need to read this book.

I was fortunate enough to be allowed to have an advanced copy of this book from @netgalley and @harlequinbooks to review. I will absolutely be purchasing a copy when this comes out August 1, as this needs to live on my shelf.
#bookstagram #readersofinstagram #readforjoy #historicalfictionbook #polishhistory #booklover #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookswilltakeyoueverywhere #historicalfiction #thekeeperofhiddenbooks #storiesthatmatter #books #poland #worldwar2

This was a heart-warming novel about two young women in Warsaw during World War II. With the war has a backdrop, it an affirmation of the importance of reading and community in even the darkest times. Any book lover with an interest in. World War II novels would enjoy this tremendously.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

As a book lover it’s hard to imagine not being able to read what you want. Or that you could even be persecuted for having certain books. I can almost see that happening in this day and time. Historical fiction fans will enjoy this book
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Zofia and her best friend Janina live in Warsaw. While they are preparing for war, neither girl believes that war will actually come to their city. Zofia's happy place has always been books, and she loves her job at the Warsaw public library. But then the Nazis occupy the city and their lives change in ways neither could have ever imagined. As a Jew, Janina and her family are forced to move to the Warsaw ghetto. When the Nazis begin first confiscating and then destroying books, Zofia and her friends are determined to hide as many books as possible, even it if costs them their freedom or their lives.
A tribute to literature, the power of books, and the ingenuity of the people of Warsaw and the Warsaw ghetto. I connected with these characters immediately. People under the age of 40 frequently don't understand how the need for books can grip you, having grown up with the distractions of the Internet, cellphones, and cable TV.
Another book that makes me proud to be a librarian. If you enjoyed The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creed, this title will appeal to you. People who love books always find a way.
Librarians rock. Never forget it.

I really enjoyed Martin's previous book, The Last Bookshop in London, so I was excited to read The Keeper of Hidden Books. I wasn't disappointed. I learned a great deal about the Nazi occupation of Poland from this obviously exhaustively researched book while at the same time being drawn right in to the story of main character Zofia and her friends.

At this time when an increasing number of books are being banned, The Keeper of Hidden Books is an important reminder of why we should all be fighting for libraries, books, and the right to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication in exchange for my honest review.

The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A new Author for me. Madeline's writing didn't disappoint, she drew me in right from chapter 2. She made me feel like I was at the center of WWII in Poland. I knew exactly how Zofia was feeling and thinking as she hide in the basement from the Air Raids to digging ditches. Its a different perspective from all the other books I've read.


Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy for my honest review. I highly recommend this book.

This work of historical fiction will give you chills. If you choose to read one book this year, this should be it. Madeline Martin has outdone herself with this masterpiece of literature. It follows the lives of several characters throughout the Nazi occupation of Poland. The author shows the depth of her research in the depiction of the suffering of both the Jews and Poles. There is much bravery and sacrifice by young and old alike. The plot flows and allows the reader to easily follow the events. This is a not to be missed book.

An interesting and heartwarming story of one Polish woman’s goal to save the books of Poland from the Nazis and Stalin’s Russia.
The one thing I find jarring in the beginning is the description of the Girl Guides. Granted, a lot of readers might not know the Girl Guides are what Europeans call the Girl Scouts, but it would be easy to say, ‘the girl guides are the European branch of the Girl Scouts’, and leave it at that.

This is a book that is going to stay with me for a very long time. It's writing is eloquent honoring a deeply troubling time in history. Two quotes from the book stand out to me. "This is a story about making the choices you know are right, even when the rest of the world feels confusing and disorienting. It's knowing who you are and choosing kindness and love." As the story goes on, Zofia has to make hard decisions time and time again. Her world turned upside down, but the one thing that stayed the same during those turbulent years was her kindness to others and the love of her family and friends. The other quote was, "There was power in Literature. Brilliant and undeniable. Books inspired free thought and empathy, an overall understand and acceptance of everyone'. Hitler banned so many books and yet we did not learn our lesson as so many are banned across the country today. This is a powerful story, full of emotional heartbreak, joy and forgiveness. It is an important read that has the ability to make you think.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the free e-ARC in exchange for and honest review.

I requested this ARC as I love books, historical fiction and stories of librarians who save books from Hitler's insane book ban. I started this one and found it was very disjointed, did not flow and seemed to go in uninteresting circles. I know I am in the minority of reviewers, but for me this story was just so slow and uneventful. There is not much character development which resulted in me not really liking or understanding them.

I have a 30% rule for the books I read. By 30% in, I expect there to be rescuing of books, excitement, suspense and mystery; basically the story and plot underway. Unfortunately, there was not much going on to hold my interest. The concept sounded nice, but the character & story development was lacking.

DNF at 30%

This is a touching story of how books bring people together and also give people courage to fight injustice. I enjoyed this. I like that this a story set in Poland during WWII, a different setting than most books I’ve previously read about WWII times.

The Keeper of Hidden Books is my third historical fiction read from Madeline Martin. I love that all three of these books, while focused on WWII, have the love of books as a main theme. Martin doesn't shy from the atrocities of that war. She honors those the war sought to demise and destroy. Through her stories their lives and deaths are honored and we are made sure to not forget what the world was like just 80 years ago. Hitler tried to destroy anything that would offer hope or anything that would stir the people to rise against him. What wasn't destroyed was stolen for personal gain. The way that Zofia and her friends chose to defy the Nazis by continuing to lend books to readers who needed the comfort that literature brings and to hide away and safekeep the books that Hitler wanted destroyed so that their history wouldn't be erased and future generations of Poles would have access to stories that would stir their hearts as well, was inspiring. Reading and books was important then and it's important now. Bring your tissues when you read The Keeper of Hidden Books because it'll break your heart from the very start.

I absolutely loved Martin's novel "The Last Bookshop in London." I was so excited to see that she wrote another WWII novel that revolves on books and their power to do good.

Zofia is a young girl who loves books and the library, and she risks her life to both protect books from the Nazis and get books into the hands of the people who need a distraction from the atrocities around them.

I knew nothing of the Warsaw rebellion, and I was so touched by the bravery of the people who fought for their country.

This book portrayed the hunger, loss, and terror that the people of Warsaw felt. I really appreciated the research and history that was included in the book.

If you love learning more about WWII, or you can relate to the joy and light that a book can bring in times of darkness, this is a book that you will enjoy!

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Madeline Martin, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

This is one of my favorite authors. She just draws you in right away. The book was very diverse with characters. I felt such a connection with them.

Madeline Martin's The Keeper of Hidden Books, is based on the history of Warsaw during Nazi occupation. The author uses the power of books to tell the story of what happened to the books and libraries of Warsaw, during occupation. Many of the characters are fictional, but the story, itself, is history. The setting in Warsaw, during the Nazi occupation of World War, is a location and time rich with details, and Martin deals with many of those details, using libraries and books to capture the mood and events of the time.

The characters in The Keeper of Hidden Books are a mix of fiction and historical reality. Where the characters are fictional, their actions are based on how real inhabitants of Warsaw behaved. During the war, people were good and bad, and sometimes both within short periods. Martin makes a strong effort to define how Poles and Jews behaved under enormous stress. The occupation of Poland was never about preserving Polish or Jewish life. Nazi actions were intended to make Poland German. Saving Polish books, saving Polish libraries, and saving Polish and Jewish lives were never the intent or expectation of Germany.

The Keeper of Hidden Books is a valuable and compelling examination of the importance of illuminating how books saved lives in a time where housing and food and the necessities of life were often withheld. I do strongly recommend this novel. Although it is fiction, I will buy an extra copy for the Holocaust museum where I serve as the volunteer librarian.

Thank you to the author and publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing, for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Buy and read this book and loan it to friends. Thank you also to NetGalley for making it so easy to download this book.

Stayed up late to finish this amazing story. If you love books and libraries, this book is for you! Set in Poland during WW2 when Germany was taking over and trying to get rid of all their books. Zofia and her best friend, Janina, are Girl Guides, love books, and begin a book club to read the banned books in secret. They are finishing their last year of secondary school when life is interrupted. Both girls are forced to leave their homes when the Germans take them over and Zofia continually tries to keep Janina safe. When Janina and her family are taken to the Jewish ghetto, Zofia joins the insurgent group and works to find a way to get them out. She works tirelessly with other library workers to save copies of books in underground warehouses to preserve them for the future. I could go on and on. There is so much happening in this story - it keeps you engaged and turning page after page to find out what happens next!
Zofia demonstrates amazing strength for an eighteen year old at the start of the book. She and her friends and co-workers do everything in their power to keep Poland's literary treasures safe from destruction. Throughout the book, you are cheering for the characters when they get one over the Germans, crying when someone gets hurt or killed, and contemplating how anyone survived such torment and tyranny. In the author notes, she carefully explains that the main characters are fictionalized but are based off real people and the major events are true. This book was meticulously researched and you can tell because you feel like you are in Warsaw in the midst of it all. Of all the historical fiction books from this author, I think this is her best yet!
Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! It takes place in Warsaw, Poland during WWII. Zofia and Janina are close friends who love books and end up working at a library. In addition, they meet with friends for a book club to read books that Hitler and the Germans are banning. The war intensifies and literature is being banned as bombs rain down on the city. Zofia works to save the banned books by hiding them, as well as trying to save her friend Janina who is Jewish and faces persecution as well as more and more Jews are being forced to leave their homes and into the ghettoes. I've read a lot of WWII historical fiction so it was nice to get the Polish perspective as well as learn more about the Polish resistance.

I loved Zofia and Janina's friendship and how they used literature as silent acts of defiance as they
hid books that were banned by the Nazis. I read and loved the writers other book the Last Bookshop in London and I loved this book as well.

The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin is set in Warsaw, Poland during the second world war.

It follows the lives of Zofia and Janina, two young girls, best friends, who come of age during the war. They are both lovers of books and become involved in a group fighting to save the culture of their country by hiding important books from the Nazis when they take Warsaw, and start banning and removing books from the libraries. Later, as they get older, and the situation becomes even more dire, they join the resistance to drive the Nazis out of Poland.

This book started out slowly for me, but it really required the set up to show the reader the difference between the lives of the girls before the war, and the effect it had on them when the Nazis arrived in their home town. It also let us see the connection Zofia and Janina had, and how strong their friendship was.

I'm not even sure what to say about this book, it was such an emotional, and intense read. I loved it, but at the same time it was heartbreaking, and I cried several times, so make sure you have a box of tissues beside you before you start.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing a free copy of this book. I am leaving a review voluntarily.

Fans of Martin’s The Last Bookshop in London will enjoy meeting another resourceful reader coming of age during the terror of WWII. As Nazis invade and occupy Warsaw Poland, Zofia, her lifelong (Jewish) friend and other book lovers fight back. Escalating from a secret book club reading banned books to smuggling, hiding and protecting forbidden books (and people!), their resistance grows with every new oppression. Based on the true actions of Polish citizens who risked their lives to preserve their national literature, libraries and culture.

What a beautiful, heartbreaking story Madeline Martin has given us. Following the life of Zofia, a Polish girl living in Warsaw during the German invasion, we feel all the atrocities that they faced. As a sensitive reader, this was difficult to read at times, but the book ends with a sense of hope and a reminder of the power of books, friendship, and fighting for what is right. Compared to "The Last Bookshop in London", this book feels much heavier but is clean in terms of language and sex. Well researched and powerful. Though not for teens, I would hand it to a mature teenager.