One of my top reads of 2023!
It is difficult to put in just a few short sentences an all encompassing impression of this book.

I found this to be a hard read, its gut-wrenching power in the fact that although this is a novel, it realistically portrays the life of the Varsovians during the years of 1939-1945. The power of Amanda Barratt's novel is that it tells the story of the unsung heroes and victims of this period.

There is a beauty in her prose. A strong sense of place, one that describes the horrific devastation and hardships of a people who fought to survive the occupation of the German army and the strength and resilience that outlasted the destruction to rebuild once the war was over.

What kept me reading was the incredible humanity she portrayed in realistic characters that will remain sharply etched into my memory. The emotional rollercoaster displayed by the characters, their different motivations and fears tore at my heart. Making me wonder what strength of character I would display in similar circumstances.

Amanda Barratt is, in my opinion, one of the most talented authors of this historical genre. Her research and signature attention to historical detail is stellar. While this is a masterful story of the Warsaw Uprising, it is also a story more personal, one of family, one of sisters. It is a story of faith, when all seems lost. One of my favorite quotes : "for in the moments when it seems no heart could bear the emptiness, I had learned God is nearest in our shattered places."


I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher thorough Netgalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Warsaw Sisters is a brilliantly written, emotionally charged, well researched story. Author Amanda Barratt has woven a seamless story of two sisters, Antonina and Helena Dąbrowska and how the second world war changes them. The story starts out with them sending their father off to war. We are transported back in time to August of 1939. No sooner do the sisters send their father off the bombs start dropping.

The way the author wrote the German Attacks my heart was pounding as the scene was unfolding. Well the sisters are scared they find their own ways to fight back. Antonina is a pianist. She has met and fell in love with Jewish violinist, Marek. However she is horrified when the rumors she has been hearing come true and Marek and other Jewish Polish citizens are sent to a overcrowded ghetto and cut off from everyone else. Antonina decides to help and she becomes a member of network of women who risk their lives to shelter Jewish children and move them onto the next safe house.

Meanwhile, her sister works as a secretary for a German official. This German official is an accountant and a tax examiner. Helena decides to join the Polish underground army. She prepares to fight for her homeland as the Soviet's edge closer to Warsaw. There is a lot of preparation to make sure they are ready - there is battalions formed, bombs to be made and trying to find weapons.

Such danger for these women. However they cannot let each other know what they are up to. They could be killed, arrested or sent to concentration camps. Both started off so innocent and each has chosen a path of resistance that allowed them to assist in pushing back.

This story had me tearing up several times. The writing is powerful and emotional. You forget what others went through during Germany's many invasions in other countries.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own.

A STORY OF SACRIFICE, COURAGE, AND LOVE

Author Amanda Barratt has the gift of sifting through mounds of historical research and mining the gem of a story inspired by the authentic activities of ordinary people who lived through extraordinary circumstances. The Warsaw Sisters is a prime example of this, as it is a story of sacrifice, courage, and love during WWII in Poland. Barrett takes readers on an emotional journey of what it was like living in a country that was threatened and then overtaken by the German invasion. The sisters, Anotonia and Helena, are Polish, but they live in and around an area filled with many Jewish people. As the Germans continued moving in, they tightened their grip on the Jewish people. The sisters make choices as to who they will help. Their secrets tear them apart when they believe they will be misunderstood by the other. This book is timely as we watch the events unfolding in our world. No doubt any of the survivors of the awful atrocities of WWII, including but not limited to, Kristallnacht and being interred in concentration camps, never thought they would live long enough to see such things come their way again.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Revell and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own and without influence.

I just finished reading this book and have to say, it was a hard read. Hard partially because of the graphic content and partially because of the parts where the characters remembered things already described making the book longer than necessary.
The content was very interesting and probably historically correct. was very indepth on the horror in those days in Warsaw. The story was split between the 2 sisters telling their stories of the war days. When they are actually doing things/interacting with people, it is very interesting. When they are remembering it gets monotonous.
This is listed as Christian genre, but there is very little to say it is. The editing was very well done.
I requested and received this book through the Revell Reads blogger program. I am not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts are my own and freely given. I give this a 3 out of 5-stars. I would hesitantly recommend this book.

✨The Warsaw Sisters by @amandabarrattauthor ✨

“No matter what we are asked to bear on earth, our days are in the hands of God.“

📚About the Book
It’s a sunny August morning in Poland in 1939, and twin sisters Antonina and Helena have said their final goodbyes to their father, who has been called to defend Warsaw against the threat of the German army. Within hours of their distressing goodbye, German bombs begin to rain down on their beloved city.

For the next five years, these two sisters, who were once inseparable, must fight against the brutality of their world, and their numb and damaged hearts, if they are to hold on to hope and find a way back to one another.

Taking two very different paths, these fictional sisters represent the very real courage, resilience and sacrifice that many ordinary citizens of Poland displayed while mercilessly hunted, tortured and dehumanised by the Nazi’s for an unimaginable five long years.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: Nov 7th 2023
Publisher: @revellfiction
Themes: Sacrifice, Resilience and Courage
CW: Descriptive War Violence/Brutality
My Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

🌷What I loved about this book
This was a read with a lump-in-your-throat experience for me. I was left utterly undone by the atrocities the Polish people faced, and had no idea the extent of cruelty and wickedness which was endured for five unimaginably long years. Amanda unapologetically exposes the darkness in a much needed way, and although this book is a heavy, descriptive, tear-filled experience, it’s a journey any historical fiction lover should take. If I could capture the essence of this story in one powerful phrase it would be, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

✨This Book is for you If…
You are willing to SEE and FEEL. This book is a journey through the pain and suffering of others, allowing us a glimpse into another world. Some scenes are almost too painful to bear, but the courage, determination and resilience resprented throughout these pages will compel you to keep reading - and you’ll be so glad you did.

Thank you @netgalley and Revell for my ARC, all opinions are my own.

Another wonderful WW2 story from Amanda Barratt!
The Warsaw Sisters is the story of twin sisters: Antonia & Helena, who both get involved in the resistance without telling each other their involvement. Secrets abound, pulling the twins in different directions, leading to their estrangement. After years of war, will they ever be able to reconnect?
I have read so many books about WW2 but I have never heard of the Warsaw Uprising and learned so much from this wonderful book!
It really made me think, the secrets and choices that people had to make, the bravery and courage that people were called upon to do.
This book will stay with you for a long time!

Timely. Gripping. Reflective. Compelling. Amanda Barratt has done it again. Written a novel that so immerses the reader into the hearts and minds of the characters that they can’t help but come out of its pages a changed person. Amanda has given the ordinary participants of history a voice to reach those of us who are willing to listen with a message so timely for today. How will we respond when evil demands conformity or death?

One of the facets I find truly inspiring and thought provoking in studying WWII is seeing how ordinary people rose up and did the extraordinary when faced with evil. The Warsaw Sisters is a prime example of that. This novel follows two sisters as they must choose how they respond and in doing so their choices take them on different paths away from each other. I knew very little going in about the Warsaw Uprising or the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The author does an incredible job of getting inside the hearts of history’s participants and making history come alive. In showing the courage and resilience of the fighting human spirit.

This is definitely a must read. But it is a hard read emotionally. Just as with Within These Walls of Sorrow, so too does The Warsaw Sisters take a bit of an emotional toll. But it is so needed for today. It has been said “those who refuse to study history are doomed to repeat it”. As I started this, Israel had recently been attacked by Hamas. I could not help but see parallels with evil arising and the world’s response or lack thereof. We may very well be doomed to repeat history. How will we respond?

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC from the author, the publisher, and NetGalley no positive review was required. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Warsaw Sisters is an emotional, heart-wrenching, and inspiring read. I've read each of the author's novels, and I can say that this one is my absolute favorite. The author has a way with words that allows the story to unfold in such a vivid way that it feels as if you're right there with the characters, journeying through each high and low right alongside them.

Initially, I was worried that the two sisters' POVs would be confusing because, as family, of course, they talk and think similarly. However, the author did a good job of keeping their voices and character distinct enough that I didn't have trouble remembering whose POV I was reading, which I so appreciated. I loved Helen and Antonia's characters so much. They were real--they had struggles, they doubted their faith and God's goodness in the midst of atrocity and war, they were human and made mistakes.

I loved how the love interests of each of the sisters and their romances were a plot thread and not the focal point of the story. Can I just say that Helen's love story had my heart, broke it, and then mended it back together? It was so, so beautifully and tastefully done.

When reading the last page of this book, a comparable title that came to mind was Kristin Hannah's "The Nightingale." It's got that emotional depth, that mesmerizing writing, the gripping storyline, and an amazing cast of characters. If you read TN and loved it as much as I did, then The Warsaw Sisters will be right up your alley.

The Warsaw Sisters is a masterpiece, and I can't wait for it to be released so I can display this beauty on my shelf. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an eARC of The Warsaw Sisters. A positive review was not required, only my honest opinion. All thoughts are expressly my own.

The Warsaw Sisters: A Novel of WWII Poland by Amanda Barratt

Sisters Antonia and Helena Dąbrowska each must choose their own path of resistance under German occupation and are irrevocably changed. War is always heartbreaking. Amanda Barratt brings history and the true stories of those who fought to life. These historical events are woven within the fictional characters lives and storyline, giving the reader a glimpse of the courage and sacrifice Antonia and Helena and the citizens of Warsaw, heartbreak, grief, hope, love and faith. Parts of this story is hard to read and had me in tears. The Warsaw Sisters is an amazing story set-in war-torn Warsaw, Poland.

~I received an ARC e-book copy from the author/publisher (no monetary gain was exchanged), this is my honest review~

This is a heartfelt, fascinating story of the history of Poland during WWII. Poland is often overlooked and forgotten during this tumultuous time in history. Twin sisters, Antonia and Helena see their beloved father off to support Poland against a German invasion, although the very next day the first bombs fall and over time 80% of the city is destroyed. It is not much more than a pile of rubble.
The two sisters choose separate ways to serve their homeland; Antonia joins a courageous group of women who risk their own lives to shelter Jewish children, while Helena joins a secret army fighting to free their country from German occupation.
This is a heartfelt story of resilience, bravery and sacrifice during this dark, although important period of Polish history. I felt the element of faith during such hardship could have been portrayed a little stronger, however, the characters were all unforgettable and very realistic. It was easy to relate to their struggles and to admire their perseverance during such tragic, challenging times.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions and comments are entirely my own.

In a stroke of remarkable serendipity, I happened to be reading an ARC of The Warsaw Sisters while visiting Warsaw a few weeks ago. While I was there, I toured the Warsaw Uprising Museum, and it was during this tour that I gained an even deeper appreciation for Barratt’s thorough research in bringing to life this heartbreaking period of Polish history. Barratt tells the story of the Warsaw Uprising through the eyes of twin sisters, Antonina and Helena, and the expert pacing keeps readers engaged as we anticipate what might happen next in this desperate situation.

This impressive work of historical fiction is highly recommended for anyone interested in a compelling and well-researched WWII novel.

The Warsaw Sisters is not for the faint of heart! The story is beautifully written, but upon finishing, I felt broken and bereft. I didn't pick up a new book for a week as I was unable to move on from Helan and Antonina's stories. I felt like I would be remiss if I didn't sit with these brave ladies a little longer. This story will grip you; it will gut you and leave you changed, but hopefully it will also open your eyes. The world needs a Saviour. His name is Jesus.

"For as the tie ebbs, but in the end returns, so too is the bond between sisters. Changing yet changeless. Indelible. Unbreakable."

Amanda Barratt's newest novel is a story of everyday people, who suffer through the most horrific circumstances, yet rise to do the extraordinary. This story is set in Poland and covers the five years of oppression, terror, and suffering of the citizens of Warsaw, both Jewish and Gentile. It is rich in historical fact and depicts many of the atrocities committed against the Polish. The creation of the Jewish District, the Jews deportation to Treblinka, the Ghetto Uprising, the Katyn massacre, creation of the Home Army, the Wola massacre, Poland's surrender and Warsaw’s eventual rise from the ashes. It's a lot to unpack in a novel, I can't imagine having to live it or how Amanda Barratt gets through the research and then crafts a story around it. One of the characters is based on Irena Sandler. A courageous woman who is credited with rescuing as many as 2500 children. There is a teensy bit of romance sprinkled throughout the story, but it is mainly historical fiction with a bit of a faith thread woven in.

Read this book if you like:

WW2 setting

Dual first person POV

Bonds of Sisterhood

There were times throughout this novel where my heart felt like it was in my throat and the horrors were just overwhelming to me, but its so important to not forget the cost of hatred, the injustices of terror, to learn from the past and apply those lesson to the future. I highly recommend reading it!

If you enjoyed Season one of "World on Fire" by Masterpiece, you would probably enjoy this book.

Thank you, Amanda Barratt, Revell and Net Galley for the complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Content warnings: graphic war violence, genocide, closed door premarital sex

The Warsaw Sisters, a moving story of two sisters, Antonina and Helena, who lived during the darkest moments of WWII. The book reads similar to a diary or memoir of each of the sisters as they individually made difficult choices and sacrifices motivated by their love for their country, mankind and each other.

Author Amanda Barrett brings the story to life through her very thorough research of historical facts and events. Antonina, Helena and their friends are fictional characters but they represent true to life people who braved life during the Polish occupancy and Jewish displacement of 1939-1945. It’s an emotional story of such love, courage and heroism while blanketed in heartbreak, loss and suffering.

The story alone is a captivating page turner, but couple it with the historical notes that Amanda includes at the end of the book and the story will take on an extra level of emotion
that will leave you marked.

The Warsaw Sisters is a read worthy of its time so that we may always remember the heartbreak and sacrifices of those deserving the title of hero.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

4.75 Stars!
Excuse me while I wipe away my tears. Oh, my goodness. This book is very difficult to read without getting emotional. That being said it also is wonderfully written. The author is very talented at storytelling. She does an excellent job of telling what the Polish people endured during WWII through the characters of Helena and Antonina. These two brave sisters, do everything in their power to help the Jewish people and fight for their country against the Germans. Both sisters suffer through loss of loved ones and other tragedies. The suspense in this book is very strong, anytime the Germans came I was so tensed up with anticipation of what would happen. The sisters go different routes in this book, but both are important and brave roles. Please note this is a wartime novel and it includes everything that would be involved in a war and during WWII specifically. Overall, this book is such a well-done book about what happened in Poland. I definitely recommend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Content: murder/killing, some graphic war images, talk of gas chambers (and other horrors that were done to the Jewish people), children and women are injured and killed, implied nonmarital sex (no details), pregnancy out of wedlock

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author and netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

A powerful novel that will stay with the reader long after the last word has been read. “The Warsaw Sisters” is a raw look into the lives of two sisters living in Poland during WWII. The enemy has come, and choices have to be made. Choices that will destroy some and strengthen others with courage they never knew they had. Antonina and Helena Dąbrowska have recently sent their beloved father off to the front. Left behind, they must face the realization they are alone, and the Nazis are coming. Each sister must decide how they will live their lives during the occupation and what they are willing to sacrifice to be free. That freedom will come with great cost. This latest novel by Amanda Barrett is absolutely spellbinding. The meticulous attention to historical detail, the great depths of emotion of the characters, and the realism with which Ms. Barrett writes is astounding. There were parts of the novel that were extremely hard to read, releasing all the emotions as I read it. Hope, faith, courage, and resilience were themes that could be found on every page. This is historical fiction at its best written by an author who was not afraid to write about the hard things that the people of Poland faced, particularly the Jewish people. This is the best book I have read thus far this year. I thank NetGalley and Revell for the ARC of this book. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions within this review are my own.

I have personally never read any of Amanda Barratt's books before, and I will be rectifying that oversite immediately. I am very well-versed in the WWII fiction genre, and I can tell you that this book surprised and delighted me! It was extremely well-written, and the two sisters came alive to me in such a way that I felt I was there with them thorough this entire book. The atrocities witnessed and experienced by the many who lived in the Warsaw ghetto was depicted accurately, and I was deeply invested in everyone's fate. I could not put this down and I highly recommend it to any lover of historical fiction, but especially those who cannot wait for their next WWII novel fix.

I have many mixed emotions about this novel. Mostly sad and horrifying.
I can't imagine or even want to think about what those poor people especially the Jews went through! What a scary feeling for all involved.
This book had me in tears and never has a book ever done that.
My heart hurt for these two sisters that were thrown into this war through no choice of their own but I did admire how each one did their part.
I liked how Barrett has done her research for this book to make it real and believable. I could picture all the action taking place within these pages. Even the bombs falling into Warsaw.
I found myself praying for all that was involved in this horrible war.
I admired the courage, faith and Hope
Resilience and the determination for survival.
I was also pleased to see that God was mentioned throughout the book.
I love the reminder that God is Hope and Light even when days of darkness surround us in times of trouble.
A very powerful and emotional read that will not let you go until the sister's story is finished.
I learned much about the events that took place that I've never heard of before.
5 stars for a well written book. I highly recommend it.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The day after their father leaves to fight the German Invasion, twins Antonina and Helena lose their home when Warsaw is bombed. They move in with their aunt, each dweling on their own troubles. Antonina is in love with Jewish Marek, who is forced into the Warsaw ghetto. Determined to help, Antonina joins the resistance, moves from her hoe with Helena, and begins to shelter Jewish children. Stunned at her sister's move, Helena finds work at a German office. After becoming disillusioned with the Germans, Helena joins the underground, learning how to wield a gun and fight back.

I found it a bit hard to distinguish the twins. They did not seem to have distinct or separate personalities. Their personalities seemed to be muted and blended together. Although their stories differed, I wish the author had done more to develop the characters. Overall, 3 out of 5 stars.

This is a difficult read. The low depths of depravity that men will sink to is alarming. In war, many times the enemy does not play by any rules. Destruction and bloodshed can level cities to the ground.
But people can also be extremely strong in times of war. Their dedication, sacrifice, and patriotism allow them to do unthinkable tasks to just stay alive and fight however they can.
Poland was beaten and bruised, but a remnant was left to rebuild.
Two twin sisters walking through the ire of Hitler, portray different aspects of the war in Poland.

In The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt we meet the Antonina and Helena Dabrowska. Two sisters whose lives are turned upside in 1939. When Germany invades Poland, the sisters must make live changing decisions. As the occupation continues, each girl does what they must to survive. Even when their lives take different directions and without telling each other, they each get involved in the Nazi resistance to help people in Warsaw ghetto.