Once again, I made the decision to read a book covering a subject that I find to be triggering. That said, it’s important to face one’s fears and so I bravely turned the pages. Set in what was her mother’s bookshop, we meet Jana who wants to continue to bring comfort to her friends despite the ever-oppressing Nazi occupation of Prague.
With gentle skill, we gradually learned more about Jana’s character, and she developed before my eyes, helping me to develop a keen affinity with her strong moral compass and determined kindness. However, her bravery was on a wholly different scale. The stories of the resistance fighters always capture my imagination, and this was no different. I felt genuine fear as the jeopardy mounted.
The described relationships between Jana and her bookshop friends brought a poignancy to the story that served to remind me that this may be a work of fiction but has firm foundations in the real experiences of those who lived during the many Nazi occupations. It was that awareness that saw me gripped and reaching for the tissue box.
It was clearly in Jana’s genetics to be involved in the fight for freedom, as we saw her father and grandmother selflessly assist with the cause. The repercussions of this would be a lasting reminder to her father. Avoiding the risk of including spoilers, I will allude to the blossoming romance that develops from an unlikely source. Sensitively handled and positioned with the necessary reminders of the backdrop of danger, it was quite beautiful.
This book will stay with me for some time, and I can highly recommend it.

A book demonstrating the resilience and ingenuity of a young woman to help the resistance in time of war . The bookshop provides the perfect medium to discreetly pass on important messsges.

This review is being posted as part of the The Last Bookshop in Prague blog tour hosted by Rachel’s Random Resources.

The Last Bookshop in Prague is the latest compelling Second World War historical fiction novel from author Helen Parusel. This powerful story explores themes of bravery, survival, fighting for what’s right and the power of books, set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied Prague in the final three years of the war.

Helen Parusel has quickly become one of my standout authors within the genre, with both of her previous novels being definite five star reads and some of my favourites of the past couple of years, so I had high hopes for The Last Bookshop in Prague and it certainly did not disappoint. The narrative is fast-paced, maintained by short and snappy chapters which will grip readers from cover to cover, just like it did me.

As usual with Helen Parusel’s books, the history was impeccably researched. This book covers some really interesting aspects of Second World War history which I haven’t seen featured within historical fiction before (despite considering myself very well-read within the genre), including the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich and the events that followed including the Nazi manhunt for the assailants and the horrific Lidice and Ležáky massacres. The final chapters of the book also feature the Prague uprising, which again I’ve not seen covered in other historical fiction so it was fantastic to learn about it through Jana’s eyes.

At the heart of this story is really strong female characters, lead by Jana who was a fantastic protagonist. She was really emotionally intelligent and had brilliant character development throughout the novel into someone who was even more courageous and confident. I loved her relationships with both her dad and her grandmother (who was a strong female character in herself and a brilliant role model for Jana) and the roles they both played in the story. There are also strong female supporting characters in Jana’s friends, her fellow resistance fighter Nela, the women she helps throughout the story and the young characters of Yveta and Maddie. The male characters were brilliantly written too, including the primary Nazi antagonists who made my skin crawl every time they appeared.

There’s also a lovely historical romance element to the story which was a great addition that I really enjoyed. I think that Helen Parusel completely nailed the blend of having this romantic element whilst not letting it take away from the hard-hitting nature of the rest of the plot.

I loved the setting of the bookshop and the role books continuously played throughout the story, bringing people together in even the darkest of times. The story explores banned books, a topic it’s ridiculous is still so relevant in the 21st century, and I loved that quotes from different banned books were used as passcodes between resistance members, a detail I can’t believe I didn’t initially spot!

Overall, The Last Bookshop in Prague is yet another incredibly powerful novel from Helen Parusel, further cementing her as one of my favourite historical fiction authors of all time. This is a must-read for fans of the genre or anyone who wants to venture into the wonderful world of Second World War historical fiction.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I have posted my review on my blog www.yourschloe.co.uk

*Thank you to Helen Parusel, Boldwood Books, Rachel’s Random Resources and NetGalley.

Jana lives in Nazi occupied Prague, above their beloved bookstore but it’s not necessarily a safe haven with the amount of publications banned by the hostel occupiers. Jana takes on work in the Nazi headquarters to make ends meet, and then she bravely joins the resistance
Jana, her Grandmother, Father and friends are all lovely, lively characters.
This brilliantly written book brings to life the occupation and rebellion of the people of Czechoslovakia.

With a title that features a bookshop and a second world war setting, I knew that this was a book that I would be interested in reading. Set in Prague in the early days of the war, it tells the story of Jana, a young woman who runs a bookshop and lives above it with her father who is a puppeteer who carves his own puppets. Jana does her best to keep a love of reading ever present in her store and through that, to boost the morale of women and children who frequented the store even when she was forced to feature German books prominently while hiding books that the Germans have banned. One day, Jana is inadvertantly pulled into resistance when she hides a young boy in a small place in her store. When the Germans send people in to the store to search, one local policeman calls the all clear even the Jana is sure he knew the boy was there.

Thus begins her career as a resistant, but much more is to come throughout the novel. There were a few times I felt that Jana acted rashly and without due care, but luck seemed to be on her side. Is the local policeman someone she can trust or not? All will become clear as you read this story.

Many thanks to #NetGalley, #BoldwoodBooks and the author for allowing me to read an advance reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

From the same author of The Austrian Bride, which I heartily recommend, comes another brilliant novel about the courage shown by ordinary citizens during WWII. And, of course, ordinary here takes the meaning of extraordinary.

Jana, a bookshop owner, suddenly finds herself involved in the activities of the Czechoslovak resistance during the Nazi occupation of the country. With the boundaries between friends and potential informants blurred, she doesn’t know who she can or can’t trust, but what she does know is that inaction is not an option.

Heartbreaking and inspiring, this novel is extremely evocative and the author made Prague come to life right in front of my eyes, just like she did with Linz in her previous novel.

I look forward to reading what comes next!

Historical fiction fans, it's time to armchair travel back in time to Prague during WWII. Jana's bookshop serves as a haven for booklovers and remains the last bookstore that sells Czech novels. Due to the occupation, books are being banned that don't fit the regime.

To protect her people, Jana joins the resistance adding children, Jewish families and serving as a messenger decoding notes. Will she be able to tell the resisters from the supporters or find herself at risk? This compelling read transports readers to Prague and having visited the fairytale city, the attractions are shown in a new light. Realizing the horrors the Czech people faced during the occupation is enlightening and reinforces that we can't let this horror happen again.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #TheLastBookshopinPrague in exchange for an honest review. The banning of books and travesties of war hauntingly echoes current events.

Such a fun read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This beautiful WWII novel follows a bookshop owner named Jana. I felt a connection with her from the beginning. If you are a book lover, I think that an environment like a bookshop can be a source of joy, comfort and escape. Something in the author's writing speaks to that, and it seems unthinkable to contemplate a time when books were banned.

Of course, this is about more than just a bookshop in Prague; it's also a story of love and courage. I cared about Jana, and the other characters too. Once I became invested, it was hard to lay it aside until I had finished.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

This book is set in Prague during the Nazi occupation, and it was impossible to not feel heartbreak for the suffering that the Czech people endured. This book brings those very people realistically to life on the page.

It was perfectly paced and allowed the reader to become very well acquainted with both the characters and their situation. I enjoyed the romance element of the story, and the juxtaposition within the character of Captain Kovar was well handled.

Although the book covers a devastating time for the people of Prague, it was ultimately an uplifting book which is full of hope for the future. I heartily recommend this book.

Thank you net galley for giving me this opportunity to read this book.
The story takes place in Czechoslovakia during the Nazi occupation and WWII.
Jana and her father live in an apartment above the bookshop her mother owned.
Jana's mother died and Jana took over the day to day business of running the bookshop.
The German's came in and there was commotion in the centre of town. People were getting round up and taken away.
A young boy has just lost his father and his mother was arrested. Jana took the boy home with her as he had nowhere to go.
A police officer came to her bookshop to get a book for his mother.
Jana was hiding the young boy in the kitchen area of the bookshop as the police officers were looking around for the so-called undesirables.
But, Jana was finding herself falling for the fascist police officer.
The story also mentions the burning of the town of Lidice.
These are my own opinions.
Again thank you net galley.

Jana lives with her father above the bookstore that she runs but it's not easy as the Germans have banned so many books. Jana bravely stands up and does what she can to help others and fight for what is right. A powerful story of bravery which is highly entertaining and emotional. The book has strong characters and a suspenseful plot. Joining a fight against the Nazis is courageous and could break the strongest of people. I could feel the pain and anguish but also the anger. It's a historical fiction tale that had me feeling every emotion that we have sometimes all at once.

Sunday, September 22, 2024
The Last Bookshop in Prague


It's difficult to read something like this without feeling sad. But the story must be told. Helen Parusel did an excellent job telling this story.

Jana loved her bookshop. It brought her closer to her mother that died a few years ago. It meant everything to her.

Everything came crashing down when the Germans invaded Prague. The life she knew changed and not for the good.

I was amazed by the determination and strength of Jana and of her neighbors. They did what they could to hold on to what was dear to them.

It's important to know what really happened during this horrendous period of time. And it's important to not forget.

This book was so enthralling and certainly heartbreaking with the trauma of the War.

Jana lives with her Father and owns a bookshop in Prague which has the German soldiers living in the city. She meets Andrej who is a Policman in the city as he was searching for a boy with another policeman, she is not sure about him. Jana ends up at the Nazi headquarters as a cleaner to help pay for the bills. Jana helps the resistance but there is consequences.

I thought all the characters worked well together and you wondered who would survive at the end of the War. It shows how the people coped and how at near the end of the War the people of Prague all rallied to fight to the bitter end.

The book flowed well and was very interesting to read it was well researched.

This is my first book by Helen Parusel and I absolutely loved it. I will certainly be searching out her other books.

I came to love Jana, her Papa, her Babi (grandma) and her friends. They were all very well developed characters with a realistic, believable storyline.

I felt like I was there beside Jana as she gathered intel for the resistance, felt her fear when confronted by The Butcher of Prague and her worry for her family and friends.

War is a terrible thing and the atrocities that occurred should never be forgotten. It is uplifting to read of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to stand up for what they believe in - their freedom.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

The book was written very well. I never seen the ending coming. I read the book in one day. I had to know how it ended. It is very addictive. The main character found herself owning a bookstore that was previously owned by her mother. Jana faced several challenges in here she had to choose between good and bad. The journey is an emotional rollercoaster

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I enjoyed reading this book.

Jana is a bookseller in Prague and to ensure she had enough to live on, also works at the Nazi headquarters which is near to her.

Then, she enlists in the Resistance, and we read about how she does her bit to make changes to the war effort.

The story was well researched and beautifully written, it had some disturbing events which were delicately handled.

I highly recommend this book.

This was an excellent read. It’s a well researched novel centred around the occupation of Prague in WW2 by the Nazis. It relates the assassination of Heydrich and the consequent razing of Lidice as a form of retribution from the Nazis. Heydrich of course was one of the architects of the final solution and the atrocity in Lidice is little known compared to other awful events in that conflict. The climax focuses on the liberation of Prague in 1945, again events that pass underneath the radar easily. There is much more to the story than that and although at times I found it emotive, I would recommend this to anyone with a historical interest in WW2

The Last Bookshop In Prague by Helen Parusel is a powerful, heartbreaking historical novel that I read in just one sitting. The story is fictional but grounded in fact as it surrounds the Nazi occupation of Prague from 1942 to the end of the war. The historians will recognize this as the place of Reinhard Heydrich, the butcher of Prague, and of his fate and the fate of the people of Prague. Fast forward to the end of the war, and once more, the people of Prague will go down in history.
The Nazi occupation was horrendous. Fear and cruelty abounded. Everything was designed to wear down the citizens of Prague – but they were made of stern stuff, and far from being worn down, many brave souls rose up.
The Last Bookshop In Prague is an inspiring read as we hear of the extraordinary bravery of the ordinary people who refused to be silenced.
At the heart of the community is the last bookshop in Prague. Here, although outwardly adhering to the Nazi orders to only stock German books and approved authors, inwardly it was the hub of the resistance.
We see the bravery of the young proprietress as she refuses to stand by and do nothing when Jewish children are in need. She and her family, do what they can, when they can, in order to save lives.
To be successful, the resistance relied on knowledge being passed on but also sealed lips. The less you knew, the less you could tell. Suspicion was everywhere. Trust was in short supply. No one knew exactly who was working against the Nazis, sometimes it was most surprising to learn who was.
Love still happens in time of war. Sometimes people fight against their feelings – but to no avail.
All the characters were well drawn, realistic and likable. The bravery of many is to be commended.
Helen Parusel has written a powerful fictional account. She brings history to life in The Last Bookshop In Prague. It is a book that needs to be read in memory of the brave citizens of Prague (and of Czechoslovakia as a whole) during World War II. I can highly recommend it.
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

The Last Bookshop In Prague offers readers a glimpse at life in Prague during the Nazi occupation and largely under the cruel leadership of SS commander Reinhardt Heidrich. If you are squeamish, then this is probably not the book for you as there are many, many instances in this story where people are brutally murdered, severely ill-treated or just plain struggling to stay alive in incredibly difficult circumstances. Against this backshop, we meet Jana, who runs the small and welcoming bookshop founded by her late mother, a place where children can excape bullying and dive into a story, and where women can meet to discuss the books they love and share them with their friends. Despite the enforced changes brought about by the Nazis in terms of the types of books stocked, I loved that Jana still managed to create a largely safe space. Her father’s hand-carved puppets add a lovely touch to a shop that is already inclusive. Jana is not just a bookshop owner, however. She also helps the resistance, and saves several Jewish children from certain death. She is a brave and determined woman and I loved her for that. Other key characters that help drive this story include Czech Police Captain Andrej Kovar, Jana’s father and her grandmother Babbi as well as several resistance fighters. Through the eyes of all these people, we see the horrors of war in all its glory as well as the hope that keeps people going when all seems to be lost. This has been an engaging, informative and thought-provoking story that I thoroughly enjoyed.