Thought-full Thursdays: A Book Review

The span of years and geography impacted by World War II are such that there may not be enough time or books to tell all the stories. If you are looking for a deep, well-written novel about life in Austria during the war, look no further. Here is my review:

A powerful, thought-provoking book, Hidden Among the Stars is intriguing and well-written. The parallel stories mesh well, and the author does a good job of transitioning back and forth between eras, without jolting the reader which can sometimes happen in timeslip books. The ending is bittersweet rather than happily-ever-after, but it works with this novel. The characters are well-developed and complex, although it seemed very few of them actually came from healthy homes; but rather were raised with verbal abuse and neglect seeming to be the norm. 

The romance aspect during Callie’s story felt rushed and glossed over to me. Perhaps the depth of the WWII plot didn’t allow room. I enjoy a historic novel that educates me about an era, and Hidden Among the Stars did this. In addition, I was prompted to do my own research to find out even more. Due to the subject matter, there is violence, but it is neither graphic nor gratuitous.

Book Blurb:

The year is 1938, and as Hitler’s troops sweep into Vienna, Austrian Max Dornbach promises to help his Jewish friends hide their most valuable possessions from the Nazis, smuggling them to his family’s summer estate near the picturesque village of Hallstatt. He enlists the help of Annika Knopf, his childhood friend and the caretaker’s daughter, who is eager to help the man she’s loved her entire life. But when Max also brings Luzia Weiss, a young Jewish woman, to hide at the castle, it complicates Annika’s feelings and puts their entire plan—even their very lives—in jeopardy. Especially when the Nazis come to scour the estate and find both Luzia and the treasure gone.

Eighty years later, Callie Randall is mostly content with her quite life, running a bookstore with her sister and reaching out into the world through her blog. Then she finds a cryptic list in an old edition of Bambi that connects her to Annika’s story…and possibly to the long-buried story of a dear friend. As she digs into the past, Callie must risk venturing outside the safe world she’s built for a chance at answers, adventure, and maybe even new love.

Purchase Link: www.amazon.com/dp/B07B7QWK52

Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, speaker, and history geek. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone's throw from Fort McHenry and has lived in historic places all her life. Linda is a member of ACFW, RWA, and Sisters in Crime. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII and a trustee for her local public library. To learn more about Linda and her books visit her website. If you'd like to receive a free short story be sure to sign up for her newsletter. She can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.