This was a powerful book. I enjoyed the story and found the characters to be thoughtful. I thought that this author crafted a well written story. I would recommend to others.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is actually the third book of a trilogy but works well as a stand alone. I haven’t read the first two books but would like to now that I’m aware of them. Levi is from a well-to-do Jewish banking family in Berlin. In 1938 as Germany becomes more dangerous for Jews, Levi’s father sends him to England to escape the Nazi’s. He is a banker in England but as the war progresses he is sent to an internment camp. The British recruit and train him to be a spy and he is parachuted back to Berlin to work as a German officer in the propaganda department. Because he is an excellent pianist, he makes the rounds at parties for elite officers and is able to pass along valuable info to the allies even info he gets from Hitler himself. A fellow officer, his friend/lover, was caught in a gay encounter and sent to Dachau. He escapes and Levi helps him get out of Germany. They join the Italian resistance and perform many heroic deeds. I really liked this and could feel the heart and soul of Levi as he experiences life during WWII and lives to relate his story. This is a story of family, war, love, tragedy, loss and secrets. I enjoyed every minute of it and now would like to read the previous two books. The author is an excellent storyteller and this book is very well written. I highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a story the individual war fought by one man during WWII

I don’t typically enjoy historical fiction so I was on the fence when this popped into my Netgalley (it’s a mystery how!). But I actually really enjoyed it! The bravery & intrepid nature of the character, and the exploration of humanity among the horror was beautifully done.

*potential spoilers proceed accordingly*

I loved the concept of a Gay, Jewish man joining the British intelligence & infiltrating the Nazi party. I felt so afraid for Levi, and cried at a couple points when he was hit by the cruelty of those around him.

Thank you Netgalley & Harper 360 for this eArc!

I would like to thank Harper 360 and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book and give my honest opinion. . The book alternates between the 1940s and current day. Levi tells his oral history as part of a debriefing after World War 2. The book starts with Levi leaving home to go to London and be a banker at a bank that was owned by his fathers friend. Immediately, Levi is faced with the SS and a hard decision. I actually enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would. It made me want to meet Levi (something that books almost never make me want) and believe he is a true (fictional) hero. Levi's War spans Germany, the UK, and then back to Germany, as a talented pianist who plays for Hitler. Give this book a chance and you won't be disappointed.

A great book. Levi is a young man who lives in Berlin. It is the year 1938. Levi's family sends him to London, where he will surely be safer. Everything was going well until the English government asked Levi to participate in a mission abroad in Berlin thanks to his language abilities. The boy accepts, but this adventure will be full of dangers and challenges. It is a book in which the author narrates the past and the present. I like that the author explains each chapter excellently, in such a way that I never felt lost. There were times when I was worried about Levi, especially when he is in the German barracks. It is a book with an addictive story that I loved. I thank NetGalley, Harper Collins 360, and HarperCollins NZ for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. What an absolutely gripping and riveting story. I didn't realize this was book three of a trilogy about the Horowitz family but I will now go back and read the first two. This story was captivating and stunning. It was hard to imagine it was really a fictionalized story based on true events of WWII experiences. Highly recommend this for all the historical fiction lovers of WWII stories.

Levi's War is the story WWII through one man's experiences, experiences which his family knew nothing about until following his death.

Levi Horowitz is working at his father's bank in London, when he is approached by British Intelligence and asked to be a spy in Germany. Levi speaks multiple languages, is a talented pianist, and as a Jew, is interested in helping with the British war effort. Following extensive training, he is dropped into Berlin as a German soldier, where he is to garner what information he can and report back to them. His musical ability soon brings him to the attention of the high command of the Nazi party, and he is asked to play at their parties in their homes, in time gaining access to Hitler himself.

After several years as a spy, he makes a personal decision based on a relationship to go to Italy and fight with the resistance there. As the war ends, the British military debriefs him and learns about the rest of his war efforts. In 2017, they discover a tape made by Levi in 1945 which tells his story. The Brits want to make it into a documentary about his courage and bravery and gather his remaining family to ask their permission to air it.

Though this is a fictionalized account, it is representative of what many actually did during the war; willingly putting themselves in personal danger to fight against those who would take their freedom and homeland from them. The author does a fine job of making Levi's story captivating, and I enjoyed the read very much.

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins NZ for allowing me to read an e-copy of the book with hopes of an unbiased review. All opinions expressed in this review are freely given and are my own.

I received a free copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is the third book in a trilogy by Julie Thomas, which I didn't know going into the story. That being said, it was a little difficult to follow some of the conversations and plotlines, but that's my fault for not realizing that I had to read the first two!

This book jumped back and forth between WWII and present day. I usually love a switched timeline in a novel, but this felt a bit off at thomes. The present day chapters didn't connect with me the same way the past chapters did.

It was really interesting to see Levi's crossed intersectionalities and the way his sexulity and religion impacted him. On the other hand, I also felt like it jumped back and forth from topic to topic a little bit too much for my taste. I had difficulty maintaining constant interest in the story throughout, but enjoyed the book overall.

When I requested this book, I was unaware it’s the third in the trilogy. I appreciated the family tree and listing of characters but was confused at times regarding the relationships. It had an almost biblical sense to it when listing names and then wife of, mother, son, etc.

The basic premise of the story was great and I love history from all time periods but especially around WWII. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect well with the characters, some of the wording used by present day characters seemed more like phrases used many years ago and moving from topic to topic was confusing. I usually enjoy scenes from the past and present day, but this seemed to be a bit disjointed.

I would like to read the first two books and determine if knowing more about those characters and events would have impacted my opinion of this book.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this new work.

Overall, I found this book to just be ok. It was a very interesting idea that built on actual events during WWII, when Jewish refugees were trained as spies and returned to Nazi Germany. Added to that, the story of a young man who had to hide both his religion and his sexuality at a time and in a place where both would likely end in his death, I had anticipated a tense thriller of a novel. And, in broad strokes, the story itself was interesting. The scenes in the past were set around present day scenes where Levi's family finally learn through British Intelligence records what he had been doing during those war years.

And yet... the writing seriously let down the story. The writing was not compelling at all, and even with as much time as we spend in Levi's perspective, we only ever seem to get a surface level of a personality. There is a lot of repetition in the writing, as though in the course of two pages we've forgotten who is who, and have to be reminded about the relationships between people.

The book does not transition well between the scenes in the past and the scenes in the present. In fact, it is several chapters into the book before we even get the first present-day scene, which as a narrative device is rather jarring. The ending as well was very contrived, and rather anticlimactic. Not what you would expect for a book about anti-Nazi espionage.

It is a shame, because this could have been a very interesting, powerful book. We know that there were Jews who returned as spies for the Allies. We know that homosexuals were persecuted in Nazi Germany. Telling their stories is important, and that is why this book is so disappointing. It does not do justice to the stories that need to be told.

I do not recommend this book without some significant re-writing.

With thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for an early copy in return for an honest review.

Historical fiction is probably my favorite genre of book, and I particularly gravitate towards World War 2 historical fiction. I am always amazed that despite the number of WW2 books I have read I still learn more about what happened during the war.

Levi's War goes back and forth between 2017 and the early 1940's but is set mostly during WW2. Levi, and his family, grapple with a number of secrets and the story explores the impact of these secrets coming out. Levi spent the story taking on a number of disguises and trying to hide his homosexuality. I found it a bit difficult to follow how Levi's story jumped around from Berlin to interacting with Hitler to various other storylines. I think it would have helped if it had focused on fewer plot elements.

Notes: I would give this 3.5 stars. This is book 3 in a trilogy but it can be read as a stand alone.

Levi’s War starts with the Horowitz family traveling to London to view a recorded debriefing of their Feter Levi from his assistance to the allies during the WWII. Levi had not talked about his service or his life during this time so the entire family is confronted with his choices that affect every family member.
This is a very different historical fiction book but very ‘real’. I will definitely go back and read #1 and #2 of the Horowitz Chronicles by Julie Thomas. Levi’s War was a quick read but very enthralling.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for this advanced copy.
#Netgalley #HarperCollins #Levi’sWar

4 bright stars for an engaging story of one man's journey through WWII. Although this book is fiction, some of the characters in the book were real people. Levi Horowitz grows up in Germany. His father decides to send him to Britain in 1938 after Kristallnacht. He manages to escape Germany as Jews are increasingly persecuted.
He is interned as an enemy alien in 1940. But then he is recruited by the British intelligence because he speaks German, English, French and can play the piano. They want him to parachute into Europe and act as a German officer. Because he can play the piano, he is noticed by Goebbels and is invited to play the piano for Adolf Hitler.
His life as a spy is a thrilling adventure and not discovered by his family until 2017 when the British find a video recording of a debriefing interview of Levi made in December 1945. The book then goes back and forth between present day and WWII.
This is book 3 in a trilogy, but it worked fine for me as a stand alone.
One quote from Levi on the Holocaust/Shoah "Families that lived and worked and owned property and contributed magnificently to the world for hundreds of years, and in one short period they have been totally obliterated."
#LevisWar #NetGalley
Thanks to HarperCollins NZ for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

Levi's War is the story of Levi Horowitz and his family during and after WWII. I find any book about WWII to be a great look into the history of the world and I enjoy seeing different view points through books. Levi felt real to me for the entire book and I felt like I could connect with him. I do wish that I had read the first 2 books in the series before diving into Levi's War, though. I will have to go back and read them for sure!

Everything will be alright now

The story of Levi Horowitz and his family right before, during and after WWII. This is a story of a young Jewish man who showed great courage in the face of danger with compassion and love for his fellow man. He , however, was plagued by secrets during that time that he kept from his family until after his death.

He played many roles in his lifetime, refugee, spy, resistance fighter, friend, uncle, comrade and lover. Each role in his life he played to his utmost ability even though he was at times hurting inside. He saw, faced and lived with fear, evil, death, and sometimes love and friendship.
It is a heartbreaking story of the cruelty of war and how it affects all those involved and how it changes a person forever.

The story is told through an interview the Army did with him after he left the war. He told them I will tell you my story this one time and I will never speak of it again. When his only living brother was in his 90's the tape was found and shown to the family.

It is a very good book , much history of the war both in Germany and in Italy. I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Julie Thomas, Harper 360, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy for an honest review.

Levi’s War continues Julie Thomas series about the Horowitz family, this time focusing on eldest son Levi, who’s path through WWII was much different than his siblings.

Alternating between 1938 and modern day, we find out about Levi’s war, which was a far cry from most German Jews, but not less difficult. Through his father’s banking connections, Levi was granted passage to London to work in a friend’s bank in 1938, fleeing the Nazi’s ever-increasing control over Jewish lives in Germany. Not long after arrival in England, the British government recruited Levi to spy for the Allies. With his control of multiple languages, Aryan looks, and giftedness as a pianist, he had the potential to infiltrate even the highest command in the SS. Many of the choices he was forced to make tested his faith as well as his sense of self.

Simon, Levi’s younger brother, who has a novel of his own—The Keeper of Secrets, is contacted late in life by the British government as they digitize film and rediscover Levi’s contributions to the war. In these private viewings, Levi reveals not only his service secrets, but personal ones as well, that he took with him to the grave.

Levi’s war was a quick read and interesting for sure. The historical chapters were much better written in my opinion. The novel could stand on its own, but references to his siblings and their instruments could cause confusion if you haven’t read the other novels in the Horowitz Chronicles.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper 360/HarperCollins NZ, and Julie Thomas for an advanced copy of this book. I would give this 3.5 stars.

Levi is a German Jew that was sent to England to be safe. While in England Levi is sent to a camp for German people. At the camp Levi is recruited to be a spy for England. Levi is sent to Germany and ends up in the inner circle of Hitler's people. This was a captive reading and I learned that there are 2 other books related to this the 3rd book. I am interested in reading the other 2.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as the others in this series. Some of the dialogue felt a bit rehearsed and artificial and there were moments in the book where I felt like it was asking a bit much to suspend belief as far as I'd have had to in order to be fully involved with the story.

The first half of this book, in my opinion, was more exciting than the last half. I lost my way toward the end and just didn't really care to follow what was happening any longer. The partisan activity and the backstory of Levi was interesting enough. I enjoyed some of the characters more than others. This is not a bad book, but it did have some slower moments that caused me to lose interest.

If you are interested in historical fiction set in this period then you should give it a chance and see what you think.

This review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Many historical fiction books set during WW2 are heavy, dense, and hard to read because they are true to the tragedy they portray. This book read like a light version of WW2 historical fiction. Instead of delving deep into the atrocities and torment, this book tends to skim the surface over the actuality of suffering experienced by both Jews and the occupied.

Levi is a trained assassin and a spy. While I believe Britain to be adept at training assassins and spies, Levi’s abilities and circumstances just don’t seem plausible from beginning to end. Spying is a complex undertaking (which is greatly glossed over in this story). Most of the time, Levi just seems to be in the right place at the right time. I found his story too simplistic. The storyline unfolds too easily, and there are more coincidences than are believable.

Historical fiction that highlights real heroes from WW2 is one of my very favorite genres. I found this book to fall short of others in its field. That may be because this book is not based upon an actual person or a depth of research on which to support itself.

Many thanks to Julie Thomas, Harper 360, Harper Collins NZ, and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

WWII period genre novels are my favorite, but sadly this one didn't impress me. I wasn't aware this was the third book of Julie Thomas' trilogy following the Horowitz family, which explains my confusion on some of the discussions and why I was not impressed. In addition, the writing style didn't work for me as the flow just seemed off in some way. There were also elements of the book I wasn't expecting and that didn't improve my impressions.

Themes running through the novel include 1) having to apologize for his Jewishness and 2) hiding the fact that he is gay in a country where homosexuality is a crime and punishable by death.

While the author shows depth of research for the story, the constant jumping from topic and circumstance to something else was very confusing. Personally, I lost continuity and interest and therefore did not finish the book. I also felt Levi's constant fixation of his homosexuality is overdone and doesn't at all help maintain the reader's interest.