Such a well written book but now days I can only take so much so didn't love it as much as I should have. Great research too.

I want to preface this review with the caveat that this book isn't for everyone. Reading this book made me pretty uncomfortable, but in a good way - in the way it was intended. The topic explored in this book - the Lebensborn project - wasn't something I knew a whole lot about prior to reading this. If you asked me what it was, I could have probably told you it was a Nazi thing during WW2 and the Holocaust about stealing and making more Aryan babies. But I didn't realize how deep and impactful this "program" really was. You can tell how much research the author did when putting this book together and how authentic she wanted it to feel. I really think more people need to read this book. Those who don't study and learn from history are doomed to fall victim to it.

Eerie book about a Nazi breeding program and the lengths mothers will go to protect their children. The book has a fascinating and upsetting at the same time story line. However, I do feel like the writing fell short on this large story.

Historical fiction takes a hold of me every time! A very emotional and sometimes disturbing read, but one that is meant to be heard. Hard truths are difficult and this book appears to have been deeply researched and well written. Be ready to have your heart strings pulled!

Set against the backdrop of historical events, in 1935 during World War II, the Lebensborn Society Maternity Breeding Program emerged as a creation of the Nazis, intended to foster a so-called “master race.” The narrative unfolds through the experiences of three fictional women ensnared within the machinery of Lebensborn Society’s maternity homes.

One of these young women, Gundi, carries the child of the Jewish man she loves, a secret she guards closely as she is involuntarily sent away to bear what is meant to be a “racially pure” baby. Meanwhile, another young woman, Hilde, is a pregnant zealot devoted to the man wreaking havoc on lives and nations; she’s a fervent believer willing to make great sacrifices for her country. The third character, Irma, aged forty-two and estranged from her previous life, accepts a job at the same Bavarian breeding home where the two young pregnant women have been taken.

The existence of these homes where newborns were born, and the heartbreaking reality of babies being separated from their murdered parents in other countries, only to be chosen and handed over to German couples supporting the Reich, is truly harrowing and terrifying.

This story delves much deeper into these chilling historical events, making it an essential read for readers of historical fiction.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cradles of the Reich is a different look at Nazi Germany through the lives of three women that all meet at a breeding home called Heim Hochland.

Gundi was a university student who is part of the resistance group. Hilde is a true believer and is pregnant by a Nazi officer. Irma is a nurse that was desperate to build a new life. All three of these women are at the breeding house under different circumstances but learn a lot about themselves and each other.

This was a different take on WWII Nazi Germany. Seeing through the eyes of three women instead of soldiers. I thought it was a little slow at times and didn’t really like any of the characters.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was very excited to read Jennifer Coburn’s book “Cradles of the Reich.” I love reading World War 11 novels and learning about the history of the era and I was pleasantly surprised to find that Miss Coburn was able to show a different side of the war that I had never read about before. The story focused on there different women who were pregnant and not married and whose main role within the war was to basically be “Aryan incubators.” These three different women all from different walks of life and with different views of the war and of the Nazis all gave birth to babies and these babies are then adopted to SS officers families. This was a very interesting read and something that I was not aware of. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book for an unbiased review.

A very eye opening novel. There were some tough parts to get through. Well researched and interesting story about the evils in this world and during ww2.

Such an emotional read! The authors writing is so well written it makes you feel like you are there with them.

It was very informational as well as intriguing. I wanted to know more but it was kind of a heavy read as well.

The ending felt a little rushed but I still very much enjoyed this!

CRADLES OF THE REICH

Set in 1939 Berlin, this is the story of three women of varying opinion of the Nazi Party’s leadership in Germany. Due to differing circumstances, they are placed at the Heim Hochland in Steinhöring Bavaria, a Lebensborn Society Home. It is an Aryan breeding retreat. Established by Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler, Heim Hochland “provides the very best maternity care for racially pure girls until their babies are born.” It also serves as a brothel for Nazi officers. In addition it acts as an adoption agency for Aryan children orphaned during the war.

Gundi, is young and pregnant with a baby whose father, Leo is Jewish. Hilde, is young and naive. She is pregnant from Obergruppenführer Warner Ziegler, a married Nazi more than twice her age. Irma, is a nurse who served in the Great War at Potsdam Military Hospital.

I had mixed feelings on the book. It contained excellent historical detail. The story was easy to read and definitely interesting and informative. I felt it lacked depth in character development and felt a bit like a YA. It ended abruptly and feels like it needs a sequel. I also wished it had been more balanced between the three women’s viewpoints, too much focus on only one. Also, I felt the comparison of Nazism to white supremacy in the US was odd and reduced credibility.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Jennifer Coburn, and Sourcebooks Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A really eye opening book to the evils of the Reich, and to the brain washing many of these women endured. I appreciate Coburn bringing this site of history to life.

Cradles of the Reich offers an up close and personal look at what the Hitler regime was willing to do in the name of racial purity. In the story, a few of the women involved are the focus, but their stories could not be more different.

Hilde, at eighteen, is a staunch believer in Hitler’s policies. She wants nothing more than to be a standout German and give birth to pure German babies. Her married German lover sends her to Heim Hochland when he learns of her pregnancy. Her misguided beliefs lead her to drastic measures when she miscarries her baby.

Gundi, a perfect example of a pure German woman is pregnant and everyone mistakenly believes the father is her pure-blood childhood friend. Gundi’s love interest just happens to be Jewish and she joins him in his work for the resistance. When she becomes pregnant, she is more or less kidnapped and sent to Heim Hochland, a home for pregnant German mothers to receive the best of care for their babies.

Irma, a childless nurse at the home, realizes that she has misjudged her former fiancé and at a pivotal point in the story decides to follow his lead in offering compassion to the Jewish people.

Don’t read the story without reading the author’s notes at the end. It’s a very compelling part of the German history. Jennifer Coburn writes a somewhat mild version of the facts, so readers should not be wary of any violence against the mothers and the children.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to offer my honest review.

Wow, the depths of awfulness powerful people in the world can inflect on others never ceases amaze me. This a story I had never heard about. Although I would like to pretend this kind of thing never happened, I can't. Coburn brings this part of the war to light in a gripping novel. Not a beach read, but a weekend by yourself with no interruptions don't put down sort of book.

A gripping story about how two young people in the same world can have such vastly different experiences and beliefs and the older who is the voice of experience. If you enjoy WWII fiction, this one will be right up your alley! Told from 3 perspectives and a storyline that weaves all of them together. This tale gives an inside look into the lives of three women caught up in the dark side of the Reich and the choices they make to survive.

The devious Nazis wanted to create a pure Aryan race, minus any imperfections, disabilities, or mental illness. To do so, they selected certain woman who were pregnant and some who they desired to be pregnant were sent to special homes where they were treated well and cared for.
This book focuses on three of this women (fictional) that found themselves in one of the Lebensborn Society maternity homes.

Historical fiction is one of those genres that I have a love/hate relationship with. I love learning something new when I read them, but I am torn with that love because of the story.

Cradles of the Reich had my heart twisted. I never knew this type of "maternity" home existed, but am not surprised about it. I fell in love with Gundi and Irma as they go along trying to find their way in the situation they are placed. Hilde is a complex character and while she is a villain of sorts I felt bad for her.

I enjoyed this one overall and would recommend for historical fiction fans. I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I am a fan of historical fiction and when I read the description to this book, I felt very intrigued by it. I have read multiple historical fiction books based on the time of the Nazi invasion or Europe. but had very minimal knowledge of the Lebensborn program. I enjoyed that the story was told from the perspective of three different woman who each were at different paths during this time period. There was the resistance fighter (Gundi), the party enthusiast (Hilde), and older generation nurse (Irma), each showing a different side to the Lebensborn program, each involved in a very different way, I loved being able to see this situation from each point of view.

The author was able to provide a very factual book, you can really tell that the author took her time and did her research to make sure to stay as true to the situation as possible. As I read and learned more about the Nazi situation and program the more I found myself going on google to learn about each aspect that was being brought up, as I wanted to know more. People are aware that Nazis did bad things, but the extend to which they did is unknown to many, which is where I recommend this book to everyone. This was a quick, easy and heartbreaking read that kept my attention throughout the whole book.

Thank you to Jennifer Coburn Netgalley SourceBooks for this #ARCbook #ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This historical fiction book is based on the very true, and very disturbing Nazi program "Lebensborn Society" to create a racially fit society during WWII. The novel follows 3 German women through the deep, dark, and horrifying world that the Nazis were attempting to build during that time.

Jennifer Coburn, Author of “Cradles of the Reich,” has written an intense and memorable novel that depicts the dark, turbulent, and disturbing reality that occurred during Adolf Hitler’s leadership. The genres for this novel are Historical Fiction, World War Two Historical Fiction, and Women’s Literature and Fiction. I appreciate the amount of research that Jennifer Coburn has investigated to give this story such insightful and intense meaning. The story mainly occurs inside the LEBENSBORN Society Maternity Home at Heim Hochland in Bavaria. This was part of Hitler’s mad scheme to create a master race, and several homes were maternity and “breeding homes.” Pregnant German single and married girls with Aryian features were encouraged to give birth to their babies there. Other German girls would entertain Gestapo and German soldiers with the hope of getting pregnant. The story takes place during this time period and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events.

Is anyone safe in Germany…especially the perfect female examples of the German race.

Gundi is one of the perfect, gorgeous German women chosen by the Reich to bear perfect children to create the master race. She does have a secret, though. Actually she has two secrets.

We meet Hilde who is a staunch follower of the Reich and one of the women who is willing to help fill Germany with perfect children.

And we meet Irma a former nurse and 44 years old. She will be the one encouraging the unwed mothers to stay healthy so they deliver these perfect children.

We meet these women during this dark time in history and at Lebensborn Society maternity home where women arrive already pregnant or will become pregnant by an approved German officer.

Ms. Coburn did amazing, thorough research on a topic I never knew about.

Historical fiction fans will enjoy CRADLES OF THE REICH.

There are many sensitive and heartbreaking topics addressed, and this idea of using German women in this way is something I couldn’t believe. 4/5

This book was given to me by the author via NetGalley for an honest review.