This is one of the best historical fiction books I have read in a long time. Not only was the storyline amazing, I was also educated on a project that I never new existed. The story follows three German women, in WWII, and their experience at a breeding facility for the Reich. All three women have different views and stories, yet they all fit together nicely. I feel like the book ended on a cliffhanger and definitely wanted at least another 50 pages to find out the fate of the women. An enjoyable and very eye opening read, especially with the times we live in.

One of the reasons I enjoy reading historical fiction is the educational part. Not that I don't love a good story but when mixed with some unknown pieces of the past just provides double the pleasure. Cradles of the Reich is one of those books that took me by surprise in the educational department. I know I shouldn't be surprised as to the things that took place during WW2 but this Nazi breeding home was something I knew nothing about.

Cradles is the story of 3 women who meet at one of these home that are part of the Lebensborn Society. While each of them are unique in their backgrounds and purposes that bringing them together I did struggle to connect. The tension I craved just wasn't enough to feel an emotions for them. The ending felt abrupt and left me with questions and not enough closure.

It was obvious the author has done her research and has a passion for this time period and story. With the gorgeous cover, enticing blurb and social media buzz I was hoping for a captivating story. Like I said the social media buzz is strong, which makes this a'me' issue.

My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

This is a fictional account of the Lebensborn program in Nazi Germany. To create a master race, young “perfect” women were brought to homes to have babies with German officers. Unwed mothers also gave birth in such homes. If their babies fit the desired profile, they were adopted by Nazi supporters. Coburn tells the story of two of the mothers and a nurse at home. I had no idea that any such program existed. I found the book both fascinating and frightening. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Jennifer Coburn has written a compelling and frightening account of the Lebensborn Society inspired by actual events and people. The realistic characters demonstrate a diverse range of beliefs, from those supporting the German government program to those supporting the Resistance. I did feel the ending was rushed and lacked closure as to what happened to the main characters. Even so, it was a good read and I would recommend it. Thanks #NetGalley #SourcebooksLandmark #JenniferCoburn

The Lebensborn Society in Nazi Germany was established as part of their eugenics program to increase the population of “racially pure” Aryan babies. Cradles of the Reich tells the story of one of their maternity homes through the eyes of three fictional women. The pregnant Gundi is the prototype for Aryan beauty…attractive, blond, blue eyed…but she harbors a secret. Hilde strives to be the perfect Nazi loyalist all the while promoting her own self interests. Irma, older and childless, is a nurse at the home.

Many of the horrors of life in the Reich are here. The children’s books that taught hatred of the Jews. The destruction of Kristallnacht followed by fines placed upon Jews for “causing” it. The kidnapping of babies. The euthanasia program for children with disabilities. The work camps. With all this occurring, pure Aryan women were being taught how to manage the home, raise their children, and tend to their husbands.

This is a fast, engrossing read. The ending is a bit abrupt. I would have liked to have known the rest of the stories of these three women. I really would have liked an epilogue. Perhaps there will be a sequel?

Do read the author’s notes at the end discussing the historical research and accuracy of the book.

There are a lot of World War II era historical fiction stories; I like to find those with varying foci. What they all have in common, though, is that I see them as warnings for our time. We need to never forget man’s inhumanity to man and atrocities committed in the name of hate. We need to be sensitive to the dangers of cult like figures, hatred, and how easy it is for the unthinkable to become reality or a nation to be led astray.

Thanks to #Netgalley and #sourcebooksLandmark for the ARC

A solid 4 star read! This was a terrifying program and a difficult subject to read about. It is also one we must never forget about it.

“You, my dear, are perfection,” he said. “I have been waiting for a girl with your features since we started the program four years ago.”

Jennifer Coburn’s, ‘Cradles of the Reich’ is a well written and memorable novel depicting a disturbing aspect from the Nazi Regime. As the author states: ‘The Lebensborn Society, which translates to “Spring of Life” in English, existed in the same world as Nazi death camps. In its ten years, approximately thirty homes were in operation by the end of the war and had produced nearly twenty thousand children.’

This is an informative WWII historical fiction novel based on actual events. Through three distinct narratives, a complex tale is told about this Nazi breeding program. These contrasting viewpoints bring a unique and not well documented occurrence to light that some readers may not be familiar with. Jennifer has undertaken in-depth research to provide solid historical details told through both inspiring and unlikeable fictional characters. Through these viewpoints readers can witness how seemingly ordinary Germans justified events happening around them.

‘When she left Heim Hochland, she could tell the world about this secret breeding program. Surely, they would be disgusted and would intervene on behalf of these sexually exploited young women.’

The author's notes and personal insights at the conclusion are equally enlightening. This would make for a wonderful book club selection as it would be sure to generate much discussion. Recommended for readers of historical, WWII and even women’s fiction, as the author states: ‘Cradles of the Reich covers a dark period of history, but I hope readers will be heartened by how the connections women forge can carry us through the most harrowing of times and sometimes even drive us to act with heroism we hadn’t realized we were capable of.’

“I don’t think …” Gundi began. “No, you don’t.” Dr. Ebner chuckled. “Which is exactly how you got yourself into this situation.”








This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

This one is about a Nazi breeding home. It intertwines the stories of three very different women and their connections to the breeding home. Gundi is pregnant and secretly a member of the resistance. Hilde is a true believer in Hitler’s cause and thrilled to carry an Aryan baby. Irma is a nurse who is just trying to make a living after some personal losses.

The author does a fantastic job of differentiating between these three very unique and individual characters. This is a great piece of women’s fiction - embracing the strength of women and their relationships.

At Heim Hochland, a Nazi breeding home in Bavaria, three women's fates are irrevocably intertwined. Gundi is a pregnant university student from Berlin. An Aryan beauty, she's secretly a member of a resistance group. Hilde, only eighteen, is a true believer in the cause and is thrilled to carry a Nazi official's child. And Irma, a 44-year-old nurse, is desperate to build a new life for herself after personal devastation. All three have everything to lose.

Based on untold historical events, this novel brings us intimately inside the Lebensborn Society maternity homes that actually existed in several countries during World War II, where thousands of "racially fit" babies were bred and taken from their mothers to be raised as part of the new Germany. Even amongst this depravity, the connections women forge can carry us through, even driving us to heroism we didn't know we had within us.

Cradles of the Reich by Jennifer Coburn is my first book by this author. First let me say that I totally enjoy Historical Fiction because I come away learning about something that I knew little about or did not know anything about before. The book is told from several points of view.
I felt that this book has been thoroughly researched. It is abundantly clear that Ms. Coburn had to really do her homework for this book. Ms. Coburn is an excellent writer. Her plot is original and she creates a story with depth and interest. This novel takes place in WWII Germany. I knew a bit about Hilter believing in and creating an Aryan society but I had absolutely no knowledge of the Lebensborn Society. It was a program paid for by the Third Reich that screened unwed mothers for their skin, eye color and ‘Aryaness’. If they met the criteria, they would be taken care of completely while having the best maternity care, the best living conditions and the best food. The unwed mothers are living in mansions throughout Germany. The one in this story is named Heim Hochland.
I knew nothing about these homes let alone how prevalent they were throughout Germany. As part of Hitler’s development of a master race these babies would be taken away from their birth mother and they were then adopted by approved German Families. Some young women who were ‘ideal’ Aryan specimens were brought to these homes and were basically whores who were impregnated by German soldiers. The Lebensborn Homes had a dual purpose. It acted like a Brothel and an unwed mother’s home. The sole purpose of the Lebensborn Society was to have a child for Hitler.
It was a true learning opportunity to delve into the Lebensborn Society. As bazaar as the Nazi mentality was, this was just astonishing. There were so many Germans willing to help the Lebensborn Society in one way or another. Part of the Lebensborn Society gave awards to mother’s who raised four or more children for the Reich.
The character’s were well done. Some were deep and others not so much. I will say that there was a decent amount of characters to keep track of. If you are a Historical Fiction fan and love to learn about lesser known things that occurred during that time period, you will enjoy this book. Well done.
I would like to thank Ms. Coburn, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love historical fiction and learning about something I didn’t know about before. This book is told from the fictional view points of three women during WWII but is based on true events of what happened at the Lebensborn Society. Women gave birth to babies who were mostly adopted by German families, all for building the German race for Hitler.

In the story, we follow Hilde who is a Hilter girl having an affair with a high ranking official. She finds herself at the breeding home, Heim Hochland, pregnant and excited. Gundi is a young beautiful girl pregnant by her Jewish boyfriend. She is terrified of what will happen if her secret is found out. Irma is a 42 year old nurse at the home who has lost a live and is trying to do the right thing. She starts to discover secrets about how things are done at the home.

I enjoyed the characters and was horrified to learn girls in the home were there to have sex with the soldiers and birth children to be put up for adoption. Some babies were stolen and then adopted by German families who were given awards for raising 4 or more children for the Reich. 🤯 I think the ending was a bit abrupt and would love to know more about the girls stories and how they ended up after the war.

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for the arc for an honest review.

This one was an interesting story with multiple POVs that eventually converged into one set location where the characters overlapped. However this one felt a little lopsided with the character development. Thankfully the character I cared most about got the most airtime, but I felt like the novel might have been more cohesive if it didn’t try to focus on multiple characters. Additionally I would’ve liked a bit more closure with some of the characters than I received. I learned a lot about the society and history, which is something I really appreciate about most historical fiction books including this one!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review in exchange for this ARC!

A chilling fascinating novel that I couldn't put down. This book is a excellently researched, and it is clear that Jennifer Coburn is a scrupulous historian alongside her authorship. Wonderful, captivating writing and original plot gives this novel the depth and ability to pull in any reader. It is an excellent addition to the growing WWII genre that deals with the lesser known Lebensborn program. I highly recommend this - it was nothing less than fantastic. I can't wait to own this novel in print.

This was a good historical novel, in that it gives many points of reference and tells the story from multiple points of view. It also addresses a part of history that has not been written about to my knowledge. I enjoyed the writing and the characters, and despite the fact that the characters were primarily women, they showed strength in different ways and for different reasons

is was a fascinating novel about a horrific practice by Nazi Germany. Going into this book, I knew very little about the Aryan breeding houses and was appalled to learn how prevalent they were throughout Germany. As part of developing a master race, unwed pregnant girls were placed in homes where their babies, who met the requirements of skin & eye color, were adopted by ‘good German families’. These children would be raised into the future breeding society to expand their race. These homes also housed young girls for their breeding potential and were often used by German Soldiers with the purpose to impregnate. I’m so glad the author reached out to me to read her book because this was eye opening and a true learning opportunity to gain more insight about this program. As harrowing as the Nazi mentality was, it was astonishing to find so many Germans who were willing to risk their lives to help the victims escape and protect them from harm.

Cradles of the Reich is a very real albeit fictionalized version of the Lebensborn Society - Nazi breeding grounds during World War II. Its purpose was to produce the perfect Aryan child. The story is told though different residents of the home, each with very different Nazi allegiances. As awful as it sounds, Jennifer Coburn does a masterful job of the real lives of these women and how they survive their various fates. As hard as it is to read this truthful portrayals, you won't want to put this book down.

I was given an advanced copy to review. All expressed opinions are my own.

Cradles of the Reich is an inventive and interesting World War II novel! The story centers around the Lebensborn Society, a Nazi breeding program to further the Aryan cause. The history is creepy and horrifying, but the book itself draws you in as you follow several women and their roles in the program. Though the author really focused on Gundi, a young woman who is "racially pure" yet part of the Resistance, I was really captivated by Hilde's story and how she had been indoctrinated in Nazi philosophy.

I do have a couple of complaints about this novel. First, I thought the women (Gundi, Hilde, and Irma - a nurse) would interact more and influence each other. There is some of that, but the premise made me feel it would be more prominent. And also, the book ended really quickly. I would have liked to know how their stories ended in the years after the war. Now it's just left to my imagination to figure that out, which isn't a bad thing!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced ebook copy. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoy reading books set during World War 2 but unfortunately I found Cradles of the Reich a difficult read. I found the pacing of the book poor and the ending rushed.

If I were still teaching Adolescent Literature, this book would definitely be on the required reading list. Coburn's novel reveals how the Nazi's not only stole blonde babies from Poland, but used blonde teens to get impregnated by soldiers to keep the blonde and blue-eyed population large in Germany. This novel is not only valuable for young adults who want to learn more about eugenics and the horrors of Hitler, but for any adult. In today's political climate, it may end up on banned book list, which is always disheartening if it's actually not allowed in the schools, but to some degree, good for attracting reader ship.

Coburn's main characters are a teenager who loves Hitler and longs to be a movie star, an older woman who helps the girls at their "pregnancy center," and a young "perfectly German" college student who is pregnant from her Jewish boyfriend. The novel introduces readers to this breeding program, and early on in the novel, we get an idea of the plot, but it does end fairly abruptly, which is probably necessary so it doesn't become an epic of sorts.

The novel is an interesting, straight forward book about a tragic period.

Cradles of the Reich is centered on a Nazi breeding program designed to fill German households with perfect Aryan infants. This historical novel focuses on three women, representing different aspects of 1939 Germany. Gundi looks like the perfect German woman, an idealized beautiful blond young women, whose pregnancy is not what it seems, nor is her life choice to resist Germany doctrine something that the Nazis suspect. Hilde is not as beautiful or as desirable, but she totally accepts Nazi teachings about the creation of a perfect Aryan society and wants to be pregnant with the perfect Aryan baby. Irma is like so many ordinary Germans, who did not look carefully enough to see the horror that lies behind Nazi ideology, but given time, she allows herself to be educated. In Cradles of the Reich, author Jennifer Coburn creates a complex, multi-layered novel, where none of these three women are whom they seem. None of the three women are perfect and each is on a journey toward wisdom and maturity.

I was already familiar with the Lebensborn homes, which served as breeding grounds for perfect Aryan babies. Pregnant women were housed in these homes, fed healthy nutritious meals, and then willingly gave up their infants for adoption by high-ranking Nazi officer families. Coburn mixes fictional characters with real historical figures. Cradles of the Reich is based upon historically based practices, where young women with Aryan features were bred with Nazi men, who also fit Aryan ideals. Coburn also deals with the stealing of infants and toddlers from Poland, after the invasion of that country. Parents were not always killed when their children were taken, and so when the war ended, efforts to find their stolen children often ended in anguish.

At the end of Cradles of the Reich, Coburn writes about her journey to write this novel Coburn clearly spent a lot of time researching the period, the Lebensborn homes, and the cities, where events are situated. The historical accuracy is one important reason why this historical novel works so well. Although the three women are fictional, the Nazi world in which they live is authentic.

I want to thank the author and the publisher for providing this ARC. I am recommending this novel for my book club. Thank you also for NetGalley for making the connection between novel and reviewer.