A fascinating story about a seemingly ordinary young woman who grows up as an illusionist and then hired to help with the war effort. That this is based on a true story, blows the mind. Courageous and unexpected!

This was my first book by Kristina McMorris and now I'm going to be looking for more by her! The Ways We Hide captured my interest and tugged on my heartstrings. It felt a little slow going at first but I ended up really loving this story of Fenna who got her start in Copper Country in Upper Michigan. She went through many obstacles and hardships during World War II. If you're anything like me, you'll be rooting for her and Arie the whole way through!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 6 September 2022.

This was so good, I couldn't put the book down. We follow the main character Fenna Vos a poor, Dutch immigrant child in the Upper Midwest to the streets of London during WWII, This is a love story between Fenna and Arie, who we first meet as childhood neighbors. They develop an interest in magic and Fenna is obsessed with Houdini. She becomes a magician and is recruited into the British M19 sector, as she uses her magic skills to help defeat the Germans. She's almost like a female James Bond, A very different war story that is intriguing and once again shows how individuals will help one another. I highly recommend this historical fiction book.

This was an interesting historical fiction. Yes, WWII, but a slightly different story weaving magicians/illusionists into their role. The other interesting draw for me was the inclusion of Harry Houdini (who grew up in my hometown) and the tragedy in the mines in the Upper Penisula.

Would recommend this to others who like historical fiction.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Great introduction to a new author for me, and a wonderful addition to our collection for our patrons. I look forward to more! THANK you!

This is outstanding historical fiction. I’ve read a lot of books in the genre and this is one of my favorites.
The writing is beautiful and the characters are so interesting. I was fascinated to read about the ways magic was used to deceive the Nazis. This is a facet of WWII I hadn’t read much about.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

Who better to be a spy than a master illusionist?

In some ways The Ways We Hide is similar to The Circus Train. It starts with a young girl and her father in a mining town. In many ways it is a coming-of-age story as the story follows Fenna Vos from childhood to adulthood. And even though it also spans a period of time that starts in the 1929 and goes past the end of WWII, I felt like this novel is a WWII fiction.

It was a little slow at the beginning when we are introduced to the characters. But I once I connected with the character, I was fully invested in the story. And it become difficult to put the book down.

I like WWII stories that tell about a piece of history tha I haven't read much about. Fenna is recruited by MI-9 to invent gadgets for soldiers and spies. She had been the mastermid behind an illusionist show. Her friened Ari was the star of the show but she is the one that figured out the tricks.

When Ari is accused of being a traitor, Fenna must take her bag of tricks to the field in order to prove his innocence. From the moment she lands on French soil, she must rely on every slight of hand and mode of misdirection she has ever conjured.

The story was intense at times. And while I didn't get the ending that I was hoping for it was still a satisfactory ending. I really liked the characters and it was hard to say goodbye to them when I closed the book.

Be sure to read the author note at the end and McMorris provides more information about the true events she based her story on and where she took creative license with the history.

My review will be published on Thursday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/05/3-historical-fiction-stories-you-may.html

Another World War Two fictional setting. This was interesting from the magicians’ perspective. This type of story is not one I typically read, and as such, I lost interest in it half way through. I am sure that there will those out there who will love it..

From the New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday comes a sweeping World War II tale of an illusionist whose recruitment by British Intelligence sets her on a perilous, heartrending path.

I loved Kristina McMorris' Sold on a Monday so I was very drawn into reading Ways We Hide. And it did not disappoint! Fenn Vos, growing up in rural Copper Country, Michigan, is a magician's assistant but she's the real brains behind the act. She is then called upon by British Intelligence to create escape tools to thwart the Germans. Where does her loyalty lie?

This was such an engrossing novel, I would think about it whenever I wasn't reading it!

McMorris writes amazingly researched historical fiction. While the MC is not a real person, she shares the story of things that really happened in our history through this character and I loved every page.

An intriguing story. Not quite as captivating as Sold on a Monday, but certainly an author I will continue to follow.

Not sure how I didn't write a review for this one back in October. What an amazing story based on true accounts during WWII. I loved Sold on a Monday and loved the story of Fenna and her skills as an illusionist. Another great story by Kristina McMorris.

I am a big fan of McMorris. This book, however, seemed to drag on a bit too long for my tastes. Great cover, great premise of the book. I just wish it were a bit more succinct. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read it.

I absolutely love historical fiction books but unfortunately I really did not enjoy this book. I found the plot weak and couldn’t engage with any of the characters.

Thank you to netgalley for this ARC.

I really loved this book. It was a new and different take on WWII fiction focusing on the departments that made specialized equipment for troops to use. I loved how it incorporated magic tricks into the planning of spy equipment too.

Fenna's character was well developed and I liked her relationships with the other characters.

Well done book and excellent story.

Set during WWII, the story dips into the SOE (Special Operations Executive) branch of the Allied Forces, based out of London. The group works diligently to provide tools to operatives for espionage. These special forces worked at headquarters and around Europe to uncover plans of the enemy. Orphaned in her teens, Fenna Vos copes with the loss by learning illusion and misdirection skills. She is a great fan of Henry Houdini. As a young adult, she has a stage show with a partner. At one show, a mystery man watches and later approaches her about a unique opportunity to help with the war effort.
Once on the job, she has an opportunity to reconnect with an old friend. The connection, though, may jeopardize her new career and her life.

I loved the premise of this novel: bold, female illusionist called upon by British Intelligence to create escape tools to thwart the Germans during WWII.

The story might have resonated more with me if it had remained along this vein, but the magic took second stage after the first section. Then the novel seemed to take on a love-story vibe, and then veered into spy-espionage territory for more than ¾ of the book. Neither is my preferred genre – and especially the constant tension that, in this particular novel, doesn’t quite put the characters in enough peril. Inevitably, they escape/survive time and again; it became a bit predictable and a little exhausting.

And, as many of my reader friends know, it is the rare first-person story that knocks my socks off. I’m really wondering (my POV biases aside) if this book would have been better served by a third-person telling, as there is so much internalization, all starting with “I” “I” “I”… (And, interestingly, this book has more uses of the word ‘thus’ than I have ever come upon before). Overall, this one was a bit more commercial than my traditional fare – but compelling, yes, and I see the reader appeal.

There is lots to appreciate. So much historic research went into this book, that it’s hard even for me to fathom (so much of it fascinating, and shared in the author’s note at the end). I think Kristina McMorris fans will enjoy this one as well – even though it is a long book, at 536 pages. That said, the book truly could have benefitted by serious trimming - to the tune of at least 200 pages (as so much of it seemed to drag).

There was a great surprise at the end, however: a recipe for invisible ink. I’m feeling compelled to try it!

An interesting historical fiction mainly taking place in Europe during WWII. The development of the characters was intriguing, knowing what these characters had to endure as children made it easier to understand how they react to situations in their adult lives.
The plot kept my interest throughout, although it seemed to drag a bit in the middle I enjoyed the descriptions of the many tensions they had to go through during the war.
Fenna is a strong character. What she had to endure in her life was heartbreaking and yet she became stronger with every hard experience.
I am grateful to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the opportunity to read a digital copy of this captivating book in exchange for an honest review.

The Ways We Hide

by Kristina McMorris

Admittedly it is hard to write a “happy” book about World War II. The Ways We Hide is definitely not a cheerful book. While she avoids graphic descriptions of the violence of the war, author Kristina McMorris excels at conveying the overwhelming sadness of the personal tragedies, even those that occurred pre-war, early in the orphaned protagonist Fenna’s life. When she escapes from an orphanage in the U.S., she is taken in by her best friend Arie’s family despite their religious differences. The parents in both families are Dutch immigrants. As young adults they discover their romantic love for each other, but Fenna suddenly leaves her adoptive family without explanation.

Taking her love of magic to the stage, Fenna becomes a self-made illusionist in the style of Houdini. She is recruited by the British in World War II to devise gadgets and conceal them in support of Allied troops in Europe. The British ask her to go to Holland on a dangerous rescue mission to find Arie, but more more is involved than her handlers are telling her.

The story is well played out with unexpected twists around every corner. This work of historical fiction is well written and extremely well researched. I can’t say that it is a page turner for me because it is so sad. The characters have little hope for positive outcomes, but pursue their noble goals against all odds. The work is undercover, classified, and occurs in Nazi controlled areas. Therefore, it is hard to know who can be trusted.

The author explains at the end of the book her framework for inserting the fictional Fenna into the mostly historically accurate backdrop with some slippage of time. She has researched her subjects well which include not only the war efforts but also an anti-labor strike event that changed Fenna’s life forever.

The ending is not a happily ever after with the protagonists riding off into the sunset, but how could it be when so many people have died? Despite the reality of the situation, the author does manage to conjure up a “lemons into lemonade” scenario for Fenna that is satisfying and actually sweet. I am glad I read this book which reveals a lot about undercover work, dangers, and relationships in World War II.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction

Notes: 1. There are author notes at the end which explain in detail how McMorris got her inspiration for the various parts of the book. It is followed by suggestions for further reading for those who would like to learn more about the topics in the book.
2. Online there is posted a Book Club Guide on the author’s website (kristinamcmorris.com). While I do recommend this book for book clubs, individual readers will also find this guide helpful in visualizing the setting and the culture. It includes Dutch inspired recipes plus a recipe for invisible ink (not the lemon juice type). There are questions designated as a Reading Group Guide. Perhaps most importantly to me, there are fifteen photographs that will transport the reader back in time. There are also QR codes for videos and other additional resources online. In addition, there are suggestions for group activities to enhance book club meetings.

Publication: September 6, 2022—Sourcebooks Landmark

Memorable Lines:

Traveling in clusters pallbearers carried pure-white caskets low at their sides. The dimensions of each befitted a child, the weight minuscule compared to the burden.

In this instant I consider a potential reason my life has been repeatedly spared. Could it be to attain justice for the victims of a cruel and callous enemy?

He offers his hand with a caring look. “May our paths cross again,” he says, “in a better world.” It’s impossible to envision any future beyond the immediate challenges ahead. Still, I accept his handshake, grateful for the notion.

I had to DNF this at 45% and it made me sad. I love this authors previous work and I love historical fiction but this just was not it for me. I actually had a super hard time following the plot and even understanding what was happening past 20%. The beginning was promising and just fell so flat after that point - super confusing and all over. I also just didn't vibe with any characters and felt like I didn't want to pick this up.