A woman who loves creating illusions ends up working for the government during world war II, but her past relationships take her into territories she never anticipated and she has to face her greatest fears. I was so pulled in at the beginning--both by the magic show aspect and her relationship with the family who took her in. I felt like the book bogged down a bit in the middle but then picked up again towards the end.

Who knew? So many interesting stories have come out of WWII. People chose to use their talents to defeat the enemy in whatever form they could. The author did an excellent job of researching and telling an engaging story.
Thank you Netgalley.

This book wasn’t quite what I expected, but in a good way. I loved the WWII backdrop, yet it wasn’t the main focus. Fenna Vos is a strong lead and an interesting character to read about. I appreciated her story and the struggles she faced both as a child and as an adult. I would have appreciated a little less of a look inside her thoughts though. Sometimes her memories felt a bit long winded, which took away from the overall story.

Overall a solid 4 star read. Id recommend to other readers who are looking for something set in the WWII era without the war being the main focus.

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows the life of Fenna Vos, a magician who also designs elaborate escape tricks. As it jumps from the present to the past, we uncover the layers of Fenna and see how she overcomes adversity time and time again. I was drawn in as she took a job with the British Military Intelligence to use her invention and illusion skills to help keep the Allies safe during World War II. I really loved the story and the strength Fenna showed throughout her life. This was my first book by this author and I will now be searching for more. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

💯Wowie Kapowie, this book! Y'all know I don't easily dole out 5 stars, but this one certainly earned every single one!

👏Now I've been a fan of Kristina McMorris since her release of Sold On a Monday, but this novel was on a whole new level. I experienced all the feels with this gem. During my crying bout, I must admit I was a bit angry with one of the author's choices toward the end, but as I reflected, I realized it was simply the reality of WWII. Kudos to her for making the book realistic and compelling.

The storyline was incredibly unique for this genre and the fact that it is based on true accounts made it that much more powerful. I never knew that escape artists were used by British Intelligence to create escape tools for the military. Absolutely fascinating...

Fenna immediately became family, and her narration was exquisite. I felt her trepidation, anxiety, and hope throughout the novel. All of the supporting characters were essential to the story and not a word was wasted.

I always love Ms. McMorris' author's notes. It's intriguing to hear how photos inspire her to uncover these little-known stories. And the fact that she can come up with such a brilliant backstory just speaks to her incredible talent.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for sharing this amazing novel!

After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story or characters, so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish

I attempted to pick up Ways We Hide numerous times and I found that I could not get in to the authors writing. This was my first book by Kristina McMorris so I am not sure if it was specific to this book or just may be the authors style of writing. I decided to DNF this book around the 30% mark.

I would still like to try another book by this author as I can definitely see the potential in her work/stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

9️⃣5️⃣ The Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris
🗓️Tuesday, December 27, 2022
⏱️15 hours 44 minutes
📓Kindle, ARC from @netgalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fenna Vos has always been fascinated with magic. She admired the great Harry Houdini and studied his works through reading he rushes literature of his life and acts. She began to craft her own tricks based on her understanding of his maneuvers and trials. She became familiar with sleight of hand tricks using cards as well as illusions such as disappearing in crates and boxes as a show magicians assistant.
Everything changes one evening when she noticed a a guest in the audience holds a firm and emotionless gaze throughout the show. Leery of the man and his presence she can’t knock his expression. The gentleman seeks her out and makes her an offer and ponders not to resist.
Due to Fenna’s remarkable skills and craft she is recruited to help with Allied forces to create and fine tune devices and hidden compartments to aid for the on going war. Lipstick tubes, pocket compacts, board games, and even decks of cards are used for secret messages and hidden receptacles for weaponry and maps.
Fenna becomes successful in this field however stakes draw with greater risk with each passing of time.
As Fenna works through assignments with M-19, she remebers her past of losing her parents and the unnerving situations she was forced into as an orphan. She recalls her own great escape from the orphanage using Harry Houdini as her inspiration. She bittersweetly holds memories of her father even as she sacrifices leaving her only mementos of him.
As her assignments come with more demand and detail, she realizes someone from her past is resurfacing. Puzzled at first leading to curiosity she looks to discover why Arie is proximal and what he is established for during the war. Fenna left Arie in their youth on disheartening terms, doing what she felt was best for him. With grasps for closure Fenna looks for an opportunity to explain herself, but realizes she may be in over her skills and abilities for what is to come.

@kristina.mcmorris had proven a well researched and accurate depiction of what life was like for many who had no tiger choice to create safety through hiding during WWII.

Even though this piece is lengthy, it is well worth every minute read.

This book did offer a new twist on the WWII historical fiction we typical read. The characters were nicely developed. The plot was also engaging. My only complaint is it was a tad long and could have benefited from some editing. Overall an enjoyable read.

THE GOOD: Extremely well researched. It ties in numerous 1920's-1940's actual events and real people into a cohesive, engaging novel. A good, long, length, as well, giving plenty of time to enjoy the almost epic-like tale. Included, also, are a fascinating Author's Note explaining the creative process of building the fact-based fictional world, as well as historical photographs of places mentioned in the book.

THE BAD: The main character is not a based on a real person, and, in fact, this fictional character takes credit for the brave work of real, historical individuals. The cover, too, is a bit misleading as this is primarily a WWII novel with an adult female lead. That said, however, about 10% of the story takes place in Fenna's childhood in the '20's and '30's. The title could use some work, too, as I don't feel it really represents the story.

CONCLUSION: Worth a read, and recommended, although not quite a 5-star.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Incredible! As a lover of historical fiction, this book was heartwarming and heartbreaking all rolled into one. Absolutely loved it!

I was not able to finish this book. I got over 40% through and it just was not grabbing my interest. Historical Fiction is very hit or miss with me and I may try to continue this book later down the road.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to read this book. My review is late but doesn't mean I didn't love the book. I am a sucker for WW2 books. This book had a lot of intrigue and mystery and I love the secret world of spies. Would recommend!

This book had so much substance and I loved it! It starts with a traumatic event i n1913 i nMichigan in the area of copper mines. When her father is killed in a mining accident, Fenna is forced to leave the company housing and is placed in an orphanage. She manages to escape, and finds her best friend's family
Fenna is the brains behind a magic act during WWII and is approached by an Englishman who asks her to assist in M1I9's efforts to design gadgets, hidden maps and other devices to help allied soldiers. She thus joins British intelligence and becomes an operative in The Netherlands.
Some scenes had me on the edge of my seat, reading about the travails that the Allies went through to get in and out of the Netherlands. Others brought tears to my eyes, realizing the suffering that the characters sustained.
This book was well written with well developed characters and situations and thoroughly researched.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for free and am leaving this review voluntarily

This historical fiction was a wonderful novel, telling the story about Fenna's life as an only child of a copper miner living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She experiences true hardship throughout her life, but still shows kindness and hope. This book is a story about love, loss, tragedy and hope.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Fenna Vos has always been fascinated by magic. She is an assistant to an escape artist while she continues to grow their act with her fascination and trauma of her past. There is a person from that trauma that continues to weave through her life over the different stages. Fenna always has an escape plan.

One of those plans happens to be called by British Intelligence to go overseas to help with WWII. She uses her slight of hand and ability to make things appear to help their soldiers escape from the Germans. As an inventor for the British, we follow as she creates new items that appear to be one thing, but contain elements to assist. However, when she finds out that the one person from her past is in trouble, she needs to help find a way to get him, and his niece out of harms way.

This was quite a fascinating book. Do not skip the pages after the story ends, the author provides more backstory to show how this story was inspired by true events.

One of the cleverest, engaging historical novel I’ve read. And I have read many WWII novels. Fen a is an eventual orphan whose parents immigrated to the upper peninsula in MI to work in the copper mines. As a young girl Fenna had an obsession with Magic. The only book she owns is a manual on magic. After her parents died she’s traveled to find her only friend, Charles. His family takes her in. Fast forward the war started and Charles joined the service. Fenna directed a traveling magic show. Eventually that ends and she is “found” by a peculiar US Government agent who plans to use her magic skills in a top secret mission to plant secret items in Red Cross packages to enable service men to escape or send and receive messages. That’s when the fun begins. This is based on a true story. Talking to POWs, they confirm receiving such devices. The relationship between Fenna and Charles is also explored. . I loved this book and highly recommend it. Thanks to Net Galley and Sourcebooks for ARC and an honest review.

This wonderful novel maintained my interest from the first sentence. Unlike so many WWII novels I’ve read, The Ways We Hide one isn’t about the British who served as intelligence agents. it’s about an American woman’s involvement with MI9 (which I knew nothing about). MI9, the British Directorate of Military Intelligence Section 9, was a highly secret department of the War Office between 1939 and 1945. Their function was two-fold: to help Allied POWs escape Nazi Germany, and help downed airmen evade capture after being shot down.

Fenna Vos grew up on Michigan’s harsh Upper Peninsula. On Christmas Eve, 1913, the union holds a party at the Italian Hall in Calumet for copper miner’s families during their five-month-long labor strike. After someone yells “fire!” a stampede down a steep stairwell kills seventy-three people, fifty-nine of them children. Fen narrowly escapes with her life.

Fast forward to WWII. Fenna is making a living as an escape artist in New York City. When a recruiter for MI9 sees her show, he recruits her to use her skills to make escape aids to thwart the Germans.

The author relates haunting experiences, the characters are well developed, and the plot is riveting… the trifecta of a good book. The Ways We Hide has elements of mystery, history, and adventure, and it is based on fascinating true events. It was both thrilling and frightening in parts; I even learned a bit about Henry Houdini.

The novel wasn’t perfect, but it deserves five stars. Highly recommended.

** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy. The opinions expressed her are my own.

This was a very interesting read, while I did think it was a bit long. I always like when an author can bring me to tears through their writing, and I was there a couple of times during the read.

I don't always enjoy a historical setting in a book, but this one kept me interested throughout.

A solid historical thriller with the added bonus of all things Houdini, escapology, gadgetry, and the small but crucial details of espionage--and magic shows. The characters are interesting and have depth, and the story is well woven into its settings. I appreciate the complication of Fenna's and Arie's trauma as children and its continuing role in their lives as adults, Ways We Hide is a nice change from less well developed and more predictable historical fiction set in this period.