I had never read a book by this author before, but I had heard good things and I wasn't disappointed. This book is a different take on the WW2 story ,which isn't an easy fare as there are so many. I was really invested in the characters and wanted the two childhood friends to have a happier ending, but the ending was impactful nevertheless. Thank you for the ARC! I will definitely check out her other books.

I’m always a sucker for WW11 historical fiction, and this story doesn’t disappoint. There really is a bit of something for everyone here: a bit of romance, an air of mystery, a splash of suspense, all set against the backdrop of one the most tumultuous times in recent history. Fenna is the perfect heroine here, a girl born of immigrant parents, she has an independent streak that seems a bit ahead of her time. Despite having suffered horrible, personal tragedies in her childhood, she blossoms and grows into a smart, competent young woman. She manages to build a successful life in the big city performing the magic she has always loved. Like so many at the time she is summoned for a higher purpose to aid the British government in constructing devices that can aid POW’s stuck behind enemy lines. Perhaps she would have happily done that for the duration of the war, but she never expected for her childhood sweetheart to come back into her life, and for him she is willing to risk everything. This is clearly exhaustively researched and while some events may have been changed to make the timelines work, I learned in the notes section that a lot of the events and structural elements were actually real. Definitely a must read for those interested in historical fiction, as this brings forward the somewhat unknown story of using ordinary objects to hide items that may aid soldiers stuck in camps. Review posted to Goodreads, Litsy, Facebook, Amazon, Instagram, and LibraryThing.

This is refreshingly not a typical WWII book. The characters' experiences are believable and relatable yet so intriguing and unusual. This book has it all--magic, mystery, despair, atrocities, passion, love, commitment, bravery, and secret spy gadgets. The fact that it is based on true events makes it all the better!

A World War II story with a strong heroine. There seem to be quite a few of these coming out but this one is worth reading. The characters come alive and the book is multi-layered. In this novel (based loosely on historical information), Our main character is recruited by MI-9 to help soldiers escape POW camps. While this is quite long book (over 500 pages), it is well worth finishing.

THE WAYS WE HIDE by Kristina McMorris will run your emotions through the wringer. There will be tears, happiness, and more tears. And I loved it! In Fenna, McMorris has created a character who is strong, multifaceted, and, simply amazing. Fenna has been through so much in her young life, and things that would break so many make her stronger. I reveled in her journey, excited to learn more about someone involved in creating gadgets to help POWs during the War.
This was my first read by McMorris and I am anxious to read more!
Thanks to the publisher for the chance to read an early copy. All opinions are my own and are freely given.
#TheWaysWeHide #KristinaMcMorris #SourcebooksLandmark

The author has written many novels, but I believe this one might be her best yet! This book is a excellently researched, and it is clear, as always, that Kristina McMorris is a scrupulous historian alongside her authorship. Her ability to create heroines that are eminently relatable (and one that I may want to be friends with!) sets her apart from other authors for me. Wonderful, captivating writing and original plot and character (she is a magician!) gives this novel the depth and ability to pull in any reader. I highly recommend this author and all of her other books I have read have been nothing less than fantastic. She is definitely an auto-buy author for me, and I can't wait to own this novel in print.

✨Book Review✨

Thank you to @netgalley and @sourcebooks for the eARC of The Ways We Hide.

Are you looking for another realllllly good historical fiction book?? And do you like magic? 🪄📘

This was my first @kristina.mcmorris and it won’t be my last! She also wrote Sold On A Monday, which I’ve only seen rave reviews for.

I loved how McMorris shared how she wrote this novel in her author’s note. She took quite a few obscure, but important events in history and put them all together in this book alongside a strong, female protagonist.

That female protagonist, Fen, becomes obsessed with magic 🪄 at a young age. Did you know that magic helped defeat the Nazis in WW2? Because I didn’t!

Also, my husband’s all-time favorite game is Monopoly. You learn how this game ALSO helped defeat the Nazis.

I loved this book and will definitely be reading Sold On A Monday next! Also, McMorris explains the historical genre in perfect words that I have to share:

“I often liken historical fiction to "literary Advil," in that, ideally,
readers enjoy the sugarcoating of a story while benefiting from the "good stuff" (i.e., history) along the way…I attempted whenever possible to remain true to history, and only with reluctance did I (at least knowingly) take creative liberties, having to remind myself that the beauty of fiction invites, even requires, such leeway for an imaginative adventure not meant to be a documentary.”

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. This is a very interesting World War II book that is based on true facts and real people. Fenna Vos is a young orphan from Michigan’s copper country. She lived thru the horrific Italian Hall Disaster in 1913 where 73 people ( mostly children) died. These memories and nightmares follow and influence Fenna all her life. Fenna is an illusionist who invents many escape aids (for the Allied soldiers) hidden in various common items such as a deck of playing cards, game boards, lipstick case, Monopoly games, and more. She reluctantly joins the M19 British military intelligence team to invent escape devices. She was part of the Dutch resistance group in 1944. I learned a lot about the resistance groups and the people who risked their lives to overcome the Nazi regime.

I wasn’t sure if I’d like this book when I started it, as it’s begins with the protagonist, Fenna Vos as a magician’s assistant, and her lifelong fascination with Houdini. I wasn’t terribly interested in the subject of magic tricks, but I’m glad I stuck with it because Fenna’s experience with the art of illusion led her on a journey she never could have imagined. Recruited by British Intelligence in WWII, she helped create gadgets for the POW’s that would thwart detection by the German’s. Even though I’ve read many books about this time in history, it was interesting to learn how these items were created to help the soldiers. Overall I really enjoyed the book and fell in love with the main characters. Thank you to Recorded Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book by Kristina McMorris.

I really wanted to like this book but it didn't flow for me. The story was cropped up between story lines that made me lose interest. I skimmed the last half of the book to see what happened.
,,,#sourcebooks #kristinamcmorris ,#Netgalley

The Ways We Hide is a brilliant saga that follows young Fenna from a childhood tragedy that was inspired from a real-life event to her courageous role in which she brings a unique skill-set as an illusionist to the WWII front. I loved the way Kristina McMorris weaves real life events with her fictional story in a way that holds her reader's attention from the first page to the last. With an original plot, this is not only a wonderful story full of intrigue, it is a story of family, those we are born into and those we make.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A book on magic, World War II and based on a woman, well I am always here for them. I have never read a book by this author but I will definitely read her backlog. Fenna loses her mother for childbirth so she is raised by her father. We get to see what Fenna is like from her childhood.

Then works as an assistant to Charlie who is an escape artist because of her love for magic. But she hates her profession and feels under-appreciated. Then she is recruited by M19 which is a secret team of Bristol military to create escape aids. Fenna who was frustrated with her previous job, loved this. But she couldn’t let go of her past and the relationships she had when she was small.

This is such a well researched book with so many insights. I love a historical fiction that doesn’t merely walk through main historical incidents but go deep on focus. This book ticks all the elements of the perfect read for one sitting.

Fenna Vos has a deep interest in magic and, if she were not a woman, she would be a very successful magician. So, she partners with a male magician and the two work together successfully until a disagreement erupts and Fenna abandons the partnership. As a result, she becomes involved with British Intelligence to send packages containing information and instruments to prisoners. The ultimate test arrives when she must develop a way to enable men to disappear.
A very engrossing novel that provides insight into all the methods that were used to support prisoners during the war. Also, a story of coming to terms with the past and restoring relationships,
Recommended for those interested in historical fiction with strong women characters.

I really enjoyed Sold on a Monday so I was super excited to read this one. Ways We Hide did not disappoint. Characters are well developed, the plot draws you in. Kristina McMorris is now on my automatically read list!

I was intrigued by the premise of this book and looked forward to seeing how an illusionist could help in the war effort during WWII. But, the long flashback to Fenna’s childhood caused me to lose interest. While understanding her background and her relationship with Arie was important to the end of the story, I felt that it took away from the initial momentum. I paused about halfway through the book and didn’t pick it up again for a few weeks. In the end I’m glad that I went back and finished it and I did enjoy the descriptions of gadgets, tricks, and illusions that were employed. But I may have read too many WWII novels recently to be able to fully enjoy this one. I do appreciate that I was able to read this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.5-3 ⭐️ This book was very frustrating to read, it was slow and took so much to build up to getting the story rolling. And then glimmers of a relationship to have an ending like that??? Why? Historical fiction, sure, but there was room for such a better ending. The history was not lacking and I enjoyed that aspect, but there was so much more that could have been done with this book. Big disappointment. Would not recommend wasting your time.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of The Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris.
The Ways We Hide is a historical fiction that covers many less known historical events. The book follows the life of Fenna, from her childhood in Michigan to her career creating spy gadgets for World War 2. Mixing in magic and the intrigue of Houdini, McMorris creates a story that keeps the reader engaged. I already purchased a copy of this book for a friend!

An excellent WW2 historical novel with really strong characters, romance, spies, magic tricks and illusions, and Harry Houdini. This writer did her research and the story just flows.

I enjoyed this story, I read a lot of historical fiction books but this one is the first with the Italian Hall disaster. Fenna went through a lot as a child, first she lost her mom during childbirth, her father passed away when she was still young, she ended up in an orphanage where she was bullied and escaped to find her old neighbors which included her best friend Arie. She goes through a lot with and without him. The ending seemed to drag and I lost interest. With that said I still do recommend that you read the book.

Fenna Vos learned the art of escapism from necessity as a child. Now she incorporates her talent into an equitable illusionist act with her brooding partner. And though she wishes for more from life, she could never have dreamed she would be called upon by British intelligence to help with the war effort by teaching her trade to soldiers caught behind enemy lines.

Fenna’s designs are put to the test when she becomes an operative in the Netherlands. Spying is dangerous, but if it means protecting those she loves, Fenna will take the risk.

Her bravery throughout the book is inspiring. Learning about the amazing tools used to defeat the enemy was interesting. I love books showcasing strong women changing the world and this is a great example. Excellent storyline!