I'm thrilled that I had the opportunity to read this unique historical novel. Based on the true story of two sisters who fought in the Dutch resistance, Salazar has crafted a page-turner that leaves a lasting emotional impression.
From the dramatic opening paragraphs packed with sensory imagery, the reader is swept into the lives of teenagers Lien and Elif Vinke. Set in a small town in Holland, the story begins as the Nazi's are about to attack and take over the country. Elif, the elder sister, is already involved in producing counterfeit papers for Jews trying to leave the country. The girl's mother and their "aunt" are also involved. Lien pleads to help but her mother thinks she is too young. When it is discovered that Lien is a sure-shot sniper, her mother relents.
As the Nazi's invade, the sisters decide to join resistance group which involves performing extremely dangerous acts of resistance including killing. Courage vs fear, pride vs doubt – are the swirling emotions of these young women. Their dedication to the cause is awe inspiring.
Salazar develops her characters with exceptional detail such that each of their voices ring clear. She also creates tremendous suspense such that I could not put the book down. A special Thank You to Noelle Salazar for the postscripts. They really helped me to say goodbye to Lien, Charlie, and Elif.

Not sure what to say about this one other than I was not engaged or emotionally attached. This story is set in Holland, but why describe a very American high school set up complete with "ninth grade," and seniors, and getting letter grades on tests when the Dutch school system has always been vastly different? The Wonder Woman comic mailed from the U.S into Nazi Occupied Holland was silly.

A tale of two sisters, having their adolescence stolen due to the war, join the resistance at a young age. From executing targets, moving families from safe house to safe house, and blowing up railways, there was nothing these two could not do. As someone who devours WWII historical fiction, this book was no different. I could not put this book down. One of the best things I like about historical fiction is then going to the internet and looking up the real places mentioned in the book, and in this instance, that was the Ten Boom clock shop.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the early read in exchange for my honest opinion.

Angels of the Resistance is compelling WWII historical fiction about two sisters who were part of the Dutch Resistance. This is a heartbreaking story of bravery, heroism and heartache. It was intriguing to me to read about the Dutch resistance, a viewpoint and setting that is unique to all of the stories written about the war. This an honest and sometimes graphic account of the missions carried out by the sisters and those they worked with, but these events should not be sugarcoated so that readers can fully understand what happened.

Thank you everyone for this early copy of Angels of the Resistance!

Noelle Salazar does it again, 5 stars all around! This beautiful and a brave story, written with such grace. Noelle writes moments in her books that feel like you’re there, experiencing it first hand.

Noelle has become an auto buy author for me after this book. I couldn’t put it down, and had to know what happens next.

Well done, Noelle, well done!

A wonderful tale of the Dutch resistance, of families, forgiveness, bravery, and sisterly bonds. Thank you to @NetGalley for the early preview. For fans of WWII historical fiction, this is a great read of an area of the globe that is not commonly read about during that time period. #NetGalley #WWII #historicalfiction #Dutchresistance

Reviewed on Goodreads

Reading a WWII novel that introduces me to an area in which I have little knowledge is always a bonus. Reading about a pair of Dutch teenage sisters who were trained as assassins in Haarlem was eye opening for me. This was not an easy read, as there were scenes of graphic violence, as well as much soul and conscience searching. The depth of the effects of their actions made the book feel all too real. I will be highly recommending this book to my book club, reader friends, and the public library. Have your tissues ready at the end. War is not pretty. I will be reading more about the real Dutch sisters who inspired the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Dutch teenagers, Lien and Elif Vinke, are based on two real-life sisters who fought the Dutch Resistance in World War Two. These unsuspecting sisters, ‘ordinary heroes’, seduced and killed Nazis who occupied their homeland and threatened their way of life and the people they loved.

It was interesting to read about their experiences as they evolved from high school students to assassins. Salazar doesn’t hold back! Their rocky path of survival will have you gasping and their love and loyalty for each other, their family, and their country will astound you as will their determination, defiance and confidence.

What stood out to me was the girls’ obvious anxiety at accomplishing what needed to be done for the sake of survival and their loss of innocence in the midst of chaos.

Like her debut, these girls upgrade their ‘wings’, too, and head off to do important work for the war effort.

I was gifted this copy by Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This was a spectacular and enthralling read. Just when you believe that you've heard all the World War II stories which can be told, along comes this deeply moving story of tremendous bravery, skill, fortitude and moxy. To top that off, it is based on the very real lives of two Dutch teenage sisters, Freddie and Truus Oversteegen, who, by joining the Dutch Resistance, effectively thwart the heinous actions of their Nazi occupiers. Yes, there are many dark moments within this story. Yet, arching above it all is the message, "Endure what you must, help one another and hold fast to hope."

Author Noelle Salazar writes smartly and she beautifully captures the emotions of her well-developed characters. We observe the youthful exuberance of the two sisters and their friends. Over the course of the story we observe their push into adulthood, given the harsh realities of an occupied homeland. We embrace their sorrow when missions aren't pulled off as planned and cheer them on when they succeed.

The first half of the story is a slow build with gradually increasing tension which is tautly held nearly to the end at which point the story gently eases into a satisfying conclusion. The story deftly holds the reader's attention right through to the finish. To historical fiction fans, I highly recommend this book. Or if you know such a fan, the book is due out on the bookstore shelves November 29 2022, just in time for the holiday gift-giving season.

I am grateful to Noelle Salazar and her publisher, Mira Books, for having provided a complimentary copy of this book. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Angels of the Resistance is a strong entry in the list of the many books of historical fiction based on the Holocaust and World War II. Noelle Salazar sets her novel in The Netherlands during the Nazi invasion, when extraordinarily brave members of the resistance risked their lives to rescue their Jewish neighbors and to sabotage the Nazis.

As the author noted at the end of the novel, she based Angels of the Resistance on the lives of two sisters, teenage girls, who although frightened, acted with bravery as members of the resistance. Although it began slowly, Salazar quickly picked up the pace with a story that was difficult to put down. The plot works well and the characters are true to life.

I want to thank the author and publisher for providing this ARC, in exchange for my honest review. Thank you also to NetGalley for bringing this novel to my attention.

Noelle Salazar's Angels of the Resistance takes place in Switzerland leading up to and during WWII. Two sisters learn that both their mother and rich "aunt" have been secretly working for the Dutch resistance and joining the cause. They learn how to create false documents, deliver secret messages, and finally take out members of the Nazi party or Dutch sympathizers.
I really enjoyed this book and would categorize it as young adult historical fiction. Salazar does a brilliant job describing the turmoil the girls feel about what they are doing to help the cause. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in WWII from a different perspective (outside of Germany and France).

This eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story takes place in the Netherlands during World War II. It follows Lien, who is growing up in the quiet town of Haarlem with her mother and older sister and shows her experiences as the Netherlands is forced to join the war. Lien and her family join the resistance in her country to fight back against the Germans anyway they can.

Flight Girls by Salazar is one of my favorite novels so I went into this one with very high expectations and she did not disappoint. I was worried when I first started this book because it starts out very slow. In hindsight, I wonder if the author used this as an analogy for how the Germans invaded the Netherlands. As it was with many countries before, the Germans gradually invaded and many people hoped, even believed, that they would be spared from the horrors other countries were experiencing. I felt like this showed the false sense of security many people and countries felt when the Germans started to invade and why they were able to conquer so much so quickly, something many people today have a hard time understanding. Once Lien took up her position in the resistance the pace of the book took off and I could not put it down.

Lien’s character growth is beautiful in this story. She starts out as a teenage girl still throwing tantrums because she is too young to be included and by the end, she becomes a strong young woman risking her life to do what is necessary to protect her country and the people she loves. Salazar also does a wonderful job at describing not only the horrible things these girls went through being part of the resistance but also how they dealt with the mental, physical, and emotional repercussions for completing their jobs. The resistance had many jobs including forging documents, bombing supply trains, moving people in hiding, and killing Germans or traitors and Salazar describes them in vivid detail so that you feel and see everything they go through. It feels like such a raw, emotional, and even traumatic experience when reading this novel but it is exquisitely done and one that I highly recommend.

I typically enjoy historical fiction, especially from this era, and Angels of the Resistance did not disappoint. It grabbed my attention from the very beginning. At times the book was brutally graphic which made me uncomfortable, but also seemed to fit into the story. It would be interesting to discuss this book with high school girls, comparing their lives now to life in the Resistance.

Angels of the Resistance was such a beautiful story of two sisters in the Dutch Resistance during WW2. There was so much love and bravery along with heartache and loss. The story of the two sisters was inspired by two very real resistance fighter sisters. I loved the family angle this story puts on it. I loved that it was about teenage girls, that were so easily overlooked by the Germans. Their story of survival and fighting was written so well. I read it all in 2 days! Thanks to Netgalley for access to the arc in exchange for my review.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing an early copy of Angels of the Resistance

Noelle Salazar's newest book Angels of the Resistance features the step-by-step progression of a teenage girl from innocent bystander to heralded assassin during the Nazi rule over the Netherlands. But is she doing the right thing? Are her murderous acts justified? A large part of the appeal of this novel is the heroine's questioning right and wrong and living with the choices she makes.

Based loosely on the real-life Oversteegen sisters, Lien lives with her family in Haarlem in the Netherlands. Her mother is working in small, secret ways to aid the resistance, and it won't be long before Lien and her sister Elif will become involved as well. Aided by an aunt who is also involved with the resistance, Lien will hone her skills as her assignments become more and more complex and dangerous. There is little or no rest and precious little time to develop meaningful relationships with others. It will take the end of the war to give Lien any sense of normalcy.
There are a number of very strong additional characters in the novel. One particular family, the Abermans, will come full circle in Lien's life. Lien will come to know the heartache of a traitor in her midst along with the trusted guidance of another committed warrior.
Salazar offers readers a very thoughtful opportunity to relive another aspect of Nazi resistance.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
This story mainly centers on two sisters working in the Resistance in the Netherlands during WWII. This is loosely based on the true lives of Truus and Feddie Oversteegan who fought in the Dutch Resistance at the tender ages of 14 and 16. They seduced and killed Nazis and Dutch collaborators which was very dangerous work, but they wanted to help their country. The sisters' mother in the story is very close to my heart because she had already lost her husband and youngest daughter, but she was still willing to have her other two daughters do such dangerous work. It is these ordinary heroes who seem quite extraordinary to me who helped stall the Nazis whenever possible. A moving and at times terrifying story.

This book is fabulous!
I loved every character and the story was sad, powerful, wonderful while also being historical.
I would give it more than 5 stars!

A wonderfully written fiction around two sisters fighting back in ww2. Note, while the book is based on some facts it is a book of fiction.
I liked the story and growth of the characters in this book. Their reactions to the traumas they faced are well written with respect to those that suffered.
I suggest this book to ww2 readers or those kooking for an uplifting story of sacrifice.

I LOVED this beautifully written WWII book. It is so well researched, the story felt so completely real and I fell in love with the characters and the resilience they showed during extremely hard times. Noelle Salazar is quickly becoming my favorite author. Highly recommend!

Thank you to net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this book. There was things about it that I liked and things that I didn’t care for. I have always enjoyed WWII fiction . I thought the story content was very good . I especially liked that the author mentioned the TenBoom Clock repair shop in this book. As some will remember the book that Corrie Ten Boom wrote called The Hiding Place which was a true story about the part that her family played out during Nazi occupation when they hide Jewish people in a secret room in their home. I thought this book was very well researched which helped to make the story seem real.

I’ve never felt comfortable reading books that had intimacy and sex added into the story. There also was mild cuss words occasionally. When the Angels of Resistance went on assignment to kill someone the book gave a graphic account of how it was done. Especially the times when daggers were used and descriptions of how the victims looked when they died . I know this is very much a part of the story and how it might have happened in the actual resistance forces. I’m just not comfortable reading these things I mentioned here and probably would not read a book written by this Author in the future.

Readers of WWII novels or fans of the author might enjoy this book. It can be read as a stand alone.
This book is scheduled to be released on 11/29/22.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions mentioned here are my own .

#AngelsoftheResistance#NetGalley