Acts of Resistance is a short but powerful novel.

Told from the point of view of three young adults, the novel focuses on Bulgaria in 1943 and 1944. Each of the character’s situations is captivating and each is sympathetic.

Acts of Resistance succeeds where so many other novels fail. The setting is limited, so the author is not trying to tell the whole of WWII history. The characters’ lives are full of detail and emotion. The action feels possible. It’s not a David and Goliath miracle. It’s scared teens, making the small and courageous choices.

Perhaps most importantly, the author doesn’t try to wrest more from the plot than it can give. There’s no distracting, sappy love story that makes me scream that starving people in death camps don’t have the literal energy for romance.

This novel is powerful because of its honesty, because it is intimate and real.

I really love historical fiction surrounding WW2. This was a quick read and the way it was written on journal entries really broke up the narrative for me and made it enjoyable. Also, never read a Bulgarian perspective so that was new and interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book for my honest review

This novel is a heartfelt YA historical fiction. The story takes on three characters POV during the deportation process of Bulgarian Jews during WWII. Mischo, Peter and Lily are all fighting for the greater good of the Jewish people. The intersecting of the characters was thoughtfully done throughout the story, even though each character was on their own quest.

This is a quick read, which I read in one sitting. The topic is very important to revisit to the younger generation. The story was both poignant and fast paced to keep a young reader or any reader engaged.

I really enjoyed how this book was written. I was given three different view points where the people cross paths. They are not actually working together but have the same goal, fighting for the freedom of the Jewish people. With each person being in a different situation I was given an amazing overview of the situation in WW2 Bulgaria. Thanks to the book I gained understanding and learned so much that is ignored in textbooks.

Peter is a young adult/late teen that wants to do something to help his best friend who is Jewish. We observe his growing dedication, his continuing frustrations and how his hands are tied; as a member of the Fatherland Front. Peter's character allowed me to see what might have been happening in Bulgaria as citizens attempt to save the Jewish people. The story also shows the disconnect between those wanting to help. With in the story Peter comes across the other two characters that are affected by the crisis.

Lily works for Mr. Belev, the head of KEV which is in charge of eradicating the Jewish population. As his personal secretary, she has access to many of their secrets. After seeing the horrors in one town she knows she has to do something to stop the atrocities. Fear has her doing the unexpected in order to save people and herself. I was given a glimpse into the difficult decisions she had to make. Her actions woud have consequences. I soon learned what they could and would be.

The other main character is Misho. Thanks to him, I got to see Archbishop Stefan in action. As a Jew, Misho doesn't quite understand Stefan's actions but he is right in the thick of things as he pretends to be his driver and a seminary student. Misho's hands are tied. To be vocal would risk his safety. To take action risks his life and the life of Stefan, the man hiding him in plain sight. Through Misho's character we get to observe the of politics of Bulgaria. A little manipulation goes a long way until it doesn't.

Acts of Resistance is a story that needed to be read. As people, we need to keep learning the world's history for fear of repeating past mistakes. Through the use of the three characters I gained so much. Knowledge is always a good thing, and the different view points really helped. The author did a wonderful job of giving an overview of the time period without overwhelming me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dominic Carrillo, and Santa Monica Press for an ARC copy of this in exchange for an honest review. This book follows three young people as they resist against the deportation on Bulgarian Jews. Lily works in collaborationist government office in charge of evicting and deporting Jews to concentration camps. Peter is determined to help save his best friend, who is a Jew and joins a rebel communist group. Misho is a Jew who is hiding in plain site as a chauffeur to an Archbishop. The three of their lives are intersected without them knowing and each play their part as the war rages on. This book grips you and doesn’t let you go. I had a knot in my throat the entire reading this as I was afraid of what would happen next. The entire book was so well researched and written and the story was really well laid out. Really enjoyed this book and the story of resistance will stay with me for a long time.

this novel tackles a fascinating theme — i know a little about bulgaria’s history throughout ww2, but i don’t think i’ve ever read a novel on the subject. so, kudos for that.

my only major complaint is that the characters themselves weren’t as engaging as i expected — they fell a little flat at times, although i do value the author’s superb research and the way he delved into the partisan resistance groups, which was by far my favourite part of the story. misho’s arc was absolutely heartbreaking and i love peter, although i wish lily had had a little more agency as a character.

i also think some minor changes could benefit the novel as a whole, because using terms like “high school” (p. 8) make it feel a lot less authentic.

psa: someone please add this on goodreads! i think it’s a superb way of promoting books and i’m sure this one would definitely benefit from it. :)