Zofia is a young girl during the occupation of Poland by the Nazis. She loves books, learning and her best friend Janina who happens to be Jewish. Zofia becomes part of the Resistance and even hosts a secret book club of books that have been banned by Hitler,
This book is obviously meticulously researched and is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. It is also extremely relevant to today's times of book banning.
Pick this book up! You won't be sorry.

Loved this one! The writing was wonderful and so descriptive. A great HF can be hard to find and one about books and WWII? Sign me up!

This is honestly one of the best books that I have read in a long time.

In this novel, you will travel to the Poland of WWII and meet Zofia and her family and friends as they engage in their world around them in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. This novel has very rich characters that seem like they come to life right off the page and teach the reader sympathy for the trials that others have gone through. Zofia, though in a terrible situation, does not allow her circumstances to destroy her but rather moves to make the lives of those around her better.

This book is a fantastic novel because it is a very clean novel with no foul language or unnecessary sexual scenes. As a 30-something-year-old woman, I enjoyed this book but I can also see it being very interesting and appropriate for teens and above.

The Keeper of the Hidden Books, along with being a excellently written novel, is also a love letter to books. In this story, Madeline Martin makes clean how important book are in the lives of all people.

This is a novel I will suggest over and over again!

Thanks to NetGalley for a ARC copy of this most wonderful novel!

The Keeper of Hidden Books

by Madeline Martin

This book is perfect for:

—lovers of books, reading, and libraries
—those who think reading is important for continuity of culture
—people who value ideas
—readers who like the notion of discussion in book clubs
—history buffs
—those interested in Poland—culture, history, role in WWII, underground resistance
—Girl Guides and Boy Scouts
—people who want to know more about the horrific treatment by the Nazis of Jews and Poles.

The Keeper of Hidden Books starts gently with Girl Guides preparing their skills for a war they assumed would never happen. Poland had lost its freedom before, and the Poles were determined it would not happen again. We gradually learn about the lives and values of several of the girls and their families. We witness the responses of the Polish citizens—both heroic and traitorous. As the story progresses we watch the destruction by the Nazis of libraries and books and the valiant efforts of librarians and volunteers who resist this extinction of knowledge. We also observe the desire of people of all ages to maintain access to books that provide escapism during times of hunger, persecution and despair.

This is a good book for me because I treasure books as many of the characters in the novel do. It is a warning to all of us to guard our freedoms, especially the freedom of speech which includes the written word. Hitler worked hard to maintain his power through censorship; we must not let history repeat itself.

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

Notes: The author concludes with notes about her research into the history behind her story, a tale which is based on real events and people in Warsaw. Buried in her discussion of the destruction of books by the Hitler Youth is the statement “But the power of books still endured.” That is a distillation of the theme of this book.

Publication: August 1, 2023—Hanover Square Press (Harlequin)

Memorable Lines:

Now the world crumbled in on itself, burning away the beauty of Warsaw, and there was no more time for reading than there was food to eat.

More and more children were appearing at the library as time went on. Many of them were desperate for distraction, to read about faraway places they could not go, or to transport themselves to mythical lands that could still tease at their dulled imaginations. They wanted stories where villains were vanquished. But books were more than a means of escape for these children; they offered another life to live. They offered hope.

…why Hitler so feared the books he banned. There was power in literature. Brilliant and undeniable. Books inspired free thought and empathy, an overall understanding and acceptance of everyone.

First, thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I will always be a sucker for a historical fiction book, particularly one involving sabotaging Nazis and Polish uprising, and Madeline Martin did not disappoint in this witty, poignant read.

This is a wonderful book about the brave individuals who continued to keep books safe while Poland was occupied by the Nazis in WWII. While you may think people in the middle of a war, especially the Jewish individuals, would have other things to concentrate on (lack of food, the horrid living conditions, being murdered on the streets, etc.) there's still something inherently human about wanting to escape your world through the pages of a book. And, because of these individuals in this book, others were able to continue to share their small libraries even during the worst of times.

There are some dark, dark moments in this book, which makes sense based on the content the author is focusing on -- but it is written so well that you'll be crying but wanting to move forward with the story. The character development is wonderful. Ugh! I don't have enough words to fully articulate how well this is written and how captivating it is, but rest assured I finished this one in a single sitting.

Definitely worth a read if you enjoy historical fiction, especially if you're interested in "based on true stories" from WWII.

I picked this book to read because I like books that take place in bookstores. This was also a WWII story that took place in Warsaw. I liked the book but didn’t love it. Just didn’t keep me interested but is a good book. It just wasn’t my favorite.

I've read a lot of WWII historical fiction, though it's been a while since I've read a book based in Warsaw. I really liked the parts about hiding the books, but I think the author was trying to do too much in this book, and the story was disjointed at times. I think it would have worked better if she had focused on a year of the war instead of trying to tell the story of Warsaw throughout the whole war. That said, it was still an interesting read.

I loved this book, like everything else I’ve read by Madeline Martin. A book about books, how can you go wrong?
Zofia and Janina are determined to save books from the Nazis. They did what they could to hide books, and kept plenty of books stocked in their underground library. They even had a book club during the air raids that kept book lovers, even the children, occupied and gave them something positive to look forward to when they’re forced underground. The characters were beautifully written. I felt so connected and invested in their lives and loved their determination in protecting the books.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my ARC of this wonderful book.

Wow. I genuinely enjoyed this wonderful story of WWII Poland and the power of people bound together by a love of books. In a rare and unexpected twist, I think I enjoyed the information learned in the epilogue as much as I enjoyed the book itself!

The Keeper of Hidden Books is a well-crafted novel that succeeds in transporting readers to a time of turmoil and triumph. It’s a heart-wrenching yet hopeful story that I would recommend to anyone interested in historical fiction or the enduring power of literature.

In conclusion, Madeline Martin’s The Keeper of Hidden Books is a notable addition to the genre, deserving of its accolades and recognition as a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Historical Fiction1. It’s a story that resonates with the reader long after the last page is turned.

This book for me had a slow start. Once I got into the book I found that I enjoyed it. I would recommend to someone who is looking for a cozy read.

This was a WWII book about books, the love of them, and how war can tear people apart. It was well researched and well written, and I liked the story but didn't quite love it. 4 stars.

Actually 3.5 stars, but don't get me started on 1/2 star ratings!!! I recently discovered an affinity for historical fiction and I always love a book about the love of books and reading. Something just fell a little flat for me with this one. That's not to say it wasn't good, because it really was, and I am so glad I read it. There is so much to be learned about that time in history. I am usually moved to tears and the subject matter stirs big feelings in me, and this time that didn't happen. Again, I really enjoyed it and I think many will love it.

Zofia Nowak and her friends love to read, but in Warsaw in August 1939, reading is becoming a radical activity. With a Nazi invasion imminent, Zofia and her friends scramble to read as many Hitler-banned books as they can before they’re confiscated. When the inevitable invasion arrives, Zofia and her father hide banned books beneath the floorboards in their apartment, hoping to preserve them for a time when Poland might be free again. But when her father, a physician, is dragged off to prison along with so many of Warsaw’s intellectual elite and her best friend, Janina, is confined to the Jewish ghetto, Zofia realizes she must join the resistance against the Nazis.

As the Nazis seek to control the Polish people by controlling the ideas they have access to, Zofia and a few other librarians find stealthy ways to continue getting books into hands and education into minds. As the crackdown against the Jewish people intensifies, Zofia puts her new skills to work squirreling away not only banned books but also Jews she’s helped smuggle out of the ghetto.

Martin has penned a novel that is both heartbreaking and timely. Through Zofia’s eyes, readers experience the agonizing separation of families at the hands of the Nazis and the anger that so many Poles had to tamp down in order to survive. Martin captures the fear that so many families must have felt as friends and neighbors disappeared and there was no way to know who might be next. And through it all, Zofia recognizes the hope and love her beloved stash of hidden books represents and understands that love is precisely why Hitler wanted the books stamped out. Because, as Zofia reflects, “Books inspired free thought and empathy, an overall understanding and acceptance of everyone.” Highly recommended.

Author Madeline Martin has written a meticulously researched historical fiction book that is set in Poland and begins prior to the Nazi occupation of Warsaw in 1939. The book basically follows the plight of 2 girls, Zofia and Janina and we experience the horrors of Nazi occupation through their eyes, as well as what these teenage girls go through in their attempt to preserve the books and literature of Warsaw. With Janina we also experience her travails since she is Jewish and is eventually relegated to the Jewish ghetto and all the horrors that it entailed. The book is packed with historical detail including the fact that the Germans attempted to rob the Polish people of their culture and their books. They rid their libraries, bookstores and any other location that books could be found of books that were written by Polish authors and made sure that the only books that were available were written by Germans or approved books by English authors. There is a plucky group of women who endeavored to hide books that preserved the Polish language and culture, and Janina was even able to have a Jewish library in the ghetto, right under the noses of the Nazis. This is a book that will educate the reader, as well as giving us a small glimpse of the horrors of World War 2 which were most likely happening in every occupied country during that time. The book is easy to read, the characters are well defined and the plot is based on real events. Martin is a prodigious author and has now focused her attention on historical fiction for her last three books and chooses topics that most of us are unaware of and which are fascinating stories. I must admit that as I read this book I learned so much about the situation in Warsaw and the fact that the library remained open despite all the bombing and all the destruction of the books, and the lengths that people went to in order to maintain and preserve The literary culture of Poland.

A lovely read - historical fiction with a focus on love of literature. Well told, good pacing - would recommend.

AMAZING! I love all of Martin's books and will continue to buy anything she writes! I love a book about people who love books as much as myself, and to top it off it is a historical fiction book (Which I absolutely LOVE!) The writing, the characters, the plot---everything was amazing and absolutely fantastic about this book. You can really tell that the author did her work with conducting a lot of research in order to write this book, and her writing and the storytelling are some of her absolute BEST! I adored this book!

Sorry to say as much as I wanted to love this book, i often found my mind drifting away from the task. Perhaps it was the writing style though I tend to think it was me coupled with the holidays.

It is always sad to read of the atrocities other purported onto people which of course is continuing today and it is a book like this that reminds us that humans can be quite cruel, heartless, and evil.

Thank you to Madeline Martin and NetGalley for a copy off this story which has already published.

This was a beautifully written story, although I found it dragged in certain parts. It was both heartbreaking and inspiring and clearly reminds us the horrors of book banning and censorship.
3.5 stars