While typically I only give a book a 5-star rating if I chose to read it again, I feel as if this book deserved a 5-star rating. I however can not bring myself to read it again due to how strongly the book effected my emotions throughout reading it.

I immediately fell in love witb Orli's character, and was saddened to learn of all that she had to go through during her time in WWII. It seemed as if every chapter I was brought to tears about the atrocities she had to witness and partake in, making me question the goodness of people even more so than I do now.

In the book, I disliked the breaking of chapters from the stories in the camps to when Orli was preparing for the trial. While I appreciated the break from the tears during these chapters, I found that I struggled to read them and to comprehend the storyline of that time period.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"She knew that even in the darkest of times, there was always a glimmer of light, a way to hold onto the humanity that made us who we were. And she vowed never to give up that hope, no matter what horrors lay ahead."

What a story! Based on true events, this is a tale of our heroine Orli's experience of working in the infirmaries at Auschwitz and Birkenau in the 1940s. Gripping from page 1, Midwood paints a vivid, traumatic picture of the horrors Orli faced.

This is a story of hope, resilience and selflessness in a bleak situation. A highlight for me was Orli finding trusted friends along the way. We get little snippets throughout of Orli's struggle post-war in the 1960s, I would have loved to read more about this part of her story.

If you like WWII historical fiction and strong female characters this one is for you!

"I know it gets too much sometimes, but we can't seek an easy way out: we have to fight, for those who can't."

Orli arrived at the gates of Auschwitz on the cattle truck, from Ravensbruck, where she'd spent two years in the infirmary. It was 1942 and she was assigned to the infirmary once again, her nursing skills keeping her marginally safe. But when the new head doctor arrived, Dr Josef Mengele, she discovered her life and that of her friends, was going to get much worse. The Angel of Death did experiments, horrific and brutal - and Orli was to assist him.

Orli fought a hard battle, doing all in her power to save as many innocents as she could. With little medical equipment and supplies, she and her nurse friends did their best. But what they saw time and time again, was much worse than they could imagine. Orli needed evidence and she was determined that even if she didn't make it, the evidence of the atrocities the SS performed, day and night, would survive and bring the monsters down.

I Have to Save Them is a novel inspired by the true story of Orli Reichert, of a time in World War II history that should never be forgotten. Ellie Midwood has struck a perfect chord telling this story, and the incredible courage and strength of the women surrounding Orli, along with Orli herself, is inspirational. The story itself starts with a prologue in 1961, then ends with the epilogue on the same day in 1961. New Years Day. The war years dominate. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Omg my heart. I ugly cried. I know ww2 war horrific, but all the gruesome things people can do to each other, i just really do not want to believe it. The characters, omg what a strength. You just want to keep them safe. They Will stay in my heart. A must read
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

This was a heart breaking story but I’m glad I read it. Even though when I was reading it I wished I never started it. Very emotional read!
This is the second book of Ellie Midwood I’ve read..both were about WW2….she’s an excellent writer..I highly recommend checking her out.

This book is horribly heartbreaking, raw, and sad, and also inspiring and weirdly gives hope. Yet it is so well-written and it is so beautifully written, but the subject matter makes it a really emotionally difficult read.
If you are strong, if you are in a good headspace, or if you want to read something that will make you cry – yes, do read it! It will haunt you long after you finish reading it. At least that’s what it did to me. This book is exceptionally powerful. While I’m used to reading to chase all sorts of emotions, this book brought out the rollercoaster of emotions I hadn’t experienced while reading in a really long time. in a very strange way, I feel like I’d love to read this book again for the very first time (just because of the super powerful emotional response I had to it). For me, the most heartbreaking and haunting this is my inability to forget that although it is historical fiction, it is based upon very, very real historical events and very, very real historical horrors.
Yeah, did I say that this book will make you cry? I might be lying there because it did not just make me cry like a normal person would, it made me cry so much. Way more than any book has done it to me. Ever.

This book is heart wrenching and I couldn't finish it. Orli was betrayed by her husband who wanted to move up in the Nazi ranks. She was sent to Ravensbruk concentration camp then was moved to Auschwitz. She had no real medical training but became a nurse because there was no one else. Truly heartbreaking and very well written

This is an incredible story. The main character is an immensely strong person who despite her imprisonment by the Nazis during WWII, managed to help others. She witnessed the worst horrors imaginable, yet was strong - despite her misery, she took care of others. One of her strongest desires was that she remember as much as she could so that these monsters would one day be punished. I appreciate this look at the horrors she witnessed. This information needs to be known by all.

This book is heart wrenching yet inspiring. Orli was betrayed by her husband who wanted to move up in the Nazi ranks. She was sent to Ravensbruk concentration camp then was moved to Auschwitz. She had no real medical training but became a nurse because they needed someone. The all the horrors she tries to help whomever she can. There are betrayals, hope, good people, people with no conscience and though it all she survives to tell her tale with the help of some amazing people. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is a tough book to read with very heavy material. But it needs to be read as a reminder to never let it happen again. I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Absolutely haunting! I have read some of Ellie’s books before and so was expecting great things, for me this book is another level.

The story follows Orli, who is a political prisoner of the Nazis. Orli becomes the angel of Auschwitz. The atrocities that she sees are unspeakable. The things she is forced to do are beyond sickening. When she meets Dr Mengele the horrors she sees find another level yet again.

This book is so readable and yet so horrifying. Just to think about how you would respond if you were in Orli’s shoes, to have to consider which is the “right” option, or the kinder option is mind blowing.

What shines through is the slivers of hope, the humanity that prisoners managed to hold onto and fight for. What Orli did is beyond heroic and I am so grateful that this book has been written to bring her story to the world.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. This historical fiction novel is set in Auschwitz during the war and involves the story of Orli who ends up working as a nurse/ doctor in the camp. This story involves the women she worked with and the patients that she tried to save under the most extreme circumstances. This book is gut wrenching, at times so difficult to read that I had to put it down, all of that. being said, it is a story that is at times heartwarming, that needs to be read and remembered. The author writes beautifully, the words carefully chosen , not being too “ wordy”. I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in historical fiction.

The compelling story of Orli and her fellow nurses and aides in Auschwitz and later Birkenau. The horrors of trying to preserve life as the Nazis so really took them. I found that one immediately loves Orli as a main character and I'm the end just wanting to read more about her life.
I think this book is well written with characters you immediately side with and wish to dive more into their stories. I do wish there was more substance about after the prisoners were freed. I think this is the only complaint that I have about the book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by the publisher via netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I plan to review and discuss this book on my podcast The Honest Reviewers https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/honestbookreviewers .

I Have to Save Them by Ellie Norwood

Surrounded by thick fog from the nearby forest, Orli stumbles from the cattle truck onto the frostbitten grounds of Auschwitz. Betrayed by her own husband for being a German resistance fighter, she has no one left in the world, and this is now her home.
I love books by this author , she is so good at writing these types of genre , in fact , I'd go as far as to say , the best.
At times it's edge of your seat stuff and you race along to make sure the characters in the book come out of the impending doom that is hanging over them.

I Have To Save Them by Ellie Midwood is the most powerful, heartbreaking and horrifying dual timeline novel that I just could not put down.
The story starts and ends with the same day in 1961. It bookends the tale. There is a choice to be made – what would you choose?
Much of the novel is set in Auschwitz and is grounded in fact as we follow German citizen, Orli, who was betrayed by her Nazi husband six years earlier. We also ‘hear’ events from 1961 as we see “She may have left Auschwitz’s walls, but the walls of Auschwitz have never left her … tormenting her with nightmares of the past.” As a medic who was under Josef Mengele in Auschwitz, Orli saw terrible things, things that would haunt her forever. It took real strength of character not to crumble as she clung “to her humanity in the face of such brutality.”
Within the infirmary in Auschwitz there grew up a friendship between the nurses. They had to be strong in order to support each other. They offered kindnesses where they could. It felt like a drop in the ocean but “whoever saves a single life saves an entire universe.” The women stood together through it all. “Together we’ll pull through.”
There were times when they felt evil was too much to bear but “they were warriors, each one of them a beacon of resilience, a beacon of hope.” They had to hold on to the hope that one day the sun would shine again. “She knew that even in the darkest times, there was always a glimmer of light, a way to hold onto humanity.” The light shines in the darkness as the angel of Auschwitz walked among them.
Justice would one day be served. The survivors had to remember the events in order to bring the perpetrators of evil to justice. “The battle for justice hadn’t ended with the liberation. It was only the beginning.”
Ellie Midwood has captured the horrors and the brutality of Auschwitz, whilst simultaneously capturing the kindness and the bravery. To stand up and to help others, without thought to personal safety, is incredible.
All the characters were well drawn and realistic. Not all were likable as some were evil incarnate.
I Have To Save Them is a very necessary read. It is not a pleasant read but we need to know about the sufferings of the innocent and the personal bravery of some.
I will let Orli have the final word:
“We survive and we remember. We remember every face, every name. We remember, so the world will never forget.”
I received a free copy from the publishers for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Ellie Midwood has done it yet again! Another heart wrenching and unputdownable novel that tells the tale of a phenomenal and inspirational character. In Ellie's "I have to Save Them", she tells the tragic story of one persons life of imprisonment in the Nazi Regime from 1936-1945. The main character, Orli, was betrayed by her husband and banished to a lifetime in prison in The Third Reich. After multiple stays at prisons, a stay at Ravensbruck concentration camp, she ultimately ends up at Auschwitz. Orli is the the definition of a truly brave woman and a natural born healer. At both camps, she finds herself working as a nurse and doctor in the camps infirmary. The story tells us about Orli's experiences at Auschwitz as she witnesses firsthand the inhuman atrocities and injustices that occur not only at the camp itself, but in the bloodstained hands of Dr. Josef Mengele.

The story is a true testament of bravery, selflessness, perseverance, and sisterhood. Ellie's writing is phenomenal and outstanding. She has a true talent of descriptive writing and bringing both her characters and story to life. With every word Ellie writes, I can envision her story page by page. Every emotion is so well detailed and described, I felt it myself. This is a must read for historical fiction fans.

This author's writing is so beautiful. The care she takes with people's stories is admirable. This story is sad, painful but brave. My heart breaks for the pain and suffering people in the concentration camps endured. I have no more words as this story speaks for itself.

Firstly I would like to thank netgalley and Bookoutune and the author Ellie Midwood for an early copy of her book to read.

This is my first read from this author,A great emotional and heartbreaking read.Orli betrayed by her husband ends up at the death camp Auschwitz, shes a nurse to survive she works in the infirmary, it's not as easy as it seems she is forced to do inmanageable tasks by the Dr Mengele she has no choice if she wants to survive..this is well written book...hardships, friends,survival, hoping this will never happen again highly recommend if you enjoy read
Reading historical books.


This book will be reviewed on goodreads and Amazon uk.

I had to keep reminding myself that whilst this book is based on real people and true events, it is a fictionalised account.

It's gripping, gut-wrenching and heartbreaking. Orli was a true hero and the world deserves to know her story.

Arrested and imprisoned by the Nazis for political reasons. Orli finds herself working for Dr Mengele at Auschwitz after medical "field experience" at Ravensbrook. Her love, care and determination save not only her own life, but as many of her patients as she can.

Even after liberation Orli's drive to do what is right saw her gather victim testimonies to be used at the Nuremburg trials in the hope Dr Mengele will be bought to justice.

Wow! This is an amazing, evoking retelling of an absolutely heart breaking story.
The switching to second person narrative fine a front row seat as to the emotion and heartache of such a story.
The story of courageous, strong Orli is one of empowerment, determination and pure selflessness on a situation most of us can only imagine. Ellie tells the story incredibly. At no point does she exaggerate or belittle the extent at which Orli and her co.prisoners suffered. She tells the story well with respect.

Although this story is historical fiction, the main character, Orli, was in Auschwitz and did become a camp doctor to the other inmates.

Orli was a selfless woman, who did all she could to help others. She saved many lives under extreme circumstances.

This is a story of courage, bravery and sheer determination to survive the most unimaginable things.

A story that will stay with me, it is emotive and I did find I had tears streaming down my face at times.

A heartbreaking yet powerful take. Lest we forget.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for my honest review.