Anna Stuart is so very talented. She was able to pull so many emotions out of me. I am huge reader of WW2 books - and today being Women's Equality Day and being able to review this book made it even more special to me. The Resistance Sisters is immersive, cinematic, beautiful, emotional and thought provoking. To say that I loved this would be an understatement. Just bring tissues. It is worth it.

The Resistance Sisters is the fourth book in Anna Stuart’s Women of War series which focuses on an incredible trio of sisters, the Dabrowska’s. This book is developed from the previous books and I could see the connections emerge the further I delved into the story. Some familiar characters are featured or simply named but still this new story can easily be read as a stand-alone book. I’m not certain if this to be the last book in the series but there was an air of finality about it in the last few chapters and if this is to be the end then it was a fitting conclusion.

I loved the way the themes all interflowed throughout the books with women and their strength and tenacity in the face of adversity and untold horrors being at its centre. I will admit it took me some time to get into this book but I think that was more to do with my state of mind at the time of reading rather than any fault with the plot or the writing. But once I did settle into it I found this to be an absolutely fascinating account of the Warsaw uprising in August 1944 which was supposed to last only a day or two until support arrived from the Russians which ultimately turned into a month long struggle to survive resulting in no other option but to surrender.

The prologue set in November of 1939 is stark and hard hitting. The Dabrowska sisters, Hana, Zuzi and Orla, are forced along with their mother Magda and young brother Jacob and grandmother Kamilla to witness the execution of their father as the Germans have take over the city of Warsaw. They are getting rid of anyone with any cultural, political or intellectual influence. Their father was a baker and town councillor and they are distraught at the events that are unfolding. But he is insistent that they should not weep but continue to live, love and fight and boy that is what these remarkable women do. The story then moves to the summer of 1944. It’s been many long years of war and occupation but the underground resistance has grown and when the time is right and they are given the signal they will rise up and fight. All three young women have joined the AK army in various capacities and have remained true to the parting words from their father and it is this sentiment and advice that they will hold close to their hearts in the struggles ahead.

Each chapter is told from a different sisters viewpoint and this worked very well throughout the book. They are all completely different with different personalities, viewpoints and capabilities. Hana is the oldest and works as a liaison girl delivering underground messages between the AK army. She is secretly continuing her degree in architecture which will prove fruitful further on in the book. Her beloved fiancée Emil, a Polish fighter pilot, is away flying for the Allies and she misses him desperately and fervently hopes that he will make it through the war. Hana is brave and indomitable as are her sisters, mother and brother but when she witness’s romance blossoming for her sisters she feels left out and that love will never come calling for her again, that the worst will befall Emil. Her strength wavered with regard to this but never when it came to her work. The role she played was crucial as without her messages and important information would not have gotten through. When the signal to commence the uprising is given it is she who sets the wheels in motion and throughout that long month she puts herself in precarious situations time and time again.

Zuzi is the sister full of fire and grit. She is the wild child who can’t be tamed but why should she be? You need someone like this when you about to revolt against the most powerful and destructive force at the time. She is a member of the Minerki, a band of women part of a sapper unit who trained in explosives. There were so many cogs to the overall wheel that was to make up the moving parts of the uprising and I was so glad that the author showed us them all. Zuzi had a very dangerous job and I was fearful that every time she went on a mission that the worst would befall her. She was not a woman prone to giving herself over to love. She was rough and ready around the edges and was even though Jacob was just a young teenager I felt she was like him always wanting to be front and centre in the thick of things no matter how dangerous the situation was. I loved her as a character because she was strong and determined but later on she shows her vulnerability and that perhaps she can open her heart to love.

Orla is the youngest sister who would much rather there was no war and that she could marry a man and start a family. She is the most caring of the sisters and has volunteered her services as a nurse. She questions herself as to whether she can she cope with ravages of war and the results of fighting and bombing when they land on a table at the makeshift hospital. The details of some of the wounds and what has to be done were horrific but definitely needed to be included in the book and it made the story all the more impactful as did the details of all the various stages of the uprising. Orla did want to excel in her role and stay true to what her fathers last words were but she doubted herself and her capabilities of which she had many she just presented them in a different way to her sisters.

As it soon becomes clear there is a distinct lack of support from those that promised it, the situation for the situation for the AK and the Warsawians becomes dire. Here is were the author has excelled herself in taking a moment in time which is often given a mere paragraph or two in the history books and giving it the spotlight that it so rightly deserves. I felt as if I was taken on a detailed and engrossing history lesson where the sheer determination, courage, resilience and the endurance of those that tried to take back their city from the Germans was given a platform. The voices of all those people who rose up in defiance of their occupation radiate from the pages. They may be gone but they are not forgotten for the brave battle and brutal siege that they endured. Clearly, the author undertook in-depth research and wanted her readers to get the full experience of the time. Even the historical end notes where fantastic and readers should take the time to read them as they gave such an interesting account of a complex situation which in turn explain the bigger picture as to why the uprising failed and what subsequently happened. I did think the end chapter was a bit rushed. I thought things can’t wrap up like this but an excellent epilogue made up for this and here is where I really felt that this perhaps would be the last book simply because of the way the epilogue was written.

The Resistance Sisters was very different from what I had been expecting prior to reading and I mean this in a very good way. It’s a raw, powerful and impressive read. Throughout it all the love and unity of family stood out. That once you have love you can battle through anything and the community spirit of endurance and working together shone through with every turn of the page. Not once did they give up, always having a clear end goal in mind and they remained loyal and steadfast to the memory of their father carrying his wishes out until the bitter end. This was an important read that will leave a deep and lasting impact on many readers.

The Resistance Sisters by Anna Stuart is a heroic and impeccably written ode to the brave men and women of Warsaw during the Warsaw Uprising. This novel, strikingly historically accurate, and incredibly captivating by it’s well-developed characters, is a must read for World War II Historical Fiction fans!

Each chapter is told from the perspective of a member of the Dabrowska family. Each member plays an important role in the AK (Polish Underground/Resistance). The Dabrowska sisters Hannah, Zuzi, and Orla each contribute in their own ways. One is a courier, one is member of Minerki explosives unit, and Orla is a nurse. Each sister is vastly different from one another and each sister fights a battle for Warsaw and a battle in their own life.

The Resistance Sisters not only showcases the bravery of the men and women of the AK, but also shows that women played a huge role in fighting for freedom during the Warsaw Uprising. This book showcases heroism, bravery, grit, love, loss, and courage. It’s a must read, and a book that’s truly hard to put down until the very end.

The Resistance Sisters
This is my second Anna Stuart book of this. I series and it tells the story of the resistance movement in Poland during World War 2. I did not know many of the details that were contained. It is an inspiring story of 3 sisters and their fight against the Nazi regime at the end of World War 2. The characters are engaging and you will find yourself routing for them even if we know how the story ends.

Thank you Net Galley, Anna Stuart and Bookouture for the opportunity to preview this novel and the opinions expressed are my own. The book is now available.

The Resistance Sisters is an emotional and heart wrenching read. I was intrigued by the amount of historical research that had gone into this book and I was inspired to research more upon completion of the book. The Dabrowski family is such an endearing group of individuals. I truly enjoyed every character’s storyline and how different they all were.

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I’ll hold my hands up and admit, rather shamefully, that I knew absolutely nothing about the Warsaw Uprising – the extraordinary bravery and tenacity of ordinary people as they fought on against the occupying enemy while awaiting the assistance that never arrived. By combining the fictional story of the Dabrowska sisters with a meticulously researched account of those dark days, the author has created a stunning story of courage and resilience that vividly brought the history to life and moved me really deeply.

The book’s prologue is particularly shocking – the three sisters (Hana, Suzi and Orla), together with their mother and young brother Jacob, are forced to watch the public hanging of their father at the hands of the Nazis. He was found guilty of treason – part of a well-orchestrated plan to eradicate the opposition of individuals formerly in a position of influence. He urges them, immediately before his death, to continue the fight – and they do, each in their different way. Hana becomes a courier, risking her life daily by carrying key communications to the scattered cells of the resistance movement, hidden inside loaves of bread baked by her mother; Zuzi joins an all-female resistance unit, her speciality being the setting of explosive charges; Orla becomes a nurse, never feeling that what she does is enough, but continuing to work underground under appalling conditions when the hospital is lost. Even young Jacob joins the effort, believing himself well protected by his grandfather’s old helmet – to the great consternation of his family, but growing up fast.

It becomes the story of the experience of a city under occupation – the challenges of living under continuous daytime bombardment, the hand to mouth existence, the many setbacks and sacrifices, the small victories, and the hope the people continue to harbour even when it becomes plain that the help they desperately need might not be on its way. There was never a point when the citizens of Warsaw simply accepted the inevitable – they fought back with the most extraordinary organisation, defying the oppressive regime of the occupying forces, moving through the cellars beneath the bombed homes then through the sewers beneath, hitting back and recapturing key buildings within the city. The sisters’ fictional stories are woven into the realities of daily life – in a way that’s particularly emotionally engaging, everything seen through the sisters’ eyes and their lived experience. There’s real warmth in their family relationships, their friendships, even time and space to introduce some welcome romance – and that makes the whole story feel even closer to home, and far more personally affecting.

As always, the author’s afterword sets the story’s context – but that’s after having felt part of the story, feeling the same intense anger as the citizens of Warsaw did while watching the allied liberation of Paris and waiting for the help that never came. There’s a stark divide between expectation and reality, as the air drops of essential supplies become increasingly perfunctory, and the Russian advance – always seen as their salvation – stalls within hearing distance. These exceptionally courageous people really were abandoned to their fate, their liberation apparently never part of anyone’s plans – and the sheer injustice of it all frequently moved me to tears.

But I must try and separate the historical fact from the strength and power of the author’s writing, that makes the reader feel so very much part of the story – I was at that barricade with Zuzi and her grandmother feeling the same intense joy (however temporary and fragile their victory), holding down wounded patients with Orla before the next amputation (pouring fine wine on the wounds in the absence of any alternative), raising the flag on the Prudential tower after the fiercest of battles, wading through the deepening sewage with the sisters to recapture the plans for a rebuilt post-war Warsaw. She really is the most wonderful storyteller – and the well-researched detail, authenticity and raw emotional content of her writing makes this wonderful book, filled with love, a really fitting tribute to lives and experiences of those brave people. The whole experience of reading this book will stay in my memory for some time to come – I’d recommend it very highly.

(Review also copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

Poland was the very first occupied country during WWII and Warsaw was almost obliterated from the map.
It’s a terrific novel Hanni, Zuzi, and Orla, three sisters who fight for their city and country’s survival and find love along the way.
It’s a very intense read but it’s based on raw truth.
I enjoyed Zuzi and Babcia the most out of the characters, especially the earthy outlook Barbcia schools Zuzi as they wait to be rescued, pragmatism at its finest.
Stuart’s notes offer keen insight and also illustrate what a true bastard Stalin was.
I can’t recommend this novel enough!

The Resistance Sisters by Anna Stuart takes the readers back to the uprising of Warsaw,Poland during the Second World War. Three sisters helplessly watch their father die at the hands of the nazis during the German occupation of the city. Together with their mother, their grandmother and little brother they strive to make their father proud by fighting, living and loving. Throughout all the hardships they face, the love they share helps keep their family unit together and ultimately love finds a way of making their family grow. Overall a worthwhile read for others who have a strong liking for historical fiction with lesser known conflicts which take place throughout the WW2.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

A book that I found hard to put down from start to end.
This is a story set during WW2 following three women who join the resistance movement, where they face danger as well and sadness.

Anna Stuart’s writing is such that you feel like you’re there in with the characters, due to the descriptions and meticulous detailing. It keeps you turning the pages to read what happens next.

I highly recommend this book.

would like to thank netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this awe inspiring book

they were encouraged to rise up, they had the backing of england america and russia behind them during the second world war

but warsaw was on their own....

the guns fell silent and the nazis started to bomb warsaw

but for a few brave souls...

hana zuzi and orla sisters all joined the resistance and each would play a part but how they suffered...

oh man after reading this book and finding out how much the polish people were let down during the war. all the pain and suffering and for just a small amount of people to keep going when times were so tough...wow i am totally floored by this book

so well written and mind blowing

will be keeping an eye out for more of this authors works

This is Book #4 of Women of War series but can be read as a standalone too. This is the first book I’ve read by @annastuartauthor and I look forward to reading more.
#TheResistanceSisters is a powerful, moving and gripping WW2 Historical Fiction. A story full of hope, love, tragedy, determination and bravery as three sisters Hana, Zuzi and Orla, after watching their father killed by the Nazis, each do their jobs to help others as part of the resistance.
I couldn’t put this book down. I was captivated from the first page.
It’s beautifully written and each sister’s story is inspirational and uplifting as the chapters alternate between them. I enjoyed the authors writing style as the story was bought to life on the pages with vivid descriptions. I liked the characters and the bond the sisters shared. It’s a real emotional rollercoaster and tugs at your heartstrings.
Overall a thought provoking page turner that I thoroughly enjoyed. Definitely recommend if you enjoy historical fiction.
With thanks to #NetGallery @bookouture for an arc of #TheResistanceSisters in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 19 August 2024.

A well-done novel on which the author weaves a non-fictional story with the actual historical events. The characters are colorful and full of life. their story really appeals to you as you read through the fast paced and action-packed scenes. You will find this book hard to put down. A great read.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a beautifully written book, full of hope, love, determination and bravery! The individual stories of the sisters and their family are inspirational and uplifting while they battle such adversity and hardships.
I loved how each sister fought in their own way during the Warsaw Uprising and their commitment to each other and the memory of their father.
Heart breaking, inspiring and full of hope. A wonderful book l'd highly recommend, I couldn't put it down!
Thank you bookouture and NetGalley For the advanced copy

If you love historical fiction you will love this book! Couldn’t put it down, totally draws you in and stays in your mind for days!

Three sisters - Hana, Zuzi and Orla - watched on with their mother and younger brother, Jacob, as their father and husband was murdered by the Nazis. "Keep fighting", he called - and they all vowed to do just that. It was 1944 and Warsaw had been taken over by the Germans, and although the Allies - The Red Army - were supposedly coming to assist, it seemed like the people of Warsaw were on their own. Hana worked at passing messages across the city; Orla was a nurse in the underground hospital, helping the wounded; while Zuzi was a fighter in an all female combat unit, learning with the other strong women about bombing, shooting and staying safe. The Resistance of Warsaw was strong, but were they strong enough?

As their city crumbled around them, the underground of the tunnels and sewers beckoned. Being able to move freely while underground, never in the eyes of the Nazis, gave the Resistance the opportunity to do more. And while the danger was constant, the small successes were thrilling. Even as the sisters' grandmother joined the raging battle, and Jacob joined a unit, thrilled, excited and terrified, the danger was ever constant. Would they be able to find the freedom they craved?

The Resistance Sisters is the 4th in the Women of War series by Anna Stuart and it was captivating! Inspired by the women who participated in the Warsaw Uprising, the author has woven the incredible threads of fiction through the emotional acts of courage performed by the many brave participants in the horrible war against the Germans. The three sisters in this story are inspirational, because although they were terrified, they knew they couldn't stop and cower in a corner. The love of family stood out in The Resistance Sisters - highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for my digital ARC to read and review.

This is an incredible story based on true events. You really appreciate the struggles for survival and the power of fighting back or at least doing what you can to support the resistance and fight for your family.
This is certainly an emotional story and one that will stay with you long after reading it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

Anna Stuart has taken what is frequently a short paragraph in the history texts and brought it to life. People can now get an idea of what the Poles went through to save their country. The book illustrates the bravery of those in the AK.

As a united front, the citizens of Poland formed a well organized resistance. A Plan was set in motion as German soldiers filled their streets as they retreated. It was almost time to resist, knowing that help was on the way. They waited for a signal and when it came they fought as one for Poland.

They were brave. They were determined. They were successful until help did not come. Pleas to London went unanswered. Excuse after excuse would be the downfall of the AK. The suspense was driving me crazy. I wanted them to succeed, but they needed help. The author's writing helped me to grasp the terrible things that the people of Warsaw lived through.

Himmler stepped in. He sent in his SS Bandits (Hitler's Bandit Hunters). My heart broke. What I read, I didn't want to believe. What I read was just a bit of what happened. I was left in silence reading the of horrors, the suffering, the atrocities. Tears ran down my face. The author painted a picture that transported me to the streets of Warsaw. Streets that will not be leaving me anytime soon. I could smell the blood, the cordite, the building dust. I could hear the stomping of German boots.

There were so many nail biting moments that I lost count and lost bits of my nails. The battles were so real I felt the need to run for cover. I had to wonder if they would ever get help. If they would ever win. There were so many times I thought it would all be over, but the bravery of the characters kept the story and me going.

Maybe we should all read stories like this. Maybe we need to be reminded of the horrors, the losses. If we remember, just maybe we won't repeat.

It is 1944 in Poland, and Warsaw is cut off from the rest of the world. Hana, Zuzi, and Orla are sisters who join the Minerki following the death of their father.

Imagine fighting for where you live, having to crawl through sewers so you’re not seen by the Nazis. Imagine hardly any food, but needing to be strong enough to fight. Think about doctors having to cut off limbs by candlelight; with a saw and no kind of anaesthetics or medicines to fight off infection

It’s not something that any of us want to imagine, but it is what happened.

So many brave people, trying to live their lives and not letting the Nazis win. Many of these people were still children, fighting for their country.

A lot of research has gone into this story, and it made me go cold at times. Based on fact, this is a hard book to read, but it does need reading as it’s an important part of history.

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

Hana, Zuzi and Olga watched their father be executed by the Nazis when Warsaw was invaded in 1939. They agreed together to join the resistance, each in their own way: Hana as a messenger, Zuzi as an explosives expert and Olga as a nurse. Jump to August 1944, and the order is given for the people of Warsaw to rise up. The sisters’ entire family participates, even their young brother and their fierce grandmother. The book follows the sisters’ experiences throughout the Warsaw Uprising.

Although this is historical fiction, there was a lot of research involved in this book so a lot of the content was based in reality. I didn’t know a lot about the Warsaw Uprising and it was very interesting to learn about, particularly how Warsaw and its people were abandoned by both sides of the war. There was perhaps too much focus on romance for the setting and I didn’t find myself emotionally invested in the characters. The problem when your story follows one event is that you are using the pacing of that event. I think this book suffered from this, as it dragged on towards the end, but that was to reflect the dragging on of the uprising and the waiting. It was difficult to rate because of this: as a historic text, it was accurate; as a piece of fiction, it lost the interest of the reader.

The Resistance Sisters
By Anna Stuart
Publisher: Bookouture
Series: Women of War, Book 4
Rated: 4
Obtain: Borrow
Back of the Book: “1944, Poland. ‘Take this message, keep it hidden.’ Shaking, I tuck the torn slip of paper in between the loaves of bread. I pray I can make it through the bombed-out streets and into the tunnels beneath this broken city without being caught. If this secret falls into the wrong hands, my sisters’ lives are at stake…
This heart-wrenching and unforgettable World War Two novel is inspired by the incredible true stories of the brave women who fought in the Warsaw Uprising.
Hana’s home has gone up in flames; the little bakery at the heart of the city is no more. Smoke curls into the sky and the buildings around her burn. But Hana has already lost far more – her blue-eyed fiancé was wrenched from her arms at the start of the war and her brave father was murdered by the Nazis. She’s determined to protect her younger sisters but every day more people are being killed…
Hana realizes that one person alone won’t win the war, and she has to accept her sisters are playing their own part in the resistance. Fiery Zuzi is working as part of a secret all-female combat unit while gentle Orla is a nurse in the underground hospital. As the women of Warsaw plan to rise up against the enemy, Hana risks her life to navigate the dangerous streets. The torn piece of paper she clutches in her hand has the potential to save her precious family.
It’s time to fight back. But when the moment they’ve been waiting for comes, will Hana and her sisters finally win back their freedom? Or will they lose their own lives as they fight for their futures…?”

Impressions: This is the fourth book in the Women of War series. I enjoyed this story of tragedy, hope, and romance. Anna Stuart is a fantastic storyteller and brings to life the hardships during WW2 while keeping you on the edge of your seat for more. Although there is religious talk, I would not call this a Christian novel. There are also curse words that are sprinkled throughout the text. The sisters in this book are each unique but share the bond of love for their family. This bond keeps them fighting and pressing forward. As war comes to their home, they find strength in each other. Along the way they also all find love. Grandma Babcia gives some bold marriage bed advice which was a bit surprising. Overall, this book was engaging. I struggled with the few religious comments such as I shared below. I would have rather faith not been mentioned.

Quotes: “…One thing I have learned from my many years in the military, is that regret, at least during battle, is a waste of time. The current situation is all that matters, and we must deal with it as best we can to ensure a favorable future one.”

“The Romans had been bad, but she was pretty sure Christ had never had to turn the other cheek to a Nazi.” – This is an outrageously ridiculous statement about Christ. He was put to death by crucifixion. His closest friends were beheaded. Comparisons like this belittle the sacrifice and need of our Savior.

“Babcia was relying on her father’s handcuffs, hung on the wall above her, and the family’s silver cross, set on a makeshift altar by the door. These, she said, represented the strength of man and the protection of God, and between them, they would triumph. Hana admired her optimism.” – Does Babcia even know God if she thinks that He couldn’t have victory on His own. God is omnipotent- all-powerful. God doesn’t need the strength of man and a statement like the one above makes me question the author's perspective of the LORD. There is not a sense of relying on God in this author's books but a sense that He is part of a cultural experience.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC to review. All opinions are my own.