Thank you to NetGalley for this e-copy of The Seamstress of Auschwitz by CK McAdam..This historical fiction piece is well written and researched.You can imagine yourself in the camps with Sara the main character as she fights to live in Auschwitz with her sisters.She is a seamstress so conditions for her are somewhat better but she still faces unimaginable tragedy and illness.Even after the war tragedy continues to follow her.A very moving piece!

3.5 stars rounded down

This is hard for me to rate since I did enjoy the book, but I have a few reservations about the book. I have read a lot of WWII books and I would say this book falls more into the middle of the pack.

I struggled with the MC Sara. She didn’t really seem like a strong female character who was held in a concentration camp. She made very dumb/childish choices throughout the book. Then I struggled with Sara falling in love with Paul. The book made their interactions very brief, but she falls in love with him? She chooses to find him versus going to America to find her family? I just kind of struggled with that relationship since it was so quick.

There are no years listed in this book so I had a hard time understanding how much time had passed between different parts of the book. It seemed like only one or two years passed, but that is not the case.

I appreciated that this book was not drawn out, but so much time was covered and some parts should have went into more detail. This book felt more like a true work of fiction versus historical fiction.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book had me in an emotional rollercoaster. The losses, the found friends, and love found a place in my heart. The story building of the experiences in Auschwitz and the building of the character's reactions to her life events where great! The ending had me in tears and the connections to family in the end wrapped everything in a neat little bow!

A must read historical fiction! A really intriguing story that draws you in and keeps you reading. Likeable characters and an interesting setting.

Set during WWII, Sara and her sisters are Jewish seamstresses who are sent to Auschwitz where they are able to make themselves of value to the Nazis by making dresses for the the officers' wives. Their talents allow for their survival at the death camp and the story follows the aftermath as they settle in Palestine. A wonderful story of resiliency and survival.

This was a fantastic WWII historical fiction book. It gave such a unique perspective of such a horrific time in the world. The author did a wonderful job at telling a story and bringing to life the characters all while being very respectful of the time

This book is incredibly powerful and heartbreaking throughout it's telling. There are many valuable lessons we can take away from this book and I highly recommend this novel.

As with the majority of historical fiction novels I read with a WW2 background this was a highly emotional read with an incredible story and I loved it!

Sara, a German born Jew in a long standing family of tailors and seamstresses finds her life changed irrevocably forever when war breaks out. Her family torn apart, life as she has known it over and finding herself sent first to Ravenbruck concentration camp and then Auschwitz.

Being an adept seamstress helps save Sara from the more extreme horrors and situations within these camps. A somewhat "easier" situation but, still one fraught with danger, , overbearing hunger, the ever growing dread of disease and the pressure of the SS over shadowing and ever watching everyone and everything.

This is a beautifully interwoven story with strong characters. Full of utter bravery, compassion, resilience love and hope.

Hope for a better future. Hope for a better world.

Both of these are strong emotions, they can promt you to want to survive any situation no matter how dire the circumstance and this story shows how simply having love and a shared hope for a world without such horror for your family, for the people around you and sometimes a love that happens when you least expect it can be the saviour you didn't know you needed.

I’ve always been a sucker for a WWI or WWII book, so when I saw this book I knew I needed to read it.

This book follows Sarah, a teenage Jewish seamstress. She comes from a long line of seamstresses and tailors. Her father owned the towns sewing shop but once their town had been invaded they were targeted and shunned for being Jewish.

Eventually Sarah and her sister are taken to a concentration camp where they are quickly used for their talents, and then transferred to Auschwitz’s to make dresses for the commanders wife and friends.

Throughout the story Sarah experiences tons of heartache losing people she loves, while also finding new people to care about.

This book was gut wrenching most of the time and by the end I just couldn’t believe that one person could experience SO MANY things. If you are like me and love a historical fiction book I highly recommend picking this book up, but be ready to have your tissues handy.

Thank you for this book and exchange for my honest review. Unfortunately, I was completely disappointed in this book from the first chapter on. Therefore, I was unable to finish it and did not have any desire to do so.

Someone else in the reviews put it in the perfect words, I felt like the author was telling me the story rather than showing me, there wasn’t a huge amount of dialogue and I think it’s needed in these kinds of books. The story did make me cry though and I would recommend it to anybody who likes this kinds of books, it was really well told and an interesting read.

Stunning, such a harrowing heartbreaking story written so incredibly well. I absolutely loved the novel and the story, I enjoyed the tattooist of Auschwitz but I think I preferred this. I will be recommending to everyone as a must read.

It did start slightly slow however after 20% I flew through it and couldn’t put it down. I stayed up most of the night just finishing it.

My Instagram post is to follow

This book follows Sara, a Jewish teen, through the onset of WWII and the changes the Nazi regime made on her daily life. Then gives a personal relevance to her time interned in concentration camps.

I didn't like how the author jumped through time without any dates. (Even "fall of 41" or something would have been helpful). It was very simplistic writing, like maybe it was meant for tweens and teens(?). There were many repeated metaphors and phrases that irked me, but overall I liked the book.

It is an easy read with historical insight that I would recommend to anyone over age 10.

In this piece of World War II historical fiction, McAdam brings Sara Schonflies, the latest in a line of skilled tailors and seamstresses, to life. As a young Jewish woman in Germany, the rise of the Nazis has made life incredibly difficult. When she and her sisters are sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau, their sewing skills keep them alive as they sew dresses for Nazi wives. Following Sara from Germany to the camps and Palestine, this novel is in the vein of similar works by Heather Morris and Roberta Kagan with its focus on Jewish women under Nazi rule and their struggles and triumphs. With brilliant characters, a complex and well-developed plot, and great heart, this novel, through Sara’s eyes, brings her world to life. A story of friendship, sisterhood, strength, and skill, McAdam’s prose and characters, as well as the historical research, bring Nazi Germany to life. The depth of detail and historical information adds to the atmosphere and tone of the book, bringing the horrors of Auschwitz to life in this complex work of historical fiction. The characters are the heart of this particular story, and Sara’s relationships with other characters further humanize her and the larger narrative in this fascinating novel.

There are so many stories to come out of WWII. The Greatest Generation is said to be the American soldiers that fought in WWII, but I think it could be said for those who survived it as well, whether they were part of the resistance or surviving a concentration camp. As teenager Sara, watches Germany change around her, not sure what to do. Sara's father is a tailor and was teaching Sara to be a seamstress. Sara ends up in Ravensbrück. Because she has skills of a seamstress, she was sent to help make uniforms for the Nazis. She is eventually transferred Auschwitz where she had to create the latest fashions for the Nazi wives and dignitaries. Despite everything Sara faces, sickness, death of family, near starvation, she still has the will to survive. I appreciated this book follows what happens after the liberation of the concentration camps.

I enjoyed this book, the writing was well done, the characters interesting, the history good, the plot kept my attention. But it needed to be more - longer, the pacing was off so it was too short & quick!

This was a very well done heartbreaking story of life in the concentration camps. I feel like the story was very well done and did a great job conveying what life was like for the Jews in the concentration camps. I look forward to reading more by this author. If you are a fan of historical fiction set during World War II, pick this one up.

The Seamstress of Auschwitz
By: CK McAdam
Publish Date: April 21, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley, Book Whisperer, and the author CK McAdam, for the advanced copy of The Seamstress of Auschwitz.

Any time I read a book about WWII period, and the Holocaust, I feel every emotion. Even in those unimaginable dark times, goodness, love and hope can shine through. I greatly enjoyed this book, being able to read from a different viewpoint, as a seamstress who received what could be considered better or privileged treatment in the worst of conditions but wasn't spared the losses.

I absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for a historical fiction to engross themselves into.

3.5 stars

I enjoy reading stories about the Holocaust, especially those based on true events. This one, however, didn’t grab ahold of me like most others do. While I did find certain parts of this book to be emotionally driven, as they should be considering the subject matter, I found most of the story felt rushed and detached. There wasn’t a ton of dialogue and the narration felt like the author was telling me what happened as opposed to showing me; I think that’s where I felt the lack of emotion. Overall, it was an interesting story and different from others that I’ve read, but the manner in which the author told the story is what led me to give it a lower rating.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Paper Forest Press for providing a copy of this book to review.*

Courtesy of Netgalley and The Book Whisperer, I received the ARC of The Seamstress of Auschwitz by CK McAdam.This was an interesting aspect of Holocaust literature and added to my knowledge. By creating compelling fictional characters to portray the history of seamstresses at Auschwitz, and the difficulty of relocating after WWII, the author brought this time period to life, always to be remembered.