Sisters Of The Resistance by Jina Bacarr is a powerful and heartbreaking historical novel. It is the sequel to Sisters At War which I recommend reading first for maximum enjoyment.
The novel opens in 1942. The action is mainly set in Paris with alternating chapters between the two sisters, Eve and Justine. They both ‘fought’ very different wars. “Not everyone fights the Boches with guns and ammo.” Both were in opposition to the Nazis – one in the resistance, the other from within the Nazis as a spy but posing as a mistress, after events took a dreadful turn in the opening of book one. For safety’s sake, secrets and silences were kept, even when it meant others thought badly of them.
The battle for France was played out not just on the battlefields but in homes and streets, the people fought back however they could, holding on to the hope that one day France would be free again.
Family is important. Family ties and their safety saw one sister denying herself in order to preserve her family. “Winning the war is what counts, not me.”
There were some truly awful atrocities committed by the Nazis against women. Jina Bacar has realistically and sensitively portrayed some very hard to read scenes of the violence and attacks against the women of Paris.
Round-ups and the treatment of the Jewish people was horrific. A sister declared “I need to know. Then someday I can tell the world what I saw.” Survival was essential to tell the world what really happened.
We see that “war unites women … we’re in this fight together to save our men, our families …save France.” As the lights went out in Paris, the battle for France began.
The resistance saw many give their lives. It took skills and bravery to survive and to attack.
Hope kept people going, a hope that there would be a brighter tomorrow and that loved ones would return from the camps and prisons.
Morality altered during war, behaviour was forced to adapt and change. People did what they did in order to survive, to fight and to save others. We must never judge them. “I don’t have the right to ask God for forgiveness until this war is over.” One day forgiveness would be asked for and would be granted.
All the characters were well drawn and believable. The two sisters are to be applauded for their bravery. We see that not all Germans are Nazis. And not all Nazis supported Hitler and the party, as the war continued. Some worked to sabotage from within.
Jina Bacar has written a powerful tale that is horrific and shocking but also inspiring. The story of the French women is appalling but it needs to be told.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
A word of warning: there are situations and themes which some readers may find upsetting. If you are affected, please talk to someone and seek help.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that element that I was looking for in a World War 2 novel. I thought this was done realistically and was what I was hoping for. The characters had that element that I was expecting and thought they worked in this setting. I thought Jina Bacarr wrote this perfectly and was engaged from the first page. The bond between the sisters was realistic and well written.

Wow this is such a powerful, emotional, hard hitting read that will stay with me for a long time. For me this is about resilience, strength, forgiveness and determination. This follows two sisters, Justine and Eve, whose lives are torn apart when the Nazis arrive in Paris. They both have different ways of coping with the events but ultimately want the same outcome. It is a heartbreaking read about what women had to endure at the hands of the Nazis and how they dealt with this horrific time in history. At times quite harrowing and graphic but I think that made it an even more powerful read and I congratulate Jina Bacarr from not glossing over the facts. The depth of historical knowledge is very obvious and although at times not an easy read it is definitely one that I would highly recommend. Thank you to Boldwood Books, Netgalley and of course Jina Bacarr for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I read the previous novel by the author and enjoyed. However, there was a lot of repetition in the sequel and wonder whether the story could have been compressed into one novel rather than two, thus retaining pace and reader involvement.

Goodness this was brutal. This book isn’t for the faint hearted, yet is absolutely worth the read. The violence isn’t gratuitous but it is graphic and needs to be to call out the cruelty of the German soldiers and leaders in the war. The book shows how rape was used to overcome women,to force them and to frighten them into submission, the wider impact on the women is made clear, sometimes pregnancy, sometimes suicide and sometimes murder. The two sisters at the heart of this book are on opposite sides of the line, whether to collaborate or whether to join the resistance. Both Eve and Justine fight for their survival, and for the right to fall in love.

What a heartbreaking story ..I will never forget what people went through and the strength the everyday person showed to survive
Excellently written with relatable characters

Book 2 of 2 - WWII- such a deep, heartbreaking story. So much sacrifice the people went through. I hope you will enjoy it like I did.

Sisters of the Resistance by Jina Bacarr
3.8/5

“And if there’s one thing I learned during those war years, it’s that the power of sisterhood endures through the toughest times.”

Thanks to NetGalley and Bolwood Books for giving me an ARC of this book.

Trigger warnings of the book and this review: Mention of se*ual abuse, kidnapping, t*rture and m*rder.

This story follows the lives of Ève and Justine during the Nazi occupation of Paris in World War II. Just after the Nazis had arrived in Paris, an SS officer assaulted and kidnapped Justine right in front of Ève’s eyes. A year has passed, and Ève thought her sister was dead, until one day, she sees her and realizes she is working for the Nazis. Ève herself is part of the Resistance, fighting the enemy, and trying to free France from Nazi power.
Both of these women have to fight the only way they can to survive, help their family and friends survive and get France to liberty.
What I liked about this book is how strong women are portrayed even with the adversities they endure. I liked how the book kept me on my toes most of the time with all the mystery and espionage. The slight romance that the author gives us is a small reward after the suspense of the rest of the plot.
What I didn’t like as much was the way the book describes what’s happening. I felt that sometimes, the book was telling me more than showing me with dialogue. I also found certain scenes quite repetitive, like when Justine or Ève described when Justine was kidnapped. Also, Ève’s inner thoughts were sometimes contradictory and changed very quickly in a couple of sentences.
Overall, I would say, it is a very interesting book, it talks about really important topics, like sexual assault and war, in a responsable and caring way. I think it is always important, especially nowadays, to never forget the atrocities that a group of extremist people can do. With the genocide happening in Gaza, the conflict in Sudan, this book is relevant today more than ever. It is our responsibility to stay informed and not forget history. This book teaches us that everyone has the power to speak up and fight in small ways against abuse and injustice.

A brilliant yet harrowing second story of Eve and Justine The Beaufort Sisters song with their family and co workers. It’s best to read book one first Sisters at War before delving into this one as it deals with sexual violence both for the characters and the author’s story. Thanks so much to Jina and Boldwood Books.Thanks also to NetGalley

This book is a good read If you like anything set in historical times. This book was set in Paris my favorite place to visit- and also in 1942,

Great listen to this audiobook version as I set all my kindle ebooks and the arcs to be like audiobooks.

You wouldn’t want to miss this book -Sisters of the Resistance.

I was introduced to an author I haven’t read before with Jina Bacarr’s Sisters of the Resistance. Set in 1942 Paris, sisters Justine and Eve are helping the allied war effort in their own, separate ways. Eve has joined the Resistance and utilizes her science background to help make and set explosives. Her partner in these tasks is a Polish man, Michal, who works to erase the tragedies he has experienced in the war himself. Meanwhile, Justine is raising her daughter that she had after being raped by a major in the SS who uses brutality and abuse to keep Justine in line. There is a vast cast of supporting characters, including a Gestapo officer who is intent on bringing down Eve and catching Justine doing something wrong.

Sisters of the Resistance is a sequel, but there is enough background given in the early stages of the book that you don’t feel lost in what the sisters have gone through, together and separately. Jina Bacarr is upfront at the beginning of the book about the trigger of sexual assault, so if this is an area that is uncomfortable for you, proceed with caution and choice. There were some areas I felt were a little slow for me, but once I hit the last 1/3 of the book, I couldn’t put it down. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on September 28, 2024.

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #SistersoftheResistance #JinaBacarr #BoldwoodBooks

Paris, 1942: It’s been two years since Major Saxe-Mullenheim arrived at Maison Blue and changed the lives of the Daisy Sisters Justine and Ève Beaufort and attacked Justine and kidnapped her.

Justine is now his unwilling mistress and doing her best to protect her baby daughter and working as a double agent. Ève is fighting with the French resistance, blowing up trains and printing and distributing flyers. Unfortunately French women are still being threatened and their families by the Germans, abused, sexually assaulted and murdered.

An unlikely truce has been formed between the sisters, and they're both waiting for the right time to take back control, get revenge on the Germans and justice for Justine.

To do this Justine has to stop hating herself, thinking that what happened to her was somehow her fault and change her mind set and it’s not easy to do. Justine worries about her daughter being taken to Germany and given to another family to raise and Ève moves around a lot, trying to stay one step ahead of informants and the Gestapo.

I received a copy of Sisters of the Resistance from NetGalley and Boldwood Books in exchange for an unbiased review. The narrative continues on from the first book Sister at War, Jina Bacarr doesn't stop stressing in the plot how women who have been assaulted and violated need to overcome shame and fear and it’s hard to do and with the culprits still prowling the streets of France and they worry about it happening again, how strong and brave they are and eventually they fought and won the battle.

I felt the second book by Ms. Bacarr really explained what life was like in Paris during the Second World War, shortages of food and basic necessities, the tension and uncertainty, fear and suffering, and women were forced to do things to survive, face being either being tortured by the Gestapo or sent to a camp and it makes you think what you would do if you found yourself in the same situation?

I highly recommend both books in The Wartime Paris Sisters Series however you must be prepared to read about sexual assault during war and unfortunately it’s still happening, and the Sisters of the Resistance is due to be released on the 29th of September 2024 and four stars from me.

I am sorry to.say i dnfed this book at 22 %. . The story was good, but some of the topics are just not for me. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

I was blessed to get to pre-view this book. This was a story I will not soon forget. It tore my heart out, made me think, and I wanted to keep reading. This is a story of what women went through in France during WW2. As I have read things about England, the US, the Netherlands, and about children during the war, but this was something I had not had the pleasure of learning about yet. As a scholar of history, this time period is one I have studied, but never have gotten to see a more personal take on what happened in France during the war.

To avoid spoilers; we get to see the horror that was Nazi occupation in France; the French resistance and those who fought against this occupation. You can see what happened to the French people, the Jewish people both nationals of France, and those who were refugees from other European nations. You see how people treated those who worked with the Nazi's, as well as what people did to try and fight them. You see the joys of people surviving, and the struggles of war, rationing, and how the Nazi's stole from other nations to fight the war. You also get to see what happened once the French people were finally free, and the Jewish survivors came home.

The sisters in this book both tell their stories in parallel and you can see how they felt and what was happening to them each. You go through the horrors that women experienced during this terrible war, and the small triumphs they experienced as well. I did not know this was the second book in the series when I started it, but it had great flashbacks to keep you informed where you were in the story, and not feel like you were missing something.

I am next going to look into history, to see if anything like what the sisters did at the end of the war really happened. I want to know if the women fought for their rights; about if they did work to have the Allies stand up for them. I want to see if the people who subjected the women to their horrors were punished in any way. I want to see if there was some truth to what the sisters did to try to defend women, and make sure their stories were told. I want to know if the Allies did anything at all to fight for the women who suffered so much at the hands of the Nazi's. I will also get ahold of the first book about these sisters, as I was so touched by their story, I want to know more.

This is a gripping historical fiction that is set in Paris during WWII.
The story centers around two sisters, who find themselves on opposite sides of the war. One sister, deeply involved in the French Resistance, is shocked to discover that her sibling has become entangled with a Nazi SS officer. This revelation sets off a chain of events that tests their loyalty, courage, and love for each other and also explores things like betrayal, sacrifice, and the moral complexities of war. Sisters of the Resistance is a powerful and heart-wrenching tale that captures the essence of human resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity. It is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, particularly those interested in stories of World War II and the French Resistance

**Sisters of the Resistance by Jina Bacarr - 3.5 Stars**

Thank you Boldwood Books and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book.

"Sisters of the Resistance" by Jina Bacarr offers a glimpse into the harrowing experiences of Eve and Justine during WWII. While I appreciated the historical setting and the emotional journey of the sisters, the story itself fell a bit short for me.

The narrative had moments of tension, but I found myself distracted by how often the characters seemed to get lucky in dire situations, which made some events feel a bit unbelievable. Additionally, I noticed a tendency for the story to lean more towards telling rather than showing, which affected my engagement with the plot and characters.

Despite these issues, I did find myself invested in Eve and Justine’s fates, hoping they’d find their happy endings amidst the chaos of war. The uncertainty surrounding the baby added another layer of concern that kept me reading, even if the book wasn’t quite the page-turner I usually enjoy.

Overall, while it wasn't a standout read for me, it was an okay book that I'd rate 3.5 stars.

#SistersoftheResistance #NetGalley #ARC-BOOK-READ

Sisters of the Resistance is an incredible finale to a deeply moving, sensitive and powerful two book story of the Daisy Sisters who were torn apart when an arrogant SS Nazis officer came in and stole their art and took the older sister Justine as his prize. For years these two women lived very different lives. One in the thick of the Nazis world as a double agent and the other fighting in the Resistance—their activities unbeknown to each other. This is a story about getting justice, even though it is a fair while coming. But it does come and not without sacrifice and heartache.

The Sisters of Resistance is the best WW2 sequel I have ever read for many reasons. It picks up quickly where the previous novel leaves off as if we were just on intermission. The story flows along with the same brilliance as the first. It is well written with lots of action and on the edge of your seat moments. My heart was gripped so many times and my eyes often filled with tears. I was pulled into the scenes by vivid details. Jina captures the horror of what many suffered—particularly focusing on the women who were violated, abused and brutally discarded at times. The emotions are real and it was easy to feel the characters’ frustrations and fears during the battles but also their hopes and dreams when things start looking up. Sisters Justine and Eve both show great courage and determination in dealing with the enemy. Certain facts are withheld from each other for their protection: and this is especially challenging for Justine who has to remain under cover for as long as possible. She is an incredible actress, though, and plays her part well as the mistress of the SS Officer. It would be difficult to appear as a supporter of Hitler’s new order. And even harder to ‘lie’ to her sister and mother. Mind you, their mother never once believed Justine had changed or gone over to the enemy’s side. And, of course, she did not. Justine’s reason to ‘play along’ is to stay alive and keep her family safe— including her daughter.

Eve, too, is an amazing woman. She exhibits great courage in the face of danger and uses her science skills to launch attacks on the enemy. She certainly grows up quickly and her determination is fuelled by her desire to protect her country and family. Growth is evident in her when she takes on the role as a freedom fighter, unafraid to take risks. She also is awakened to the depth of emotions and experiences of love—both romantically and for her family. When her little niece’s health is in danger, Eve rejoins her sister to save her.

There are some wicked Nazis characters that darken the plot as you would expect. But there is one exception: a German leader who truly cares for Justine and has ethics. I really came to like this gentle man, who actually was not happy about what the Nazis were doing to the Jews and as a result he plays a very dangerous game in his position.

I really don’t want to give away the plot so it is hard for me to discuss various aspects of the story except to tell everyone please read it. It is obvious to me that Jina, the author, has poured her heart and soul into this novel. She draws from her own traumatic personal experience in many ways, so there is a lot of fire in this very special delivery. I admire her courage and how she has championed and encouraged other women to speak up who have been violated. This novel’s ending has a very victorious scene when Justine is allowed to face her abuser. I think this is a key underlining moment in the plot that sends out a message to women that they can overcome the suffering and pain caused by men who have made them a victim. There was a lot of rape happening during WW2 through these Nazis officers and so many women became victims. The potential psychological damage as a result is addressed through various characters.

Please read book one first of the series and then Sisters of the Resistance. It is about pain, suffering, loss, domination and violation yes, but it is also about healing, regaining of confidence, overcoming the enemy and achieving real justice. I give this more than 5 Stars as it flies the flag of hope in taking back the power, defeating control and providing not only the promise of new beginnings but seeing freedom come to fruition. Big cheers to Jina Bacarr on a daring, riveting story with a life-changing ending. Restoration is the word for the Daisy Sisters and their surviving families and friends. Love truly can conquer hate. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+

Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for a review copy.

Unfortunately, I could not get into this novel at all ! Not only did I find the writing style unpleasant, with comments/thoughts in italics when the text is in the first person; but also the characters felt unreal and I could not take them seriously: a professional spy breaking all rules for his "love", and taking reckless risks to be with her... Too much telling as opposed to showing overwhelmed the story with too many clichés.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.