Not Without My Sister – ARC Book Review

1944, Germany. Two sisters seek to overcome impossible odds to be reunited, in this utterly devastating and unforgettable novel about sisterhood, courage and survival.

All they had left was each other. Until the Nazis tore them apart.

After years of hiding from the Nazis, Rachel Epstein and her little sister Mindel are captured by the Gestapo and sent to the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen. The only ray of light for either girl is that they are together.

But on arrival they are separated. As she’s seventeen and deemed an adult, Rachel is sent to work in a brutal factory whilst four-year-old Mindel is sent into the so-called “star” camp for Jewish prisoners. All on her own, Rachel knows her sister will have no chance of survival—unless she can find someone to take care of her.

Working in the windowless, airless factory—filling munitions casings with chemicals that burn her fingers and make her eyes sting—the only thing that keeps Rachel going is the thought of her little sister. Because if there’s even a chance Mindel is alive, Rachel knows she must try to save her.

But, separated by barbed wire, and treated brutally by SS guards who do not even see them as human beings, can either of the orphaned sisters ever dare to hope that they’ll find their way back to each other? And to freedom?

A completely heartbreaking, utterly gripping tale of courage, loss and overcoming impossible odds, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Ragged Edge of Night and The Orphan’s Tale.

No. of pages:- 259 pages

Publisher:- Bookouture

Date published:- will be published on March 24th 2021

Genre:- Historical Fiction

Any book related to Holocaust or WWII I would most certainly jump at the opportunity to read that book. And this is such book. Though the characters are fictional, the events that happened in this book is real.

It’s 1944, in a small village in Bavaria, Germany, Rachel Epstein and her family are living in a farmhouse, thanks to Old Hans, hiding away from the Nazis. They were Jews. But when Old Hans died, the family were separated–Rachel never saw her brothers, her parents were taken away and she and her sister, Mindel were taken to Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp, where the two sisters were separated. Rachel would do anything, including working excruciating hours at the ammunition factory or working in salt mines to be reunited with her younger sister Mindel. Mindel too wants to be reunited with her sisters and she was taken care in the children concentration camp, looked after by a kind couple.

The story is so emotional, heartbreaking and at times, you couldn’t really fathom the fact that these atrocities and brutality did happen in real life. And at time, though the characters are fictional, one couldn’t help but notice how courageous and brave Rachel really was. I couldn’t even put this book down and I got so engrossed into the book that I didn’t even realize until I came to the end! The writing was really good and the author did a good job drawing the reader to the story.

Grab your tissues because this book will make you cry. An emotional, heartbreaking story that will make you want to read this book and unputdownable historical fiction! Worth five stars!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. This book review is based on my honest opinion.

USA Today Bestselling author of historical fiction.

Her books are filled with raw emotions, fierce loyalty and perpetual resilience.
She loves to put her characters through the mangle, making them reach deep within to find the strength to face moral dilemma, make difficult decisions or fight for what is right. And she never forgets to include humor and undying love in her books, because ultimately love is what makes the world go round.

Marion Kummerow was born and raised in Germany, before she set out to “discover the world” and lived in various countries. In 1999 she returned to Germany and settled down in Munich where she’s now living with her family.

After dipping her toes with non-fiction books, she finally tackled the project dear to her heart. UNRELENTING is the story about her grandparents, who belonged to the German resistance and fought against the Nazi regime. It’s a book about resilience, love and the courage to stand up and do the right thing.

To get a taste of her writing, you can download a free short story about a downed British airman here:
http://kummerow.info/newsletter-2