A Sister’s Vow: A Gripping, Heart-Wrenching WW2 Historical Fiction Novel

by Adiva Geffen

From the bestselling author of Surviving the Forest and My Sister’s Keeper comes a brand-new phenomenal story of resilience and love.There is nothing stronger than a promise between sisters. Not even a war.Lyon, 1941. As Nazi forces march steadily through France and Jewish families seek refuge from persecution, seventeen-year-old Juta wakes one morning to find her sister, Sara, gone. And when Juta discovers that Sara has been wrongfully accused of espionage and arrested by German soldiers, she traces it all back to one man. A cruel, obsessive man who believes himself scorned by her family and who will stop at nothing to see them suffer. Arno.Despite Juta’s desperate bid to free her sister, she finds she is too late. Sara has been subjected to a horrific interrogation from which she will never recover.With the urge for revenge burning in her veins, Juta leaves behind everything she knows and vows to bring her sister’s tormentor to justice. Joining the French resistance, she rises in the ranks, biding her time, waiting for a chance to face Arno once more.Juta will endure anything to keep the vow she made to her sister. Even if it means giving up her own freedom. Even if it means forfeiting her life.

Genres: Historical Fiction

284 pages, Paperback

Published November 27, 2023

About the author

Adiva Geffen is a prolific writer and playwright. She lectures and leads many writing workshops, and she's a board member of the Israeli writers Association. Adiva has published 21 books, including children's stories, reference books and, most famously, suspense novels; most of which were best-sellers. In fact, Adiva is widely regarded as the best suspense writer in Israel. Her plays have appeared on major stages in Israel.

Drawing from rich life experience and pure imaginative force, Adiva Geffen creates compelling characters and captivating scenarios in which suspense, humor, passion and joy are woven into an almost addicting emotional thrill-ride. Her latest duo, detectives Sami and Dikla, have become staples in Israel's literary community.

Geffen began her career as a special-ed teacher. After leaving the education field, she served as the spokesperson for the Habima National Theater for more than a decade. She founded and subsequently led the Israeli Theater Award for 10 years.

Born in Haifa and the mother of three sons, Geffen now lives in Tel Aviv, Israel, with her partner Aharon Meidan.

Her latest book "Klara's Boys" is set to be published in 2017.

Reviews

[linda murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gut Wrenching

This book will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time you are reading it. The horrors of what the Nazi's did throughout the war to PEOPLE! The Jews were/are people like everyone else, with loved ones, jobs and dreams, and a maniac named Hitler convinced low life's that Jews were stealing and ruining the world and needed to be exterminated. This should be a lesson in who we trust to be a leader of a nation. It can happen again! Greed, be it power, money or narcissism, can be only one election away .

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story!

The tragedy of this book is most of it is based on what happened with Hitler’s reign of terror. The sad thing is that there remains people who do not want to acknowledge that it all happened. Juta is an unforgettable character and it is her drive for revenge that keeps her alive through it all.

[Mary Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great storyline

This was a mystery inside a mystery. Very detailed in the sad experiences the Jewish people went through trying stay alive during he war. Like the way the writer weaved the characters past and present.

[Cyril Cave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping story

This book takes human endurance to another level. It is heart breaking to read but impossible to put down until you reach the end.

[Francis W. Ridgeway · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptional story!

Difficult to put down, historically correct enjoyable to the very end. i Highly recommend this reading, especially for history buffs

[Kathaleen A. Gregorich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!!!!!!!

What a story of two young Jewish couple, their love, families and experiences during WWII in Austria and France. Wow what a fast paced story!!!

[Patty A · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book

I couldn’t put this down. The author told the story like you were there with them fighting for their freedom .

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story and how well the emotions and events were portrayed. It really made you feel and think about the difficulties people went through to survive and how they were feeling.

The footnotes I found to be helpful with explanations of specific terms/people that needed the extra information to give the full impact of why they were so important.

There were a few errors with punctuation.

[Carey Mundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a compelling historic fiction novel I had a hard time putting down. On the verge of WWII in Metz, France, Juta falls in love with David. Both Jews, he manages to get approval to emigrate to the promised land. She remains behind and her family gets caught up in the Nazi cruelty. The man who she holds responsible for the death of her family lives after the war. This is her story of the hardships she faced and her long plan to seek revenge.

[Sally Fiala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Sad Tale…

This is a true account of Nazi brutality. Most Holocaust survivors did not have an opportunity for revenge but I have to say that I enjoyed this revenge! It seems that we’re in similar antisemitic circumstances today and it breaks my heart that we’ve not learned from the past.

[Melissa Looney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just OK. It didn’t really evoke much emotion in me as a reader as other books about this time period do. This book was nothing compared to The Nightingale (my favorite!) or The Things We Cannot Say, both of whose authors are rich and accomplished storytellers.
This is probably the last book by this author that I will read.

[Fran W. Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put it down!

Riveting. I felt I was there in the war with each character. I cried. I mourned for that person who fought, died and survived that terrible atrocity in history. Heart-wrenching.

[Adrian Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sister’s Vow

Heart wrenching story of the horrible treatment of the Jews; but a book every person should read to remind us that perseverance and determination can lead us to freedom

[Pauline Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sisters vow

Absolutely brilliant read.
I couldn't put thos book down, every spare moment was filled with reading how Juta survived Auschwitz and the war.
Can't wait for the next book.

[Jean C Coffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sisters Vow

This novel keeps you on your toes wondering what is next. The ending is both sad and leaves one wondering if there is total forgiveness and the cost of decisions

[gwen graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely great

What a remarkable story! The characters were so well written and totally interesting. I absolutely loved this story and highly recommend it.

[J. Douglas · Rating 1 out of 5]

so so book

Looking for some thing more interesting and not about the second world wars
I will continue looking for a better book