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A Child for the Reich
From the USA Today bestselling author comes a gripping new emotional WW2 historical novel. Inspired by a true story!‘ Easily my favorite historical novel of the year If you love WWII fiction, this is a must read’ Soraya M. Lane , Amazon Charts bestselling author of Wives of War and The Last CorrespondentRumours of the Nazis coming for Czech children swept through the villages like a breeze through the trees, and the story was always the same…They wanted our children to raise as their ownSince her husband, Josef, joined the Czech resistance three years ago, Anna Dankova has done everything possible to keep her daughter, Ema, safe. But when blonde haired, blue-eyed Ema is ripped from her mother’s arms in the local marketplace by the dreaded Brown Sisters, nurses who were dedicated to Hitler’s cause, Anna is forced to go to new extremes to take back what the Nazis have stolen from her.Going undercover as a devoted German subject eager to prove her worth to the Reich, the former actress takes on a role of a lifetime to find and save her daughter. But getting close to Ema is one thing. Convincing her that the Germans are lying when they claim Anna stole her from her true parents is another…‘ A powerful story told with humanity, skill and empathy’ Kate Thompson, author of The Little Wartime Library' A moving story of a mother's love battling against the determination of the Reich to create a pure Aryan race' USA Today bestseller Glynis Peters'An intensely moving , brilliantly researched novel about love, loss, and the lengths a mother will go to for her child' USA Today bestseller Deborah Carr' Pulls you in on page one and never lets go! A chilling look at a Nazi program most of us have never even heard of…Historical fans will love this one!' Sara Ackerman, USA Today bestselling author of The Codebreaker's Secret' Oh my heart! This was such a poignant and powerful story …It will stay with me for a long time.' – Gill Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of The Lighthouse Sisters
384 pages, Paperback
First published December 9, 2022
689 people are currently reading
2268 people want to read
About the author
Andie Newton
9 books249 followersAndie Newton is a USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. Her work has been published in multiple languages and has topped e-book bestseller charts around the world. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Washington State University and a master’s in teaching. When she’s not writing gritty war stories about women, you can usually find her trail running in the desert and stopping to pet every dog that crosses her path. She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 260 reviews
April 10, 2023
WWII – Czechoslovakia – Anna Dankova’s husband has joined the resistance leaving Anna behind with their 5-year old daughter Ema. There has been talk of the Brown Sisters – nurses working for the Nazis taking Aryan-looking children to be adopted out to German couples.
Anna has done all she can to keep her child safe until one day the child is snatched right out of her arms. Anna is determined to find her child and rescue her. Pretending to be German she formulates a plan and gets herself employed in one of the homes where these stolen children are being kept and makes her plans to rescue her daughter and escape.
While the story is not especially well written it introduces the reader to this particularly gruesome Nazi plan not much written about.
If you think you have heard all of the most abominable actions carried out by the Nazis maybe you have not heard about this one:
This being one of the more egregious plans of the Nazis during WWII – known as the
Lebensborn Program – The Nazis were stealing Aryan-looking children from their parents in occupied territories and indoctrinating them and in some cases subjecting them to UV lighting in an attempt to lighten those with brown hair. The idea being to produce an ‘elite race of Aryans for the Third Reich’.
The Nazi Nurses involved in this program were known as Brown Sisters who had no problem with this heinous program.
Feel free to look them up on the Internet – it’s all there with pictures.
I felt the subject matter deserved a more intense writing style because I never did get a proper feel for the characters but I certainly learned about the Brown Sisters and the Lebensborn Program – for that I thank this author and can offer 3-stars.
Anna has done all she can to keep her child safe until one day the child is snatched right out of her arms. Anna is determined to find her child and rescue her. Pretending to be German she formulates a plan and gets herself employed in one of the homes where these stolen children are being kept and makes her plans to rescue her daughter and escape.
While the story is not especially well written it introduces the reader to this particularly gruesome Nazi plan not much written about.
If you think you have heard all of the most abominable actions carried out by the Nazis maybe you have not heard about this one:
This being one of the more egregious plans of the Nazis during WWII – known as the
Lebensborn Program – The Nazis were stealing Aryan-looking children from their parents in occupied territories and indoctrinating them and in some cases subjecting them to UV lighting in an attempt to lighten those with brown hair. The idea being to produce an ‘elite race of Aryans for the Third Reich’.
The Nazi Nurses involved in this program were known as Brown Sisters who had no problem with this heinous program.
Feel free to look them up on the Internet – it’s all there with pictures.
I felt the subject matter deserved a more intense writing style because I never did get a proper feel for the characters but I certainly learned about the Brown Sisters and the Lebensborn Program – for that I thank this author and can offer 3-stars.
November 4, 2022
Anna Dankova's husband Joseph joined the Czech resistance three years ago and the former accountant felt it was his duty and he told his wife “war comes to all of us.” The newlyweds fled Prague to hide in the countryside and they purchased a farm near the village of Tabor. Anna lives next door to her sister Dasa and her mother Matka.
Anna has a daughter Ema, and Dasa has three daughters and a newborn baby boy. Rumors are rife in the area, the Third Reich are stealing children with Aryan features from nearby villages, they send out the Brown Sisters to seize them and the children are taken to secret nurseries. Anna sells her produce and herbs at the local market, when Ema is taken by a Brown Sister, and Anna is determined to find her daughter and nothing is going to stop her. Anna contacts in the resistance help her travel to Dresden and she uses her acting skills to gain employment at the nursery where Ema is living
Anna’s shocked by what she witnesses here, the nurses use methods from the book written by Johnna Haarer, to care for the children, raising them to serve the Fuhrer and the adoptive parents are given a copy. The children are told all sorts of lies, Ema thinks Anna stole her from her real parents and she’s confused and traumatized by what’s happened to her.
I received a digital copy of A Child for the Reich by Andie Newton from NetGalley and HarperCollins UK in exchange for an honest review. Children were stolen from Poland and other ethnic countries as part of the Lebensborn program and they estimate over 200,000 children were taken between 1939 to 1945. Any child with blond hair and blue eyes was a target and could possibly be Germanised, Ms. Newton narrative gives you a firsthand account of mother’s anguish when this happens to her daughter, the lengths she will go and the risks she will take to get her back. A heartbreaking and informative story about a terrible time history and four stars from me.
Anna has a daughter Ema, and Dasa has three daughters and a newborn baby boy. Rumors are rife in the area, the Third Reich are stealing children with Aryan features from nearby villages, they send out the Brown Sisters to seize them and the children are taken to secret nurseries. Anna sells her produce and herbs at the local market, when Ema is taken by a Brown Sister, and Anna is determined to find her daughter and nothing is going to stop her. Anna contacts in the resistance help her travel to Dresden and she uses her acting skills to gain employment at the nursery where Ema is living
Anna’s shocked by what she witnesses here, the nurses use methods from the book written by Johnna Haarer, to care for the children, raising them to serve the Fuhrer and the adoptive parents are given a copy. The children are told all sorts of lies, Ema thinks Anna stole her from her real parents and she’s confused and traumatized by what’s happened to her.
I received a digital copy of A Child for the Reich by Andie Newton from NetGalley and HarperCollins UK in exchange for an honest review. Children were stolen from Poland and other ethnic countries as part of the Lebensborn program and they estimate over 200,000 children were taken between 1939 to 1945. Any child with blond hair and blue eyes was a target and could possibly be Germanised, Ms. Newton narrative gives you a firsthand account of mother’s anguish when this happens to her daughter, the lengths she will go and the risks she will take to get her back. A heartbreaking and informative story about a terrible time history and four stars from me.
November 26, 2022
Rumours of the Reich's dreaded Brown Sisters coming for the Czech children swept through the villages like a breeze through the trees, but the story was always the same. The Reich wanted our Aryan looking children to raise as their own. Since her husband, Josef, joined the Czech resistance three years ago, Anna Dankova has done everything possible to keep her daughter, Ema, safe. But when blonde-haired, blue-eyed Ema is ripped from her mother's arms in the local marketplace by the Brown Sisters, Anna is forced to go to new extremes to take back what the Nazis had stolen from her.
This story shows an unfamiliar terror of WWII. I hadn't heard of the Brown Sisters before. They were female nurses who were dedicated to the Nazi cause and kidnapped hundreds of Czech children to raise them as sons and daughters of the Third Reich. It's actually quite horrifying to think of your child being stolen from your arms, for them to be adopted by a German. The pace is on the slow side in the first part of the book. This is a beautifully written story that's tense, emotional, harrowing and engrossing. I do like a story that evolves around true events. I loved Anna, she was a strong character who will do anything to get her daughter Ena back. This is one of those books that will remain in your thoughts long after you've finished reading it. Fans of historical fiction, WWII or books based on true events will like this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #AndieNewton for my ARC of #AChildForTheReich in exchange for an honest review.
This story shows an unfamiliar terror of WWII. I hadn't heard of the Brown Sisters before. They were female nurses who were dedicated to the Nazi cause and kidnapped hundreds of Czech children to raise them as sons and daughters of the Third Reich. It's actually quite horrifying to think of your child being stolen from your arms, for them to be adopted by a German. The pace is on the slow side in the first part of the book. This is a beautifully written story that's tense, emotional, harrowing and engrossing. I do like a story that evolves around true events. I loved Anna, she was a strong character who will do anything to get her daughter Ena back. This is one of those books that will remain in your thoughts long after you've finished reading it. Fans of historical fiction, WWII or books based on true events will like this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #AndieNewton for my ARC of #AChildForTheReich in exchange for an honest review.
November 13, 2022
A child for the Reich by Andie Newton is a fictional story based on true facts. About the WW11 Lebensborn programme. Where Nazi’s snatched over 200,000 blonde, blue eyed children from neighbouring countries, some from orphanages, but some from the arms of their mothers and brought them up as Aryan children and adopted by German families. They also had a breeding programme to make the ‘perfect’ child.
Anna Dankova, her daughter Ema and her sister Dasa and her four children live in occupied Prague. Her husband Josef left and joined the resistance over three years ago. She vows to keep her daughter safe from the brown sisters who work for the Reich. Who searches the towns and cities looking for blond and blue-eyed children.
One market day Anna’s daughter Ema is taken. She is distraught. The one actress goes undercover to find out where her daughter is and snitch her back. She will go any lengths to do this. So, when she finds out that her daughter has been taken to a nearby orphanage. She gets her documents changed and pretend to be a German and applies to be a Nurse at the orphanage, to be close to her daughter. How hard can it be? She has acted many times before.
Thank you Harper Collins One more chapter for ARC of this book. This is a harrowing and emotional account of what went on regarding children under the Reich. I have never heard of the Lebensborn programme, and I can imagine what not only the children where subject to but, the mothers losing their children. This is a great page turner and I highly recommend. 5 stars from me,
Anna Dankova, her daughter Ema and her sister Dasa and her four children live in occupied Prague. Her husband Josef left and joined the resistance over three years ago. She vows to keep her daughter safe from the brown sisters who work for the Reich. Who searches the towns and cities looking for blond and blue-eyed children.
One market day Anna’s daughter Ema is taken. She is distraught. The one actress goes undercover to find out where her daughter is and snitch her back. She will go any lengths to do this. So, when she finds out that her daughter has been taken to a nearby orphanage. She gets her documents changed and pretend to be a German and applies to be a Nurse at the orphanage, to be close to her daughter. How hard can it be? She has acted many times before.
Thank you Harper Collins One more chapter for ARC of this book. This is a harrowing and emotional account of what went on regarding children under the Reich. I have never heard of the Lebensborn programme, and I can imagine what not only the children where subject to but, the mothers losing their children. This is a great page turner and I highly recommend. 5 stars from me,
October 6, 2022
I absolutely loved this book! My favorite historical fiction novel for 2022... great characters, an incredible part of WWII that I knew nothing about, and wonderful writing. Easy 5/5 from me.
October 13, 2022
I was hesitant to read this book about a mother who risks everything going undercover to rescue her daughter who was snatched by the Nazis for the Lebensborn programme. I knew it would be an emotional read and hit a little close to home for me, but Andie Newton is an auto-read author for me and I was confident that she’d do this topic justice.
It took me forever to read. In a good way! It’s a spectacular read and pulled on my heartstrings. At times it was so intense I had to put the book down and do something mindless to keep myself occupied. I’d come back to it and be swept up in the beautiful writing and quick pace … the glimmer of hope getting brighter as I kept reading.
I felt the palpitating tension, desperation, panic and deep sense of loss as Anna leaves no stone unturned in her search for her child.
If you haven’t heard about the notorious Brown Sisters, you must read this book. These female nurses were dedicated to the Nazi cause and searched through villages and towns for Aryan-looking children. Once located, the Sisters would relate the information to the local SS and the children would disappear from their homes at night. The Third Reich’s theft of children is definitely a chapter in the annals of history that I’d never come across. Thanks for bringing it to my attention, Andie Newton.
You’ll love the heroine mothers, Anna, Dasa and Matka and their love for their children that enabled them to move mountains.
I was gifted this copy by Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
It took me forever to read. In a good way! It’s a spectacular read and pulled on my heartstrings. At times it was so intense I had to put the book down and do something mindless to keep myself occupied. I’d come back to it and be swept up in the beautiful writing and quick pace … the glimmer of hope getting brighter as I kept reading.
I felt the palpitating tension, desperation, panic and deep sense of loss as Anna leaves no stone unturned in her search for her child.
If you haven’t heard about the notorious Brown Sisters, you must read this book. These female nurses were dedicated to the Nazi cause and searched through villages and towns for Aryan-looking children. Once located, the Sisters would relate the information to the local SS and the children would disappear from their homes at night. The Third Reich’s theft of children is definitely a chapter in the annals of history that I’d never come across. Thanks for bringing it to my attention, Andie Newton.
You’ll love the heroine mothers, Anna, Dasa and Matka and their love for their children that enabled them to move mountains.
I was gifted this copy by Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
October 6, 2022
How far would you go as a mother to save your child? What risks would you be willing to take to save your child from a country that has stolen your child and is attempting to indoctrinate your child to conform to their sinister beliefs? How would you cope being alone when your entire life has been stolen from you? These are just a few of the many questions that came to mind as I read this beautifully crafted book by Andie Newton.
In this book you will quickly fall in love with the strong, determined, brave and bold main character, Anna. Anna lives with her family in Nazi-Occupied Prague and aside from the Nazi Soldiers and Gestapo that make them fear for their safety every waking moment, Anna and her family are terrified of the "Brown Sisters" - a group of Nazi indoctrinated women whose sole job is to steal children from occupied countries and send them back to Germany to become Germanized and given to German families to raise. When tragedy strikes and Anna finds her daughter Ema stolen, Anna comes to a crossroad: give up or fight.
The story tells the remarkable story of how Anna chose to fight back and the lengths a mother will go and the risks she will take to save her child and make sure her child is safe. I love the how the author tells the story and how each character is introduced so intricately and the development is phenomenal. Kudos to Andie Newton for touching on a subject that is so unknown to so many and bringing awareness to the kidnappings that occurred during WWII across Europe in the name of "Nazism". Job well done! And if I could give this book more than 5 stars I would.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for providing me with an ARC copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review!
In this book you will quickly fall in love with the strong, determined, brave and bold main character, Anna. Anna lives with her family in Nazi-Occupied Prague and aside from the Nazi Soldiers and Gestapo that make them fear for their safety every waking moment, Anna and her family are terrified of the "Brown Sisters" - a group of Nazi indoctrinated women whose sole job is to steal children from occupied countries and send them back to Germany to become Germanized and given to German families to raise. When tragedy strikes and Anna finds her daughter Ema stolen, Anna comes to a crossroad: give up or fight.
The story tells the remarkable story of how Anna chose to fight back and the lengths a mother will go and the risks she will take to save her child and make sure her child is safe. I love the how the author tells the story and how each character is introduced so intricately and the development is phenomenal. Kudos to Andie Newton for touching on a subject that is so unknown to so many and bringing awareness to the kidnappings that occurred during WWII across Europe in the name of "Nazism". Job well done! And if I could give this book more than 5 stars I would.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for providing me with an ARC copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review!
January 28, 2024
3.5 stars
What I most appreciated about this book was it was a side of history I hadn’t come across before. The Nazi party taking children from invaded countries and raising them as German children. A heartbreaking and terrifying theme that made for an emotional read.
I did struggle with the pace at the start, but once the setting moved to Germany, I was hooked and loved the tension. Anna is testimony to the power of a mother’s love and what they will do to keep their child safe.
Recommended if you like historical fiction with tense and harrowing moments.
What I most appreciated about this book was it was a side of history I hadn’t come across before. The Nazi party taking children from invaded countries and raising them as German children. A heartbreaking and terrifying theme that made for an emotional read.
I did struggle with the pace at the start, but once the setting moved to Germany, I was hooked and loved the tension. Anna is testimony to the power of a mother’s love and what they will do to keep their child safe.
Recommended if you like historical fiction with tense and harrowing moments.
January 20, 2023
I had absolutely no idea that children were stolen by the Reich during WWII. The basis for the story is true history. The Brown sisters and the Lebensborn. Even that horrible parenting book THE GERMAN MOTHER AND HER FIRST CHILD by Johanna Haarer is a real book that was used.
The book itself is beautifully written. I couldn’t put it down. I’m certain I’ll read her other books this year. The book and the characters will stick with me and haunt me forever.
The book itself is beautifully written. I couldn’t put it down. I’m certain I’ll read her other books this year. The book and the characters will stick with me and haunt me forever.
September 16, 2022
I have read and loved Andie Newton's previous books and this one does not disappoint. Newton crafts a tense and emotional drama, interweaving rich and complex characterisation with (her trademarked) attention to detail, both of which (re)establish her as a formidable voice amongst historical fiction authors, particularly those whose stories are set against the backdrop of World War II.
I devoured it - a total page-turner and a must read.
I devoured it - a total page-turner and a must read.
November 17, 2022
I do enjoy reading books based around WWII, I often find there are things that I was not aware of. A Child for the Reich is one such book. There was a branch of the Reich that was responsible for collecting babies and children with the much sort after blue eyes and blond hair. This was seen as the perfect Arian child. If you were not German and you had the perfect baby or child then they would be taken, re-educated and then given to "Good German Families" to raise. In Poland, 200,000 children were removed by the NSV, these are the female version of the dreaded SS, these women were known as the "Brown Sisters".
I had no idea about this practice so when I saw the synopsis for this book I knew I had to read it. After reading it I then had an internet search and discovered a few more horrifying facts about these kidnappings and what happened to those children afterwards.
The story is mainly about a Czech mother, Anna, she has no idea that her child is on a list to be taken until it happens. What follows is how Anna managed to discover where her daughter was taken and see how children were 'Germanised'. This story is one of a mother's heartbreak and determination while trying to avoid being discovered herself.
The story shows how the people of Czechoslovakia are being affected by the Germans taking over it country, their houses, businesses and it seems their families. The threat of being seen and reported is real and there is tension on the page as the author took Anna on her journey.
The regime in place for the children is awful and heartbreaking to read about as is the obvious struggle and pain of having your child stolen. This is not an easy read given the subject but my goodness it is one that I just could not leave alone. It wasn't until I started to write this review that I realised it was 400 pages, I flew through this book in one sitting.
The author brings a horrifying and awful practice of taking children to be representative of Hitler's vision of his Aryan race. Saying that I enjoyed reading this book feels wrong, but I did.
If you like your historical fiction set in Europe during WWII then this is one that should be on your reading list. It is a poignant and eye-opening read and it is one I would definitely recommend.
I had no idea about this practice so when I saw the synopsis for this book I knew I had to read it. After reading it I then had an internet search and discovered a few more horrifying facts about these kidnappings and what happened to those children afterwards.
The story is mainly about a Czech mother, Anna, she has no idea that her child is on a list to be taken until it happens. What follows is how Anna managed to discover where her daughter was taken and see how children were 'Germanised'. This story is one of a mother's heartbreak and determination while trying to avoid being discovered herself.
The story shows how the people of Czechoslovakia are being affected by the Germans taking over it country, their houses, businesses and it seems their families. The threat of being seen and reported is real and there is tension on the page as the author took Anna on her journey.
The regime in place for the children is awful and heartbreaking to read about as is the obvious struggle and pain of having your child stolen. This is not an easy read given the subject but my goodness it is one that I just could not leave alone. It wasn't until I started to write this review that I realised it was 400 pages, I flew through this book in one sitting.
The author brings a horrifying and awful practice of taking children to be representative of Hitler's vision of his Aryan race. Saying that I enjoyed reading this book feels wrong, but I did.
If you like your historical fiction set in Europe during WWII then this is one that should be on your reading list. It is a poignant and eye-opening read and it is one I would definitely recommend.
December 13, 2022
Save My Daughter
Captivating story of a courageous woman fighting to regain her daughter. This was a story that I couldn’t put down. A part of the history of WWII that I had never heard of before. Every time I read about a cruel act by the Nazis it is even more cruel than the last one I read about.
The acts perpetrated against the Czech people by the Nazis was cruel on so many levels. First they took their homes, split up families and stole their food and belongings. They then started stealing their children to be raised by German families and indoctrinated in the Nazi beliefs.
Anna had her child stolen from her arms at the market by a lady brown shirt. She was determined to find and get her daughter back. With the help of a reluctant friend and some resistance workers she made a plan. The plan was dangerous and life threatening.
Her plan had a slim chance of working, but she had to give it a try. You will be cheering Anna on throughout the book.
It was a good story about events that actually happened although not to the imaginary characters in the story. The characters were very realistic and fit their parts well. I enjoyed reading it and I would recommend it,
Thanks to Andi Newton for writing a great story, to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.
Captivating story of a courageous woman fighting to regain her daughter. This was a story that I couldn’t put down. A part of the history of WWII that I had never heard of before. Every time I read about a cruel act by the Nazis it is even more cruel than the last one I read about.
The acts perpetrated against the Czech people by the Nazis was cruel on so many levels. First they took their homes, split up families and stole their food and belongings. They then started stealing their children to be raised by German families and indoctrinated in the Nazi beliefs.
Anna had her child stolen from her arms at the market by a lady brown shirt. She was determined to find and get her daughter back. With the help of a reluctant friend and some resistance workers she made a plan. The plan was dangerous and life threatening.
Her plan had a slim chance of working, but she had to give it a try. You will be cheering Anna on throughout the book.
It was a good story about events that actually happened although not to the imaginary characters in the story. The characters were very realistic and fit their parts well. I enjoyed reading it and I would recommend it,
Thanks to Andi Newton for writing a great story, to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.
December 10, 2022
In her signature style of tight prose and impeccable research, Andie brings us another WWII story full of heartbreak and triumph. This tugged at my heart strings and left me thinking about it long after I finished.
November 28, 2022
A Child For The Reich by Andie Newton is a heartbreaking historical tale that consumed me from the start.
The story is fiction but based on fact. The Nazis stole upwards of 200,000 children from Nazi occupied territories and assimilated them into Germany as they had them adopted into Nazi families. It is truly heartbreaking.
This is a story of courage, determination and desperation. It is a mother’s search for her daughter. We witness a love that never gives up. It is a love that will do whatever is necessary with no thought to personal safety.
Andie Newton has perfectly captured the fear and desperation of the Czech mothers and grandmothers as the brown sisters descend on a town.
It was a time of pure evil – but not all Germans were Nazis. There were pockets of goodness, kindness and courage.
There is the theme of trust. Sometimes you have to take a risk and reach out to trust someone and hope you have chosen wisely.
In times of war, we all have choices to make. “We’re measured by our choices. It’s what makes us who we are.” We always have the opportunity to choose to do the right thing.
All the characters are well drawn and realistic.
In times of war, the moral codes and lines are blurred. People act in ways they never would in peacetime.
I was thoroughly engrossed in A Child For The Reich. It was a powerful tale about a time of pure evil. It is a story that needs telling.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
The story is fiction but based on fact. The Nazis stole upwards of 200,000 children from Nazi occupied territories and assimilated them into Germany as they had them adopted into Nazi families. It is truly heartbreaking.
This is a story of courage, determination and desperation. It is a mother’s search for her daughter. We witness a love that never gives up. It is a love that will do whatever is necessary with no thought to personal safety.
Andie Newton has perfectly captured the fear and desperation of the Czech mothers and grandmothers as the brown sisters descend on a town.
It was a time of pure evil – but not all Germans were Nazis. There were pockets of goodness, kindness and courage.
There is the theme of trust. Sometimes you have to take a risk and reach out to trust someone and hope you have chosen wisely.
In times of war, we all have choices to make. “We’re measured by our choices. It’s what makes us who we are.” We always have the opportunity to choose to do the right thing.
All the characters are well drawn and realistic.
In times of war, the moral codes and lines are blurred. People act in ways they never would in peacetime.
I was thoroughly engrossed in A Child For The Reich. It was a powerful tale about a time of pure evil. It is a story that needs telling.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
February 22, 2023
A mother's love knows no bounds.
Anna retreated to the country to live as quietly as possible during the war. With her mother, sister, and children, as their spouses are in the resistance movement, they cultivate the land together. Although Anna was a famous actress in Prague before the war and her sister lived a luxurious life, somehow they endure the hard times.
Until the notorious Brown sisters appear in their village and start to kidnap "Aryan" children. Ema, Anna's daughter, is also kidnapped, and Anna makes the decision to do everything it takes to locate her. Thus she ends up in the middle of Germany, pretending to be a nurse and preparing to flee with Emma.
This is a story full of warmth, understanding, and compassion for both kidnapped children and their parents.
The book portrays the atrocities of war and the Nazis, who had little respect for humanity in their quest to create a brand-new world order.
The characters are strong-willed, courageous, and incredibly sympathetic. As even the wrong word can result in death, the book is packed with action and suspenseful situations.
An excellent book that I highly recommend.
Anna retreated to the country to live as quietly as possible during the war. With her mother, sister, and children, as their spouses are in the resistance movement, they cultivate the land together. Although Anna was a famous actress in Prague before the war and her sister lived a luxurious life, somehow they endure the hard times.
Until the notorious Brown sisters appear in their village and start to kidnap "Aryan" children. Ema, Anna's daughter, is also kidnapped, and Anna makes the decision to do everything it takes to locate her. Thus she ends up in the middle of Germany, pretending to be a nurse and preparing to flee with Emma.
This is a story full of warmth, understanding, and compassion for both kidnapped children and their parents.
The book portrays the atrocities of war and the Nazis, who had little respect for humanity in their quest to create a brand-new world order.
The characters are strong-willed, courageous, and incredibly sympathetic. As even the wrong word can result in death, the book is packed with action and suspenseful situations.
An excellent book that I highly recommend.
March 31, 2025
This book tugged at my heart strings. It was a good read, especially the last 100 pages, it really had me on edge.
The hardest part about this book was reading the horrors of children kidnapped from their mothers by the Nazis and adopted by German families and the negligence and treatment babies and kids received because the they were training them to be unspoiled, good, strong Germans. Just reading about the babies crying and no one attending to them haunts me.
The hardest part about this book was reading the horrors of children kidnapped from their mothers by the Nazis and adopted by German families and the negligence and treatment babies and kids received because the they were training them to be unspoiled, good, strong Germans. Just reading about the babies crying and no one attending to them haunts me.
December 9, 2022
Oh my heart! This was such a poignant and powerful story, so well told by Andie Newton. I was completely invested in Anna and her daughter Ema, and a mother’s desperation to protect her child at all costs. You’ll definitely need tissues for this one. It will stay with me for a long time.
December 20, 2022
The book begins with the prologue set in Nazi Germany, October 1944, where we meet Greta Strohm. We then go back to June 1944 to the German Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, where we begin the main story.
The book is written in the first person from the viewpoint of former actress Anna Dankova, who has a daughter called Ema, who is five years old. Her husband Josef and her sister Dasa’s husband both joined the Czech resistance and are missing. Dasa has three daughters and a baby son. All the children are blonde with blue eyes.
There are rumours that the infamous Brown Sisters steal babies and young children for the Nazis to adopt, specifically blonde, blue eyed children that fit the Aryan ideal and one day, they turn up in the neighbourhood…
It’s not too much of a spoiler to tell you Ema gets taken (as it’s in the blurb), but what follows is Anna’s quest to find her daughter again… and she’s going to need all of her acting talent to attempt it.
You’re thrown right into the story straight away. Anna, Dasa and their mother (who they call Matka) are three strong Czech women, fighting to protect their family and to stay alive under German Occupation. Matka comes out with some hilarious comments, she is very quick-witted. What was a friendly neighbourhood now consists of Germans and Czechs, living together but being treated very differently. The family don’t know who they can trust anymore.
You get to see some of Anna’s previous life through flashbacks, before her life changed due to the Nazi invasion. The contrast between these two parts of her life are easy to see and you feel very sorry for her, losing her happy life through no fault of her own.
Terrifyingly, this book is based on a true story. It certainly feels very authentic and well-researched. It makes you wonder what you would do, if you were ever in such a horrifying situation like that and your children were threatened. I found it very interesting to see how Czechs coped with the German Occupation, as it’s not something I’ve read about before and I hadn’t heard about the babies being snatched either.
The novel is very well-paced, it builds up gradually, but carries you on to the next page, the next chapter, as you want to know what happens. You root for Anna 100% and feel as if you’re walking alongside her, hoping she will get her daughter back.
I hadn’t heard of this author before, but I would definitely read more of her work.
9.5 out of 10
The book is written in the first person from the viewpoint of former actress Anna Dankova, who has a daughter called Ema, who is five years old. Her husband Josef and her sister Dasa’s husband both joined the Czech resistance and are missing. Dasa has three daughters and a baby son. All the children are blonde with blue eyes.
There are rumours that the infamous Brown Sisters steal babies and young children for the Nazis to adopt, specifically blonde, blue eyed children that fit the Aryan ideal and one day, they turn up in the neighbourhood…
It’s not too much of a spoiler to tell you Ema gets taken (as it’s in the blurb), but what follows is Anna’s quest to find her daughter again… and she’s going to need all of her acting talent to attempt it.
You’re thrown right into the story straight away. Anna, Dasa and their mother (who they call Matka) are three strong Czech women, fighting to protect their family and to stay alive under German Occupation. Matka comes out with some hilarious comments, she is very quick-witted. What was a friendly neighbourhood now consists of Germans and Czechs, living together but being treated very differently. The family don’t know who they can trust anymore.
You get to see some of Anna’s previous life through flashbacks, before her life changed due to the Nazi invasion. The contrast between these two parts of her life are easy to see and you feel very sorry for her, losing her happy life through no fault of her own.
Terrifyingly, this book is based on a true story. It certainly feels very authentic and well-researched. It makes you wonder what you would do, if you were ever in such a horrifying situation like that and your children were threatened. I found it very interesting to see how Czechs coped with the German Occupation, as it’s not something I’ve read about before and I hadn’t heard about the babies being snatched either.
The novel is very well-paced, it builds up gradually, but carries you on to the next page, the next chapter, as you want to know what happens. You root for Anna 100% and feel as if you’re walking alongside her, hoping she will get her daughter back.
I hadn’t heard of this author before, but I would definitely read more of her work.
9.5 out of 10
November 24, 2022
A Child for the Reich ("for" stands out to me) is a beautiful, harrowing, engrossing, haunting and emotive Historical Fiction story based on a true WWII story in then Czechoslovakia. Two sisters Anna and Das lived with their mother with their young children. Their husbands felt compelled to fight with the Resistance, leaving their wives and children behind to fend for themselves. The women all had to earn a living. Who could they confide in and trust during a time when neighbours turned in neighbours? Every knock on the door induced panic.
Daily life became more and more dangerous as Germans occupied and took over nearly everything as they believed they were the superior race. Everyone else was subject to strict rules regarding running markets, food, belongings and land. Blond-haired blue-eyed children were literally snatched away from their heartsick mothers and whisked to special orphanages to be conditioned as Germans and then placed into German homes. The dreaded Brown Sisters were nurses who believed in Germanizing children which meant children had to adhere to strict rules, too, as did their caregivers. When the inconceivable happened to Anna, she quickly decides she must act. And act she did. Her acting abilities were life saving. So was her compassion she only showed when backs were turned. Many women were happy to act in the best interests of the Reich and adored the Führer so much they did anything for him and the cause.
The descriptions are absolutely breathtaking and evoked anger, fear and sadness in my heart. What the women endured is unbearable. And what makes it even worse is knowing the Lebensborn program was very real. Author Andie Newton is wonderfully skilled at including details many wouldn't think of such as the coal story, plants in gardens and food eaten in the orphanages. I became invested from the first sentence and was practically had to remind myself to breathe. It is truly an exceptional book.
If you are a passionate Historical Fiction reader, this is unmissable. If you are new to Historical Fiction, there is no better book to start with. Be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster!
My sincere thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the privilege of enjoying this heart-stopping book. It would be incredible to read a sequel...one can always hope!
Daily life became more and more dangerous as Germans occupied and took over nearly everything as they believed they were the superior race. Everyone else was subject to strict rules regarding running markets, food, belongings and land. Blond-haired blue-eyed children were literally snatched away from their heartsick mothers and whisked to special orphanages to be conditioned as Germans and then placed into German homes. The dreaded Brown Sisters were nurses who believed in Germanizing children which meant children had to adhere to strict rules, too, as did their caregivers. When the inconceivable happened to Anna, she quickly decides she must act. And act she did. Her acting abilities were life saving. So was her compassion she only showed when backs were turned. Many women were happy to act in the best interests of the Reich and adored the Führer so much they did anything for him and the cause.
The descriptions are absolutely breathtaking and evoked anger, fear and sadness in my heart. What the women endured is unbearable. And what makes it even worse is knowing the Lebensborn program was very real. Author Andie Newton is wonderfully skilled at including details many wouldn't think of such as the coal story, plants in gardens and food eaten in the orphanages. I became invested from the first sentence and was practically had to remind myself to breathe. It is truly an exceptional book.
If you are a passionate Historical Fiction reader, this is unmissable. If you are new to Historical Fiction, there is no better book to start with. Be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster!
My sincere thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the privilege of enjoying this heart-stopping book. It would be incredible to read a sequel...one can always hope!
December 9, 2022
There are no bounds to a mothers love. Anna and her sister and mother are afraid of the Germans. The Germans will take their children. This is Anna’s story of her love for her daughter and how far she is willing to go to protect her and other children. This is a story of two half’s. The first half is Anna and her family and what they do to protect themselves. The second half of about Anna and her determination to get her daughter back. I loved this story. It kept surprising me. Anna is a very strong character who wants to help everyone. She is very smart. I really enjoyed this book and read it in one day because I could not put it down!
December 9, 2022
I'm never disappointed when I read a book by Andie Newton. Engaging, page-turning, addicting books that I read in one sitting, and this one is no different. How far would you go as a mother to save your child? If you're like me, probably to the ends of the earth. Which is exactly what this mother does. Heart-breaking, immersive, and full of action, you won't regret this book. (Or any of Andie's other books either)
February 22, 2023
Heartbreaking
Tender story, portraying a mother’s love in a vibrant, but desperate way. Clearly, tells a story of a little known part of the war.
Tender story, portraying a mother’s love in a vibrant, but desperate way. Clearly, tells a story of a little known part of the war.
June 12, 2023
Child for the Reich is a book about Germany’s Lebensborn program, a program that was initially developed to promote the growth of Germany’s “Aryan” population through selective breeding, but which morphed into a program of kidnapping blond-haired, blue-eyed children. When Ema is stolen from her family, her mother risks everything to get her back. While at times a bit simplistic, this was a good, quick read. I’ll check out other books by this author.
September 24, 2022
Although this is a work of fiction, the research and storyline validate the horrendous historical facts of the Second World War when thousands of Aran-looking young children and babies were stolen by the Reich to be raised as German children. This became known as the Lebensborn program. After Anna’s daughter is stolen, she leaves Czechoslovakia and arrives in Dresden and secures a job working in one of the many nurseries, where the children are subjected to a strict regime, devoid of any love or compassion before being adopting by German families. Whilst at the nursery Anna witnesses the arrival of her sister’s baby son, who has also been kidnapped. Through cunning and nerve, Both children are eventually reunited with Anna, her sister and mother after the war. A very touching, at times upsetting, story based on real events providing an insight into history.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers HarperCollins One More Chapter for this advance copy.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers HarperCollins One More Chapter for this advance copy.
December 9, 2022
A Child for the Reich kept me turning the pages with a compelling, passionate story. I’ve read all of Andie’s books so far, and once again, did not disappoint!
Anna has done everything she can to keep her daughter and her sister’s children out of the hands of the Brown Sisters, who take Czech children who “look German” from their families and place them with German parents. Sadly, her daughter is taken while they are at the market. Anna goes on a journey to rescue her daughter.
Anna shows throughout the book the true love she has for her daughter and her sister’s children. She will clearly go to the end of the earth and back for them. And while there are some heart-shattering moments, there is a strong feeling of hope and determination throughout.
I recommend this book for historical fiction lovers who enjoy WWII-era perspectives and books that are high-stakes yet hopeful.
Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. The review expresses my own personal opinion.
Anna has done everything she can to keep her daughter and her sister’s children out of the hands of the Brown Sisters, who take Czech children who “look German” from their families and place them with German parents. Sadly, her daughter is taken while they are at the market. Anna goes on a journey to rescue her daughter.
Anna shows throughout the book the true love she has for her daughter and her sister’s children. She will clearly go to the end of the earth and back for them. And while there are some heart-shattering moments, there is a strong feeling of hope and determination throughout.
I recommend this book for historical fiction lovers who enjoy WWII-era perspectives and books that are high-stakes yet hopeful.
Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. The review expresses my own personal opinion.
January 5, 2025
What a mother will do for her child
January 9, 2025
This was a touching story focused on a small family in ww2. I really liked reading about a different perspective of the war and events that aren't as widely known. While the book has a dark topic, the book isn't dark. Appreciate for ya to adult.
September 24, 2022
I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
This book is a fictional account of yet another atrocity that the Nazis committed during WWII. They took blonde-haired children from orphanages and from their families in the countries they occupied and sent them back to Germany to be adopted into German families. The anguish of having a child ripped from a mother's arms is too horrible to contemplate. This book takes us into one woman's life as she strikes out to find her child and bring her home again. As a mother, this book is horrifying, but also such a compelling read.
This book is a fictional account of yet another atrocity that the Nazis committed during WWII. They took blonde-haired children from orphanages and from their families in the countries they occupied and sent them back to Germany to be adopted into German families. The anguish of having a child ripped from a mother's arms is too horrible to contemplate. This book takes us into one woman's life as she strikes out to find her child and bring her home again. As a mother, this book is horrifying, but also such a compelling read.
November 20, 2022
My Thoughts:
This is a really emotion story and it’s based on true historical facts which made it harder for me to read. This book covers the WWII program where over 200 thousand children where taken and given to German families to raise them. But when Anna learns her daughter Ema was taken she will risk everything to get her back.
This is a really emotion story and it’s based on true historical facts which made it harder for me to read. This book covers the WWII program where over 200 thousand children where taken and given to German families to raise them. But when Anna learns her daughter Ema was taken she will risk everything to get her back.
March 20, 2024
Good read..had me in tears a few times.
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