From the award-winning author of Catching the Wind, which Publishers Weekly called “unforgettable” and a “must-read,” comes another gripping time-slip novel about hidden treasure, a castle, and ordinary people who resisted evil in their own extraordinary way.The year is 1938, and as Hitler’s troops sweep into Vienna, Austrian Max Dornbach promises to help his Jewish friends hide their most … friends hide their most valuable possessions from the Nazis, smuggling them to his family’s summer estate near the picturesque village of Hallstatt. He enlists the help of Annika Knopf, his childhood friend and the caretaker’s daughter, who is eager to help the man she’s loved her entire life. But when Max also brings Luzia Weiss, a young Jewish woman, to hide at the castle, it complicates Annika’s feelings and puts their entire plan–even their very lives–in jeopardy. Especially when the Nazis come to scour the estate and find both Luzia and the treasure gone.Eighty years later, Callie Randall is mostly content with her quiet life, running a bookstore with her sister and reaching out into the world through her blog. Then she finds a cryptic list in an old edition of Bambi that connects her to Annika’s story . . . and maybe to the long-buried story of a dear friend. As she digs into the past, Callie must risk venturing outside the safe world she’s built for a chance at answers, adventure, and maybe even new love.
more
A stunning and moving story about war, love, and choices. Tears rolled down my face throughout this beautifully written book about past and present lives of families who through faith and love find the answers they seek. The story told in alternating chapters of 1938 and the present draw you into both time periods and the struggles the characters face. 1938 Vienna, Austria is a time of struggle and changes as Hitler annexes Vienna into Nazi Germany. Slowly Jewish families are trying to escape and hide from the horrors they are forced to endure all over Vienna. Annika Knopf is in love with Max the owner’s son of the estate she cleans in Hallstatt, Vienna. Max is in love with a Jewish girl Luzia Weiss, whose beautiful music and smile captures his heart. Their stories during 1938 come to light in the present when children’s bookstore owner Callie Randall receives the book Bambi for her birthday from her sister. Bambi once belonged to Annika and maybe holds the clue to the past her former guardian Charlotte has searched for in past years. The past and the present come together as Callie takes a leap in faith and her future.
A captivating story of history, romance, and suspense, this book just drew me in!
A long time fan of stories set in the time of WWII and the horrible time in America’s history, of Hitler and the horrible treatment of the Jews, I new I wanted to read this book. While I am not always a fan of time slip novels because they can be so hard to keep up with, this author did an exceptional job of telling a wonderfully engaging story through characters and times set 80 apart.
If you are a fan of historical fiction, this book is a must read!
As a first book to read of Melanie Dobson, it will definitely not be my last!
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, but was not required to give a positive review. This is my honest opinion of this book.
I couldn’t get through the book without crying several times. The author has written an historical story that sweeps across time from 1938 to present. It was easy to follow when going from time period to time period. Each character had a special place in my heart with their fierce determination to survive. I have read several books about how Hitler treated the Jewish citizens and each time my heart weeps for them. This book was especially emotional because the characters seemed so alive and jumped off the pages.
Annika was a special person who wanted to help her friend Max hide treasures so that Hitler’s men couldn’t find them. It was such a risk for her and I feared that she would be found out. Would you risk your life to help a friend? The author describes the terror that the Jews faced with deep emotional words. I can’t imagine having to hide from people who hated you. The story is very intriguing and I couldn’t put the book down.
When the book goes to present day, I saw the brilliance of how gifted the writer is. It is a seamless jump from past to present . Callie is a wonderful character and I liked her instantly. How fun it was to read how much Callie enjoys being at the bookstore everyday. She does story time with children which they all look forward to. When she discovers a very old children’s book, she finds something very special hidden in the pages. This will take her on a journey that will span years and impact many lives.
I really enjoyed finding out more about “ownerless treasures” and how desperate people wanted to preserve them. Are there still treasures hidden today that are waiting to be found? Callie goes to great lengths to discover who Annika was and what the hidden message in the book meant. It’s a wonderful story filled with faith, danger, sadness and for me an unexpected ending to the story.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Hidden Among the Stars is a compelling, riveting, and haunting story featuring one of the darkest periods of time the human race has ever been exposed to—that of WWII with the rise of Hitler and the persecution and extermination of the Jewish people in Europe. That Melanie Dobson has done much research is evident, as this book is rich in historical detail. The setting in Vienna and Hallstatt, Austria was particularly interesting to me, because I’ve visited Austria and fell in love with the quaint, beautiful town of Hallstatt. Dobson is skilled at creating realistic, interesting characters. Annika, Max, and Luzia were richly drawn and their intertwining story was deeply absorbing.
Across the ocean in small-town Ohio eighty years later, a bookstore owner named Callie is linked by an old book to the story that unfolded decades before in Austria. This time-slip story connects the two scenarios with a mystery involving the old book. As Callie and a professor named Josh attempt to solve the mystery of that book, their story evolves and connects with the one in Austria.
Although I enjoyed both of the story lines, I felt that the one in Austria was more compelling and gripping, probably mainly because I love historical fiction. I think dual time lines are hard to correlate, but I think Dobson did a fine job of it. The only thing that was a little distracting to me was going from the historical told in the past tense to the contemporary told in present tense. It pulled me out of the story a bit.
This is the first book I’ve read by Melanie Dobson, but I definitely want to read more. She is a talented and creative author. 4.5 stars rounded to 5.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary book from the author/publisher/NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Hidden among the Stars
The book is set in present time in America and also in 1938,1939 in Austria. I love books like this one. Callie receives an book from her sister for her birthday and there is lot of history to it. As Callie tries to figure out the history of it, the story takes us back to the time to the original owner of the book.
In 1938 was when Hitler was in power and trying to get rid of the Jews. Definitely a very hard time. I loved the character of Annika, she was the caretaker’s daughter. She is very brave, so inspiring. The book was interesting from start to finish. Then there was Luzia who her parents is very protective of. I loved that she played violin.
I received an complementary copy of the book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an positive review.
Truth. I love dual time line stories, when they are done right. Truth. World War 2 era fiction is a favorite historical time period of mine (after Civil War – hello Gone with the Wind!). Truth. Nothing can be wrong when a character in a book happens to own a book store, I mean all the books IN the book. I’m new to Melanie Dobson but this won’t be my only book by her. You can tell she did her research both historically on currently. Set at the cusp of WWII when Austria voluntarily let Germany into their borders and the Jewish population that had only recently been granted the opportunity for citizenship (again) scrambled to find their footing. You can tell she loved her people even when she had to weave in their hardships the love was evident. Loved people become loved characters in a reader’s hands. Just sayin’.
Let’s talk for a minute about the things that didn’t work for me however. Girl meets boy over an antique book with some unusual writing in it. Boy is a university professor studying the history of the time of the book. Girl is part owner of a book store whose hobby includes digging up information on writers of previous generations. Boy and girl meet a handful of times and he invites her to join him on the trip to Austria to dive for the Jewish treasures that history tells us the Nazis threw into the lakes when they were being closed in on. Boy trusts girl he barely knows to fly to a foreign country with his daughter. Really?!? Boy and girl share conversations about faith and God in settings and situations that just didn’t feel authentic. Awkward. Boy and girl fall in love in Austria. Now that I’ve given you the long story, the modern parts of the story is where I struggled. I can’t begin to imagine in the short time they knew each other with such brief meetings before he left that he was totally on board with letting his child fly to Europe with, for all reality, a stranger. The faith elements in the modern story felt forced and awkward as well, they lacked a naturalness.
For all the hiccups in the modern story the history engaged me. The authenticity of the relationships and the palpable fear and concern of the individuals at play. The true depth of all the emotions that brought these characters to life. Some of the twists I figured out before the revel, though a few kept me *thinking* but not certain until time to know. Overall, the truly is a well written book of two generations of individuals exploring life, finding themselves and to some degree finding out who they were. Healing the hurts of the past and reconnecting the faith of the future. This is a must read for anyone who has an interest in WWII history. It’s definitely one I know I’ll read again as I know there are more nuances I missed (sick reading ya know). But it’s also unique from the perspective of Austria which isn’t as common for history of this era.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.
The author has woven a story that begins in 1938 and flashes to the present eighty years later, and when we begin we know that the characters are somehow connected, but how, yes, we think one way and then another.
Through the written words we experience the beautiful area of Austria, and unfortunately, also the evil that is lurking to destroy a group of people because of their beliefs.
I found the bookstore charming, and could just see the rapture in the eyes of those children as they enjoyed the stories read to them.
We see how the children’s story Bambi, written by a Jewish author, helps bring this book together, and in the end, works to bring families together.
Lest we forget, a book that is a reminder of a dark time, and also of a rebirth.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Tyndale, and was not required to give a positive review.
Y’all, Melanie Dobson gives readers a gift with her latest release in the beautifully written dual time story. Hidden Among the Stars tells the tale of a bookstore owner and blogger who needs to write her own adventure. A woman who starts that adventure with a book with an unusual feature in it. A feature that will connect her to four people living in Nazi-occupied Austria.
Callie’s interest is piqued when she finds a book. One that a professor at a nearby college is interested in because of the owner’s name. Her search leads her to learn of heartbreak, love, and sacrifice.
There is a doozy of a twist near the end I did not see coming. One that poked at the soft places of my heart because it exemplifies what love will do.
Dobson does an excellent job of using quotes from some favorite children’s books to emphasize her own story. One that reminds us of what a gift our lives are and the importance of living them well.
If you want a story that will stick with you a while after you close the back cover, one that makes question what you would give up for those you love, then add Hidden Among the Stars to your list today.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Treasure hunt
During my childhood, an elderly friend of the family used to do a treasure hunt once a year in her back garden. I would walk around the many paths that led through the flower borders surrounded by trees and shrubbery. The treasure lay hidden high or low, on top, behind or below items. Squeals of delight rose from excited children as they found an object. I loved those afternoons especially as we received prizes and afternoon tea with delicious cakes afterwards.
I have retained my love of hunting for things and enjoy researching family history. Those tiny hints that ended up leading me along the right path to a new distant relative. Often there were sad tales that accompanied these findings. For this reason, Hidden Among the Stars by Melanie Dobson appealed to me, as it hinted at a treasure hunt, hidden secrets and broken lives. Just my cup of tea!
My Penny’s Worth
Hidden Among the Stars by Melanie Dobson is a dual time story about the present that reaches back to 1938 Austria.
What did I like
I liked the 1938 story which focussed on the hidden treasure of the Jewish people. Also, how the relationships between the main characters developed under Nazi rule. I could smell the fear from the pages. There are lots of little gems in the writing that take you straight into their world. You can hear the music of the orchestra and see the fearful faces as two cultures try to dance together. However, for one man, there is only his love’s desire in the room.
‘She slowly picked up the hem of her dress, and he took her hand. “Let’s show them how to waltz.”It seemed to him as if the gates to heaven opened up, joy raining down as the angels themselves sang in his mind.’
Bravery and love are at the core of this story, and it speeds ahead through the chapters.
Whoa, slam on the brakes!
The present-day story is sweet and slows the pace of the book right down. At the end of reading the 1938 chapters, I had to slam the brakes on. This I found a tad frustrating as I wanted to continue with the story. However, I knew if I just skipped the present-day contributions I would miss out on the connections between the two. In my opinion, the transition to the first person also made that shift a little harder.
Present day
Callie is an interesting character who thinks deeply. She cares but puts herself last on the ladder, captive to her past. I love this portion of her thoughts.
“Capture every thought, that’s what it says in the second book of Corinthians. Lock the fugitive ones away in captivity. A new picture begins sketching itself in my head. Thoughts – hundreds of them – going rogue. Bent on destruction. I want to imprison them, but I can’t seem to cram them back into their cell.”
So you have conflict in the present day storyline as well as the1938 one.
This is a treasure hunt of hidden secrets and broken lives. Can the treasure found in a book that is linked with the past finally bring peace to troubled minds and hearts? That is a question dear reader you will have to answer for yourself by reading Hidden Among the Stars.
Thank you, Melanie Dobson, for writing this book.
*I received this book for free. No compensation was received, and all opinions are my own.*
Any time I feel like our world has gone totally crazy, I only have to read a novel about the people who lived through the absolute terror of Hitler’s assault on Europe. Melanie Dobson has a rare talent for taking me right into their reality for awhile and leaves me more appreciative for the blessings I have in my own life.
Hidden Among the Stars is a time-slip novel that moves back and forth between war-torn Austria in 1938 and present day in the United States. When an antique book with mysterious lists inscribed within its pages is given to her, bookstore owner Callie Randall determines to do her best to solve the mystery. The narrative alternates between Callie’s story and that of Max Dornbach, Annika Knopf, and Luzia Weiss, central characters to the story connected to the book.
Not only is this book very well written but its characters and setting are so vividly described that I could almost see them. Much of the book is intense with several separate threads that are all tied together perfectly at the end. Hidden Among the Stars was such a powerful story that I feel mostly inadequate to even review it. It is nearly impossible for me to imagine the sheer strength of character it took Max, Annika, and Luzia to remain so strong and determined in the face of the Nazi takeover. The story is truly a perfect example of what it means to lay one’s life down for another.
If you enjoy your history with plenty of action, drama, mystery, and a touch of romance, Hidden Among the Stars might just be perfect for you.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
Hidden Among the Stars is yet another fabulous book by Melanie Dobson. It gives me another reason why she is among my favorite list of must read authors. She has the talent of keeping a reader engaged, want to keep turning the pages and have a hard time putting a book down. I love time slip novels and she has definitely mastered on how to write them. Like always, there is an element of mystery and suspense where the reader does not find out how it is solved until the last few pages. I could not have predicted how it all worked out in the end.
Hidden Among the Stars gets a well deserved 5 plus stars from me. I would give it 100 stars if I could. It is one of the favorite books I have read for the year.
I most definitely highly highly recommend Hidden Among the Stars.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
WOW! An incredible historical/contemporary time-slip novel!
Since much of this book is set in Austria in 1938 the story is very heavy. It is so well written that I was caught up in it and had trouble putting it down at times.
I loved all of the main characters. They all had understandable problems. Some of them were directly connected to Hitler’s rise to power in Austria. Others were typical girl and boy issues.
The two time periods were beautifully woven together. I was fascinated with the way the present time period was used to reveal parts of the historical period’s story.
I have watched the movie Bambi many times. I was intrigued by all of the information about the book and the author that were included in this novel. I had no idea that it was written by an Austrian.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.
Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I’ve done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
Hidden Among the Stars by Melanie Dobson
A compelling novel of sacrifice and trust
My rating is 4.5 stars
I loved the way children’s stories were threaded throughout the book. As a co-owner of a children’s bookstore and as the real live Story Girl, Callie was intimately acquainted with this genre. Her philosophy about the importance of being selective about the books that children read is one that I appreciate and wholeheartedly agree with. Comparing the types of books to various kinds of food was very clever. Are the books you read healthy, are they like a junk food diet, or are they simply poison?
Hidden Among the Stars was very rich and compelling. While it dealt with some of the atrocities against the Jewish people, it was handled very tactfully and carefully so that it was not gruesome or depressing. Very few details were given of any violent acts.
I appreciated the way that Max loved Luzi so deeply that he was willing to sacrifice for her. Despite the fact that she did not encourage him at all, he continued to pursue her and watch over her to the best of his ability. In addition to that, he was not influenced by his father’s cold heart and just knew that what the Nazis were doing was wrong.
Callie needed to face her fears. She had been hurt deeply, first by her parents, and then by her fiancé. As a result, she closed herself off from adventure and spent her life with her sister’s family and at the bookstore but never branched off beyond that. When she was challenged to travel, it took almost more than she thought she could give to get her onto the airplane.
There were many rich insights from the Scriptures. Insights about the nature of God filled the pages as well. As the characters struggled with questions about how a good God could allow such terrible things to happen, they discovered truths that helped them to deal with their pain.
Read the full review of Hidden Among the Stars by Melanie Dobson with a Preview at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a free copy of this item. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.
Hidden Among the Stars is the story of a children’s bookstore owner who receives an early edition of Bambi: A Life in the Woods for her 30th birthday. From the moment Callie notices the handwritten list hidden in the text, she begins to make inquiries about the original owner. Together she and college professor Josh Nemeth are drawn into a mystery spanning back to World War II and the Nazi occupation of Vienna.
Melanie Dobson has a way of drawing you into a scene; whether it’s the quaint intimacy of the Magic Balloon Bookshop or the grand beauty of Lake Hallstatt. Although there’s a stark contrast between Story Girl reading to a group of children and the Gestapo reigning terror during Kristallnacht, I could picture as well as feel the mood of each scene.
Having read and enjoyed Catching the Wind (Dobson, 2017), I was looking forward to this new book. While I found some similarity in story structure, the dual timeline of Hidden Among the Stars lacked balance. For me, the historical plot was far more compelling than its modern-day counterpart. The danger, drama, and depravity plaguing the historical characters—Annika Knopf, Max Dornbach, and Luzia Weiss—beckoned me to read quickly through the more lullingly paced transformation of Callie Randall.
It’s not that I didn’t enjoy Callie’s character… on the contrary, the relationship she shared with her sister and Charlotte was tender. I also enjoyed how lines from children’s books would randomly pop into her mind. The bulk of the tension, prior to the last 100 pages, resided in the plight of the Jews and the interesting dynamic among the three characters of the past.
Any student of history will be aware of the families broken and the lives savagely extinguished by the Holocaust. Through this story, we see that time doesn’t heal all wounds. It’s a somber and sobering warning of what we stand to lose if we don’t stand against the evil in our midst.
3.5/5 stars
Christian Shelf-Esteem received a book to facilitate this review. The views and opinions expressed are 100% honest and my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255 Guidelines, concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.
I have to be honest here – this is a sad book. Immensely so.
The characters’ personalities, journeys and feelings are deeply woven through the pages. Added to the heartbreaking historical setting of a nation being torn, there’s much to bring tears into your heart and make you question why? and how could we could have come to this?
Still, the author’s bravery for writing such a story is a remembrance that we are allowed and should grieve. AND we are allowed and should hope. For there is hope to be found in the darkest of places.
It takes time, boundaries, surrendering. One day at a time.
But legacies can be built and that’s what we strive to remember. Holding on to these great examples of courage and also the The Greatest Expectation for the future.
“Sometimes I wonder where God is in the midst of such heartache.”
This is one of my favorite books of 2018. Written in a dual time line, the present day and 1938-1938 Austria, it is tremendous, unforgettable and heart-rending. A story of hidden treasure, loves lost and hearts mended.
The time is 1938 Austria and Hitler has just overran the country, even changing its name. Max Dornbach and his family live in a castle on the banks of a beautiful lake in a village called Hallstatt. Annika Knopf is his childhood friend and her father is the caretaker of the estate. Max has decided to hide treasures from Jews from the Nazis and Annika determines to help him. Luzia Weiss is a Jewish violinist and Max is in love with her, although Annika loves Max. Very quickly the situation changes in Austria and no one feels safe anymore. Their lives are in jeopardy near constantly.
Present day: Callie Randall runs a small book shop with her sister. Her life is quiet, she is the Story Girl who reads to children in the shop once a week and she likes it that way. She is given a rare, old copy of Bambi by her sister for her birthday. She discovers handwriting, a list of some sort, inside the book and also the name ‘Annika Knopf’ inside the cover. Callie begins to wonder if she could trace this woman’s life and find out what this mysterious list is about. Callie also has a dear friend, an older woman named Charlotte, who was taken from a French orphanage during the war. Charlotte has a book with the name Luzia Weiss inside. These people whose lives are intertwined begin to overtake Callie. When she is offered a chance to go to Austria, she agrees, in hopes of finding out more of their story.
Melanie Dobson has done a superb job with this novel, managing to plumb the depths of human emotion and bringing us to the edge of ourselves as we wonder how in the world such evil could exist in our world at one time. I was captivated till the end. Highly recommended.
*My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book via Net Galley. My opinions are entirely my own.
In her latest book “Hidden Among the Stars,” award winning author Melanie Dobson has created a historical fiction time slip novel filled with suspense, drama, and a hint of romance. Immediately, readers are drawn to the novel by its beautiful and captivating cover. Fans of World War II historical fiction will thoroughly enjoy this extremely well researched story of how fellow Austrians came together to help one another during this terrible time of turmoil in the world and the atrocities inflicted on the Jewish people by the Nazis. The story intertwines the past with the present as a mystery name and list written in an old German children’s book turns into a search for hidden treasure, family history, and answers about the past. This was an incredibly powerful and emotional story that demonstrates the strength and determination of the human spirit. The many twists and turns along the way keep the readers eagerly anticipating what will happen next.
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would! This is the first book I read by Melanie Dobson, but it won’t be the last! “Hidden Among the Stars” is one of my top two books of the year. It is definitely a must read and one for the keeper shelf! The book was very reader-friendly, and the storyline flowed well as it switched between the past and present day. The author included breathtaking descriptions of the beautiful Austrian castles and landscapes and interesting tidbits of information about popular children’s authors who lived during World War II. This Christian fiction novel was inspirational and shared the message that even through all the heartache and evil in the world, God is always with us. Dobson did a wonderful job of conveying the Christian aspects of the storyline without being too “preachy.”
I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine.