Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a compliemntary copy of this book in return for e review based upon my honest opinion.

I had vaguely heard of the White Rose Network, but did not know much about it. I love how this author brings stories about people and places to our attention and then gives us a fictional story based upon these factual people and places. I hav really enjoyed this author's last few books. I have to say I while I did enjoy this book, after I had finished it I set off to google to read more about the White Rose Network. Even though authors have creative licence to create their own stories, I found the story of Sophie and Alexander so far from the actual facts that it kind of ruined the book for me.

I will definitely check out more books by this author, but this one kind of missed the mark for me.

The White Rose Network wasn’t my favourite nor was it my least favourite. But I feel like there could have been more. I can’t put my finger on it, but I think this story has obviously taken a more fiction role. I could absolutely be wrong. But that’s just my thoughts. The story however, is about a brother and sister during World War II and they are working for the resistance against Nazi Germany.

I had such high hopes for this book but it really fell flat. The characters were one dimensional and I felt the story had nothing original in it.

I struggled to finish it. It had such potential but it didn't hit the mark for me.

I am endlessly in awe of and fascinated by the White Rose (all resisters in Nazi Germany, in fact) so I jumped at the chance to read this one. Novelised biographies are sometimes difficult to rate; it's someone's life after all! Whilst I appreciate Midwood's sentiment (ie. to make the lives of these people available to a wider audience) I felt that it did a disservice to Sophie Scholl. I don't pretend to be an authority of this subject (!!) but certain points struck me as not only factually inaccurate, but fanciful - the romance element in particular made my toes curl. The writing itself is pretty sound, but the language choice never made me feel that anything was at stake.

This should not by any means be substituted for the rigorous (and very readable!) scholarship that exists out there on this subject. Perhaps this would have been compelling had it not been based on the lives of very real people.

The White Rose Network by Ellie Midwood was beautifully written from start to finish. This new book By Ellie is very powerful and extremely well written and based on a true story, and tells us about a young girl called Sophie Scholl who was a resistance fighter and anti nazi campaigner in Germany in World war two.

"Sophie was born to be a rebel, raised by parents who challenged the brutal Nazi regime. Determined to follow in their footsteps, she leaves for university, defying Hitler’s command for women to stay at home."

I am so glad I got a chance to read this book I highly recommend this book and all of Ellie Midwood Books.

Big Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this advanced copy, I am under no obligation to leave my honest review

** The White Rose Network **
#muserecommends
#musereviews
Based on true events, the White Rose Network is the story of small yet impactful revolution in the face of military dictatorship of the Nazi Germany. The siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl and their friends believe in freedom and courage and resilience to win back freedom for themselves and their fellow citizens. They form the White Rose Network to print and distribute leaflets urging people to resist Hitler's regime.
This is a story of brave resilience, of kindness in the face of travesty, of friendship and the spirit of revolution..

Thank you @netgalley and @bookouture for the EARC..
.

I have heard of the white rose network but didn't know of the origins of it so found this book fascinating. I thought Sophie was a great character along with her brother and the amazing strength and bravery the group of friends showed in trying to do their small part in the fight against the Nazis regardless of the cost to themselves. Great true story that is a must for lovers of this era.

I absolutely loved The Girl in the Striped Dress by Ellie Midwood, and so was looking forward to seeing if The White Rose Network was just as good, if not better! And guess what? It’s brilliant!

Sophie Scholl is a resistance fighter and anti-nazi campaigner in Germany during World War II. She is the main character of the book. She is brave, fearless, and very strong, pushing to the limit in every circumstance. When she heads off to uni, much to the dislike of her family she joins an underground network of uni students. Who make leaflets telling the truth and encouraging others to resist the Nazi regime.

It’s a brutal, honest read of times during World War II, and I found it fascinating. I read a lot of World War II fiction books but rarely read about the German resistance. It’s refreshing to read about this area, as I don’t believe it’s a topic shared enough.

I adore historical fiction, and this is such an interesting premise. I recommend because of the story itself, writing style, and its ability to transport you into a different world/time period.

The infamous White Rose resistance group is likely a familiar name to many people, as are the name Sophie Scholl. But how much do you actually know about Sophie and the resistance group she was willing to put her life on the line for? This dual-perspective novel presents Sophie's life and activism prior to the fateful event that would lead to her eventual arrest and execution from both her perspective and that of Gestapo investigator Robert Mohr. Sophie's story, as well as that of the White Rose and its core members, will leave the reader both saddened and inspired by her sacrifice. This book was insightful, inspiring, and thought-provoking. Through the inclusion of Mohr's perspective, the reader is also able to see the immediate impact of Sophie's sacrifice and compare it with the knowledge the reader brings with them to the book. Overall, this was a good read, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the resistance movements during WWII, as well as any historical fiction fan.

In this inspiring book based on real life resistance fighter Sophie Scholl, readers are given the remarkable story of how she and her brother did whatever they could to fight the Nazi regime. In fact, they soon formed what was known as the White Rose Network. Even before this incredible fight began Sophie was one of very few women who went to university. Sophie did whatever she could to fight the regime and this included printing and distributing leaflets that told the truth of the tyranny that existed within the regime. She saw the truth behind the propaganda that turned many heads against Jews and other minorities during that time. She chose to take her stand no matter what how difficult her life would become.

Sophie came by her stand quite easily as her parents resisted the brutal nature of the Nazis so this was what she knew. Sophie and her brother Hans were not alone in their fight. In fact they were joined by someone named Alexander as well as several others but during this time of the fight Sophie and Alexander fell in love.

In the story that was unfailingly tragic, Sophie did whatever she could to deliver their message to as many as possible even with the Gestapo close on their tails. In fact, Sophie‘s life became at risk as well as many others. Her stand could mean her life.

While this was a story of courage, of strength, and of hope, it was also a story of great sacrifice. As the story came to a close, Sophie had one last chance to say to deliver her message. ”Such a beautiful, sunny day and I have to go… But what difference does my death make if our actions arouse thousands of people”. No doubt readers of this intense story will have tears pouring down their eyes while at the same time being filled with incredible pride for the strength that Sophie demonstrated.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

My eyes have been opened!!! I had heard a bit about the White Rose Network. I now know so much more. I now know of the struggles experienced by those that had to stop them. I now know of the dedication of those that created and printed the pamphlets. They made a major contribution to the war agains Nazism.

There was a lot put on the pages of the story. At times I felt overwhelmed. There was so much going on. I can only hope that others will learn from books like this. I fear if we don't that the horrors will be repeated.

This book is based on the true story of Sophie Scholl, who along with her brother and a several friends is recognized as being a serious contributor to the marginal resistance movement in Nazi Germany in World war two. Her method was to write, print and distribute subversive material first at the university she attended and later in several other places. Because this is based on the historical record I don’t think I have to put a “spoiler alert” to say her efforts didn’t end well. Recently I heard a lecture about the actual resistance movement in Germany and learned that the reason it was not as successful as in other countries was because it was so disjointed, late and the Nazis in all their official forms were too powerful. And here the story is told of Sophie, one young woman, who believed in the cause of justice as young adult, and because her efforts are true, all the more reason we can only look on her with awe for her exceptional bravery and resolve.

Another reviewer took exception to certain parts of this story which were imagined or not on the historical record, or she felt, exaggerated. Maybe there is some merit to his claim, but I think it must be remembered that this book is classified as “historical fiction” not an official historical document meant as university lecture notes. And if a little romance is put into the story or the protagonist is given a little more credit than she should have, well, so what. I think It makes the story interesting, and because it’s written in such a way it keeps one moving the pages and it gets the basics out to a larger audience who perhaps wouldn’t have known about her. Some curious minds might research further. Often that is the point of well-written and researched historical fiction.

My rating: 4.5
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book. And thank you Ellie Midwood for telling Sophie Scholl’s story to new generations and keeping her memory alive by doing so.

I found this one really hard to get into and the pace much slower than what I had expected. Over halfway through and I still didn’t really feel like anything had happened. I was intrigued to read of The White Rose Network and all that they stood for but I just didn’t love this retelling.

Thanks to Bookouture and Net Galleyfor the advanced copy.

I have been reading a number of these type of books lately but this one I could not really get into. I appreciate the historical research that has gone into the book but it just didn't gel for me. But I can see how other people would appreciate it.

I was given an advance copy by the publishers and netgalley but the review is entirely my own.

Germany, 1943, Sophie leaves her home to attend university. She arrives in Munich and her brother Hans introduces her to his best friend Alexander. Sophie is one of many people that refuse to back down from Hitler and his horrible regime. Alexander and Sophie form the White Rose Network. Hiding in underground vaults they, plot against Hitler. Alexander and Sophie begin to fall in love as they work together to go against the regime. The word of the White Rose Network begins making it around campus thru leaflets that were distributed. It isn’t long before the secret police find out about it. The secret police offer a reward for any information on the White Rose Network. When Sophie is captured and imprisoned she is interrogated by the Nazi officers. But Sophie stands up for what she believes and refuses to give in to their demands. I loved this story so much, I almost don’t know what to say. This story was about the courageous heroes that did everything in their power to help others, no matter what the cost. This story was so inspirational and heart wrenching and you will definitely need the Kleenex. I found the story was well researched by the author and so it made it very believable. This heart pounding page-turner is one that will definitely stay with me for a long time, I loved it. This is without a doubt a must read.

Thank you Ellie Midwood for such wonderful story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it’s heart pounding plot twists and turns. This one definitely hits all the emotions. I highly recommend it.

The White Rose Network, the newest book from Ellie Midwood, is an intense, brooding and daring read which shows how a group of young people never backed down in the face of immortal danger right until the very end. It’s based on fact and just when you think you have read everything there is to possibly read about World War Two along comes this book and shines a light on the German Resistance during the war. To be honest I would have thought there was no resistance to the war in the country governed by Hitler but this story certainly proved me wrong. Ellie Midwood always writes hard hitting books that really grab you and have you thinking about the themes and issues being raised. I was blown away by The Violinist of Auschwitz and The Girl in the Striped Dress, both featuring strong powerful women who battled to survive in the concentration camps but with this new book the author has ventured into different territory.

Munich, February 1943 and Kriminalkommissar Robert Mohr is at Gestapo headquarters investigating siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl. They are accused of distributing anti-Nazi pamphlets at the university where they attend. Sophie initially denies everything and right from this moment we know that she is someone who will fight to the bitter end. The scenes of her interrogation where she quickly changes her tune as to what actually happened and what she has been engaged with for quite some time were very well written. I loved that the chapters from the questioning of Sophie were interspersed with going back several months as to how The White Rose Network came in to being. It helped me join the dots as I did find the start of this book confusing and difficult to get in to. When Robert looks at Sophie he sees his young daughter and wishes that the inevitable will not happen for if someone confesses the wheels of fate start to turn in motion and nothing can be done about it.

Sophie is brave, courageous and above all else loyal. She would rather the ultimate fate befall to her than give the names of those other members of the network. She is a warrior and that is evident from page one. The fact that her family are not the norm and don’t subscribe to the belief that a woman’s place is in the home and nor do they feel there are any valid reasons for the war to be happening go against the norms of the time. Sophie is steadfast in her beliefs and when she attends university she soon discovers her brother Hans, who is studying to be a medic, and his friends Christoph, Willi and Alex are also passionate about going against the powerful tide engulfing Germany she wants to be part of it. She wonders as I’m sure so many of us do how could cultured people have allowed themselves to be governed by a ruling clique motivated by the darkest of instincts? Too many people are passive but The White Rose Network will stand up against this. Yes, their work is dangerous and as we see if caught there will be no sympathy but Sophie with her comrades is an intellectual soul who will fight against the evil. She is fearless and formidable and the small unit have big ideas and make these known through the pamphlets that are secretly distributed. Excerpts from said pamphlets are scattered throughout the book and the anger and emotions Sophie, Hans and co feel really emanate from the pages.

Sophie is someone who is ready to die so that others can live but whilst she lives on this earth she wants the message of the Network to be heard from as many corners as possible. The network wish to cut through the racial hatred and loathing that exists all because of the beliefs of one immoral man and in turn restore peace and prosperity to the nation. I admired Sophie but I didn’t always like her. I appreciated that she was a woman going against the conventions of her sex at the time and that she was fired and fuelled by her father and the family beliefs and rightly so. But I didn’t like the way she treated her fiancée Fritz who was away fighting at the front. They were fighting for opposite causes so why string him along in letters? Why not just say we are over especially as a different romantic entanglement presented itself to her and one which she soon became quite passionate about? If she has such strong opinions and beliefs, she should have followed her heart 100% when it came to love instead of kind of having her cake and eating it too.

Sophie and the Network through their contacts at the university were trying to get a swell of public opinion going against the immoral principles enacted by Hitler. There was clearly a taste for rebellion out there as free expression had long been supressed, but could a small group achieve their aims with such string welding hands of power only exerting and strengthening their influence? The ending proved to be extremely powerful and quite shocking given I knew nothing of the background of the story but it all made sense and fitted well with the themes and beliefs evoked throughout the story

The White Rose Network is a fascinating read given the subject matter was entirely new for me. I found it to be dark, fierce, harsh and vivid. At times I found it hard going as you need all your wits about you to keep track of what is happening and to understand why the main characters are so driven to achieve their ultimate goal of seeing Germany free from tyranny and hatred. I was confused for the first several chapters as there is a lot of information thrown at you and you need to absorb it rather quickly before the next point is made. A brief note at the beginning summarising the resistance and why they came to be and what actions they took would have really helped to set the scene for me and have my mind in the right place to absorb what I was reading.

There is no question that they have realistic and worthwhile goals but can one small group achieve this in the face of such power, hatred and malice? This is not a book to dip in and out of rather it needs to be read either all in one go or for long stretches of time. It requires all of your attention as its very politically driven and focused which perhaps made my opinion overall of this story reflect my personal tastes as I am more interested in the human side of things. Don’t get me wrong the human element to Sophie’s story was there but I needed more of it as at certain points the story read a bit like stating facts.

Overall, I enjoyed The White Rose Network for enlightening me on a topic of the war I had heard nothing about. It’s not my favourite book by this author so far but nonetheless she writes really well with detailed research and characters that definitely pack a pu

The white rose network is based on a true story. It’s another book on the resistance movement in Germany during the war. Though initially the story starts of slow but does pick up pace and can be an emotionally roller coaster.. The main characters too are strong and powerful.

A sure read if you love reading historical fiction books.

Thanks to Netgalley, bookouture and Author Ellie Midwood for this ARC.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The White Rose Network' by Ellie Midwood.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Ellie Midwood, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 9th February 2022.

This is the sixth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The Girl Who Escaped Auschwitz', 'The Girl In The Striped Dress', 'The Girl Who Survived' 'The Girl On The Platform' and 'The Violinist Of Aushcwitz' which I also recommend.

I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover, its intriguing synopsis and title and its extremely talented author. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Alice Network and The Lilac Girls will be utterly gripped by this heartbreaking and addictive page-turner.' I am a huge fan of 'The Tattooist Of Aushcwitz' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Ellie and if this is half as good as' The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz', 'The Girl Who Survived', 'the Girl In The Striped Dress', 'The Girl On The Platform' and 'The Violinist Of Aushcwitz ' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).


This novel consists of a prologue, 25 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!


This book is set mainly in Munich, Germany 🇩🇪.


This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Sophie Scholl. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

'The White Rose Network' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Ellie discusses/includes the persecution of the Jews, murder and death.


Well, what can I say but wow!!! This story is definitely not going to leave my head anytime soon. Firstly I must congratulate Ellie Midwood for yet another extraordinary novel that seriously needs to be made into a movie which I assure would be best selling!!!


This book is very powerful and extremely well written. It is devastatingly heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. The storyline of this book is based on a true story which is another thing that drew me to read it. It is absolutely rammed with emotions that will make you smile, cry and laugh on the roller-coaster ride to hell that is World War 2 and the persecution and murder of the Jews and many others. Nothing is left out and the author has done an immense amount of research and brings Sophie, Hans, Alex, Will, Traute, Professor Huber and Kriminalkommissar and Mohl's story to life. Sophie, Hans and their comrades are such powerful, strong and kind hearted heroes and I am looking forward to reading more about them. I had never heard of either before reading this but have read 'The Violinist Of Aushcwitz', 'Celia' s Journey', 'The tattooist of Aushcwitz', 'The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz,' The Girl Who Survived', 'The librarian of Aushcwitz' and 'The Girl On The Platform' all of which I enjoyed so when I seen this I was intrigued to discover the ongoing of the war through another person's eyes and from a different perspective also. All of Ellie's books that I have read so far are based in holocaust camps, mainly Auschwitz, so I was intrigued when I read this book to see what was going on in Germany and how some brave German's were doing their part to try and stop the slaughter and war by becoming a part of the resistance. I have now also added many books to my wish list thanks to Ellie, her own and ones that she recommends at the end of this story. This story is particularly unique as it is not one I have ever come across before seeing things from the German resistance side of the war. It was also intriguing to see things from Kriminalkommissar Mohr's POV and how he tried to help Sophie.


This book did not disappoint. Some people believe that these stories should not be written but I am a strong believer that these victims earned the right for their stories to be told and to not be forgotten and this book does just that. I loved discovering not just Sophie, Alex and Hans's stories but those who surrounded them also. This amazing group of people who supported and lifted each other up during these dark times and helping them see the light are absolutely... Words can't really describe but I will go with angelic. This book was very hard to read as a whole but there were certain parts that will stay with me for a very long time and that we're soul destroying. What the Nazi's did to these innocent people makes me absolutely sick to my soul. I enjoyed learning about the loves of not only Sophie and Alex but the life's and parts of the resistance that Hans, Will, Christoph, Traute, Professor Huber and Kriminalkommissar Mohr and many more played. I must say that I really did have mixed feelings with Kriminalkommissar Mohr as, although he was trying to help Sophie, he was also a wheel in a killing machine.


Again congratulations Ellie Midwood on all your research and for writing this amazing story of both Libertas and Horro and other resistance members who deserved to have their stories told in a way that did them justice and you have done that. I would say this book is on par with the likes of 'The' diary of Anne Frank' which left me with the same feelings your novel has of not even more emotional. I also want to add that when you finish this book please don't close it but make sure you read Ellie's notes which give all the information about the people the characters in this book are based on and much more. I always read 100% of Ellie's books as the notes and acknowledgements always intrigue me.


Overall an unputdownable, heart wrenching, absolutely beautifully devastating story of lesser known heroes of the war.


Genres covered in this novel include War Story, Romance Novel and Jewish History amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Ellie Midwood, The Tattooist of Aushcwitz, The Librarian of Aushcwitz, 'Celia's Journey', 'The Diary of Anne Frank' and anyone interested in the holocaust and its history.


281 pages.


This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon (at time of reviewing) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!


Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.


Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews


#TheWhiteRoseNetwork #Bookouture #EllieMidwood #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@EllieMidwood @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86


https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86

https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?ref=bookmarks

https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__tn__=%2As-R

3.5★s

It was 1943 when Sophie Scholl joined her brother Hans in Munich so she could attend university, wanting to complete her studies even though Hitler had ordered women were to stay home. But it wasn’t long before Sophie was aware of Hans' involvement in a fledgling group – the White Rose Network – which was defying Hitler, fighting against the cruelty of the Nazi regime in allowing their young men to fight and lose their lives. There were many of the country’s youth who hated Hitler – the White Rose network set about capitalizing on those emotions.

Printing leaflets all over the country, delivering them, dropping them off in areas they’d be most noticed and picked up, Sophie, Hans, Alex, Christoph, Willi and many others, faced the threat of arrest on a daily basis. But it was the biggest drop of all, done solely by Sophie and Hans at the Munich University, which saw their reign come to an end…

The White Rose Network by Ellie Midwood is based on the true story of Sophia Scholl, (please call me Sophie) and her brother Hans, and the telling didn’t appear to do it justice. The bravery and courage of the siblings, their sheer belief in all the White Rose network stood for, and their strength as the ending neared was captured well by the author. But in all that, it felt stilted and a little too political in parts. But I enjoyed the different look at WWII from the voices of German’s youth and their hatred of their leader.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.