What a fantastic book. A completely fictional story set in Berlin in the 1930’s, pre WWII, and using factual events such as the book burnings in 1933. The prologue opens in Oxfordshire, November 1946, where two women are talking - no names, no details. In the 1930’s our main protagonists is Freya, a young German woman who wants to write, but only her mother supports her dreams. After the death of her mother she is treated as a skivvy and ends up leaving her home and her Nazi supporting family. Working and living in a cabaret theatre Freya watches in horror as her beloved city is gradually overtaken by the fascists.

Briefly, in the present, USA, Maddie goes to see her family as her mother is worried about Maddies grandfather who is clearing his home of unwanted stuff in preparation for his death! Maddie offers to help him and during their clearing they find a diary belonging to her grandfather’s mother. Written in German, they ask a new friend to help translate it, and a shocking story emerges.

I’m sure everyone will see the similarity between the book banning in Germany and the current issues in USA where many books have been banned in recent years. It’s very scary! The book is an enthralling read and whilst I enjoyed both timelines the historical one really touched me. Such a terrible time in history and the treatment of those Hitler decided were enemies of the state was beyond appalling. Freya is a wonderful character and her actions were brave and far reaching. A fabulous read. I enjoyed it a lot.

The Banned Books of Berlin is a gripping read that is beautifully written that has it all: mystery, intrigue and family.

The book is told in a duo timeline.

Present day we meet Maddie who has returned home for a visit and along with her grandfather they find a diary written by her great grandmother.

Its Berlin in the 1930's just as Hitler is coming into popularity and Freya like most of Berlin are struggling to adapt to their new reality.

There is danger around every corner and you dont know who you can trust.

Books are being banned and Freya feels the only thing she can do to contribute is to save the books.

The two timelines come together easily and its fascinating to compare the two eras. Some things like banned books are the same sadly.

Daisy Wood takes the reader on an unforgetable journey and simply put has written historical fiction at its very best.

I highly recommend you get your copy of The Banned Books of Berlin and settle in for an unforgettable read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK/Avon for the privilege of reading and reviewing The Banned Books of Berlin.

This book was an amazing read. It was filled with scandal, love, mystery, bravery, despair, and strength. It had so many good twists and turns; the ending was a complete surprise, leaving me hooked to the very end. I loved the dual timeline; both stories were engaging. It’s such a touching story.

The historical details gave such a good insight into life in Berlin during that era, reminding us of Hitler's lies and power shaking up the world. The story started in Berlin in the early 1930s; it was the beginning of Hitler's rise to power and the start of gruesome tactics that caused hate and fear towards the Jews. Though the story is fiction, it gives us a glimpse into the past and a reminder of mistakes we should never repeat.

The beginning was a little slow, but once the story progressed, I couldn’t put it down. Daisy Wood is an amazing writer and I can’t wait to read more of her books. All in all, this book was beautifully written and is a must-read.

The Banned Books of Berlin is a dual timeline story, with the first timeline taking place in the 1930s in Berlin with the Nazi party taking power and Freya Amstel's mother has just died, telling her to leave Berlin and live her life. Freya tries to stay with her father and brother but when they take in a pro-Nazi border, she finds her life changing. She gets a job at the Zaubergarten, which is a cabaret, taking care of their costumes. Daisy Wood writes Freya as a strong, independent woman, and the supporting characters are quirky and interesting. The descriptions of the Zaubergarten made me feel like I was there beside Freya and her friend Violet. The second timeline in 2024 features Maddie, a writer who has been experiencing Internet bullying after writing a story about a zoo (apparently the Internet crazies didn't like the idea that she was writing positively about a zoo because they considered them controversial) and heads back to her roots in Los Angeles to stay with her mother, brother, and grandfather to start to escape from the abuse she experienced. The story went back and forth between the two timelines, with the author weaving the two timelines of the tale skillfully, until almost the final chapter when the true surprising connection between the timelines was revealed. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Daisy Wood is turning into a must read author for me. I really enjoy her dual timeline novels, that are always so well researched.

This dual timeline in this novel covers early Nazi controlled Berlin, pre-war, and the burning of the banned books. Freya is desperate to make a stand for what she believes in, but how can she, a single female, do that? In the modern day, Maddie returns to her family home after an issue with work, and finds herself drawn into a mystery when she discovers a German diary in her Grandfather's home. Can Maddie work out how Freya is linked to her own life?

I must admit to finding the early sections in Berlin hard to get into, but as the story progressed it became faster paced. Once the story was linked between the two timelines, it was a quick read - I really enjoyed how the details were slowly pieced together.

This story takes a look at the lead up to WWII. Many events took place in Germany before Hitler gained worldwide notice.
As restrictions tightened, so did the attack upon certain books. Only Nazi approved books could be read. So many books were burned and destroyed. I disagree with the author’s thoughts on America’s recent banning of books. There is a place to protect our children from inappropriate books. That is much different than destroying history.
The main characters are well developed. There are many twists and turns to this story.
There is a dual timeline. The actual characters living in the 1930’s in Germany and their descendants in 2024.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

This is the second book I’ve read by Daisy Wood, and once again, she’s done it! Another beautifully told, captivating story that had me hooked from the very start.

This was an easy five-star read for me. I absolutely loved the dual timeline – both stories were engaging, and I really warmed to the characters in each. It’s such a touching story, and I have to admit, it left my eyes brimming with tears. I have a feeling this one will stay with me for a long time.

Daisy Wood’s writing is stunning – so atmospheric and immersive. The mystery element kept me turning the pages, eager to piece everything together. And I’m happy to say I didn’t quite manage to work it all out, so the ending took me by surprise!

The story is set in 1930s Berlin and present-day America. I found the contrast between the two timelines fascinating – from Freya’s struggles against the rising Nazi regime and the heartbreaking censorship of books, to Maddie’s modern-day work crisis and the discovery of her grandfather’s hidden family history. As Maddie helps her grandad sort through his belongings, they come across a diary written in German by his mother, leading them on a journey to uncover her past.

The way the story came together was seamless, and the pacing flowed effortlessly. The historical details gave such a vivid insight into life in Berlin during that era, and I really appreciated how the novel explored different viewpoints at the time. I often think I might struggle with historical fiction, but Daisy Wood always makes it feel so intriguing, heartfelt, and relevant.

The characters were wonderfully developed, and I genuinely cared about their journeys. Both timelines felt equally compelling, which isn’t always the case with dual narratives, but here it worked perfectly.

Overall, this was an emotional, thought-provoking read that felt very relevant. I highly recommend it – an easy 5 stars from me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Daisy Wood is fast becoming an auto-buy author for me!

I am absolutely in LOVE with this book! The Banned Books of Berlin by Daisy Wood is a beautifully written story filled with mystery, intrigue, love, family, scandal, and so much more. Set in Berlin in the 1930's and the present-day US, the book tells the story of Freya, a young German woman who watches in horror as the Nazi party gains power, her home no longer safe. Freya cannot sit back and watch the censorship of people, burning of books, and the brutal attacks in the streets and decides to take a stand, soon finding her own life in danger.

The book flashes forward to Maddie who in present day is dealing with a work crisis. She decides to take some time away and goes back home to be with her family where she spends time with her grandfather who is downsizing his belongings. While helping him purge the attic, the two come across a diary belonging to her great grandmother. Intrigued, she begins researching and is shocked by what she discovers.

I was captivated by the story from the very beginning. As the story shifted back and forth from one generation to the other, I could not decide which portion intrigued me the most. In many cases with books written in this style, I will connect with one or the other, but with this book, I was equally captivated. The history and fiction were tied so effortlessly together. While I was aware of the burning of books and the other ongoings that took place, this book told the story from a different angle than other historical fiction novels I have read and gave me a different viewpoint which I appreciated.

This story was woven together brilliantly. With such rich and identifiable characters, it flowed so easily. A story of family, love, bravery, strength, sacrifice and hope. It was inspiring, heartbreaking, and completely fulfilling.

There are SOOOOOO many more things I would like to say about this book, but I do not want to give away any potential spoilers and take away from the experience. So, I guess for now all I can say is........This book is a must read!! If you are thinking, "do I want to read this one or not" don't think....Just read!!!!

A huge thank you to Avon for allowing me the honor to read an ARC of this book. I will be purchasing a copy for my bookshelf on release day. To the author, you have an amazing gift. Thank you for this wonderful piece of work!

this book was an incredible read. it kept me Hooked all the way through. just when I thought I had everything figured out, something unexpected happened making it impossible to put down. the ending was a complete surprise, leaving me both shocked and satisfied.

what made the story even more engaging was how its felt incorporated so many present day topics, making it feel relevant and thought provoking. the mix of suspense, surprises and real world themes. this is a must read book.

The past can affect us emotionally when it starts to feel a bit like the present.

It was startling in the beginning when the author shared PEN America’s report that more than 10,000 books were banned in public schools in the academic year 2023-24. It’s huge.

This was an original WWII historical novel of a how Freya Amsel in her 20s had to adjust to the dire circumstances. Like her mother, she loved to read and when she heard that 25,000 books by Jews and gays were destroyed in flames on May 10, 1933 she was horrified.

This story was well written with a jolt of history reminding us of Hitler’s power shaking up the world. It started in Berlin with his dishonest rhetoric in the early 1930s when he told bold lies to the people of Germany. It was the beginning of the gruesome tactics that caused fear and hate towards the Jews.

There were two timelines: one which took the reader back to Berlin before the war, and the other in 2024 with a family in LA trying to make sense of boxes in the attic with old records. When digging deep, they discovered past family secrets.

Even though much of the history is known, there was enough suspense to keep the pages moving quickly. It was encouraging to read how a few brave characters challenged evil corruption when it could have been easier and safer in many cases to take a back seat.

It’s fiction but believable with those who were willing to take risks. It was deeply felt and gives us a glimpse of the past we hope will never return and inspiration we all need especially now.

My thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of July 15, 2025.

Wow. This moved between 1931 and present day. Set between Berlin and America. A very moving story at times. I did enjoy it but it makes you hate what happened between the wars in Germany .It was a clever story with some good twists. A very clever neat ending. Loved it

Daisy Wood does it again! She’s written an absolutely incredible historical fiction that I devoured, I couldn’t put it down, I was so fascinated by Freya’s story and also by Maddie and her grandpa’s stories. This book was a really good one and if you are a fan of WW2 fiction, you definitely need to read it.

This book was an incredible read! It kept me hooked from start to finish with its many twists and turns. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, something unexpected would happen, making it impossible to put down. The ending was a complete surprise, leaving me both shocked and satisfied.

What made the story even more engaging was how it incorporated so many present-day topics, making it feel relevant and thought-provoking. The mix of suspense, surprises, and real-world themes made this book a must-read. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a story full of excitement and unexpected moments!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for giving me an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.