This was a really well done World War 2 novel, it had that element that I was looking for and thought worked well as a historical fiction novel. The characters had that realism that I was looking for and thought worked well in this story. Kate Birkin and Mark Bornz had that writing style and was glad I got to read this.

This is an exquisitely written and deeply emotional book, exploring the horrors of the Holocaust in a fictionalised yet historically accurate way. The characters leapt from the page and the story was gripping and personal. It took me on an emotional rollercoaster where I cried, felt hope and despair. More than anything, this is an acutely timely novel that reminds us of the terrible brutality that today seems to be increasingly forgotten. I sincerely hope that this exceptional book is widely read.

Thank you to Kate Birkin, Mark Bornz and Netgalley for my advance copy.

Wow! I have to say that this is one of the best books I have read in years about WW2 and I have read alot! It is heartbreaking and at times heartwarming. The writing and storyline is impeccable. Will definitely remember it for a long time. Everyone should read this book! Would give it 10 stars if I could. Thank you to Netgalley for letting me give an honest review of this book.

Ava and Shalom: A Sensational WWII Story About Jewish Twins Who Believe Thay Are German Until Sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau by Kate Birkin and Mark Bornz was one of the most moving Holocaust books I have read in a long time. It was written in a dual time line of 1997 and then from 1920 through World War II and the Holocaust. Kate Birkin and Mark Bornz wrote their story from the perspective of ordinary German citizens that lived in Germany during the years that Hitler and the SS were in power. They were able to demonstrate how the brutality the Nazis inflicted upon neighbors and friends impacted the lives and feelings of those who lived amongst them. The characters were so strong and likable with the exemption of a select few. Both authors were able to portray the kindness and compassion of some despite what was being dictated by the Nazis at the time. The setting took place on a grain farm located right outside of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Hanz Wolff and his wife Maria owned the farm. They also raised animals there as well. The farm had been in Hanz Wolff’s family for generations. Even though Hanz had aspired to become an artist he settled on the farm after serving in the military and marrying Maria. Hanz was very talented. He painted, made violins and played them with percission and feeling and had reluctantly learned burial preparation from his father as a young boy and now served the people in his town in that capacity. Hanz and Maria were well liked and were happy and very much in love until a tragedy occurred in their lives. Maria had been pregnant with their first child, a boy. She lost the baby and was told that she could never have any more children.

In 1997, a twenty-five year old man left behind his very promising career in journalism and traveled to Berlin. The man had always dreamed of becoming an author. He aspired to write a book that would touch the lives and hearts of those that read his book. He himself was half Jewish and had grown up listening to his grandfather’s stories about the Holocaust. Berlin was the perfect place to make his desires become a reality. Shortly after he arrived in Berlin, he befriended a woman named Gretchen. The two grew very close and eventually the man moved in with her in her two bedroom flat in an old Victorian home. When Gretchen learned that she was pregnant with the man’s baby they decided that they would get married. Gretchen and the man wanted to get the second bedroom ready for their baby so they asked Gretchen’s landlady, Mrs. Kuchen, if they could remove the wallpaper in the room so that they could paint it. After the wallpaper was stripped from the wall the man noticed that four names and the date 1939 were carved into the wall. This discovery intrigued the man immensely. He questioned Mrs. Kuchen about it. Mrs. Kuchen invited the man to dinner that night in her apartment. She proceeded to tell the man the story about the people’s lives whose names were carved on that wall. That was how the man learned about Ava, Shalom, Luke and Christian- BestFriends Forever, 1939. Mrs. Kuchen began her tale and the man knew he was listening to the inspiration that would shape his book.

Not long after Maria and Hanz had buried their infant son and had learned that Maria could not have any more children, a miraculous thing occurred. One morning, nine months after their infant son had died, Hanz entered the barn to feed his animals and milk the cow, when he discovered a wicker basket sitting on the floor of the barn. Inside the basket were two infant twin girls, each covered with blankets that were adorned with matching Jewish stars. Inside the basket was a note from the young Jewish mother who had been forced to give them up. The young mother had known that Maria was barren and could never have any more babies. She implored the farmer and his wife to raise her daughters as their own and to love them with all their heart. The young mother knew in her heart that her daughters would be safe and loved by the farmer and his wife. When Hanz went to Maria with the babies, he hid the note and incriminating blankets from her. Maria was overjoyed and persuaded Hanz that they would tell everyone that she had birthed the twins herself. After all, she had not seen anyone for more than nine months. It was feasible. They could convince their neighbors that Maria had given birth to the twin girls. Their neighbors and friends were skeptical of Maria’s tale. In their mind they did not believe that she had given birth to these beautiful babies but no one had the nerve to disagree with her. Hanz and Maria raised Ava and Shalom as their own. They changed Shalom’s name to Shaylee so no one would ever suspect that the twin’s biological mother had been Jewish. Hanz and Maria loved the girls unconditionally and brought them up as good German Catholic girls. Ava and Shaylee grew up to be beautiful, striking and intelligent young women. Even though they were identical twins, they were as different as could be in their interests and personalities. Ava was outgoing where Shaylee was quieter and more reserved. Shaylee always had her head in a book or was busy sketching in a notebook whereas Ava wanted to be an actress and go to America to make her dreams come true. Ava had also always been taller than Shaylee. Life was good for the Wolff’s until Hitler orchestrated the beginning of World War II and the decree to annihilate all Jews. Ava and Shaylee had nothing to fear. The only people who knew their true origins were Hanz and Abigail, the twin’s biological mother. Ava and Shaylee were safe from any repercussions from Hitler and the SS, or were they?

The research that went into writing Ava and Shalom was extensive and impeccable. Authors Kate Birkin and Mark Bornz based the story of Ava and Shalom on the true story of a young fourteen year old Polish girl who was sent to Auschwitz with her mother and were murdered by the Nazis just three months apart from one another. The atrocities that both Ava and Shaylee experienced were horrific and heartbreaking. Hanz witnessed too many heartless and cruel acts that were committed against his neighbors by the Nazis. The writing in Ava and Shalom was exquisite. It portrayed the themes of family, hope, survival, resilience, antisemitism, love and sisterly love. Many lessons were learned, as hard as they were. This was a hard book to read at times. One must never forget all that perished as a result of the Holocaust. I recommend Ava and Shalom very highly.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read Ava and Shalom by Kate Birkin and Mark Bornz through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book is one of the best books I have ever read, the descriptions of the family, fields, love and horrors brought tears to your eyes but you kept on reading, it is very rare for me to be disappointed I have finished it, how can I beat this book.

Ava and shalom twin sisters bought. Up by a German family, not knowing they were Jewish and the way they were treated by the Nazis during the war is horrific,

There is many books written about the concentration camps but this one is so descriptive you can actually feel the pain and the hunger.

Would give this book ten stars if I could but five will have to do.
Thanks netgalley for sharing this book with me.

Ava and Shalom by Kate Birkin and Mark Bornz is an extraordinary and heart-wrenching tale of identity, family, and survival set against the harrowing backdrop of World War II. This novel grips you from the very first chapter and doesn’t let go, weaving a story of love and sacrifice amidst humanity’s darkest era.

The twins, Ava and Shalom, are beautifully drawn characters—complex, resilient, and deeply connected despite the invisible fractures in their world. Raised by the Wolffs, a loving yet tragically unaware couple, the girls believe themselves to be German through and through. Birkin and Bornz capture the innocent joys of their early lives with tenderness, making the eventual revelation of their true heritage all the more devastating.

When war shatters their idyllic life, the pacing becomes relentless, reflecting the suffocating fear and danger that defined life under Nazi rule. The arrival of their birth mother, a ghost from a past they never knew, is an emotional turning point that reframes everything they thought they understood about who they are. The authors handle this moment with a careful balance of raw emotion and historical realism, making it feel both intimate and monumental.

The journey from Rothenburg to Auschwitz-Birkenau is depicted with brutal honesty. The horrors of the camp are not sensationalized, but the narrative doesn’t shy away from the unbearable pain and tragedy of the Holocaust. Yet, through it all, the bond between Ava and Shalom remains a beacon of hope, a reminder of the unbreakable ties of family even when stripped of everything else.

Birkin and Bornz’s prose is lyrical yet grounded, creating vivid imagery without losing sight of the emotional gravity of the story. The contrast between the pastoral beauty of the Wolffs’ farm and the cold, mechanized terror of Auschwitz is stark and unforgettable.

At its core, Ava and Shalom is a story about identity—how it can be shaped, hidden, or stolen, but never fully erased. It asks profound questions about faith, belonging, and the choices we make when faced with unimaginable evil.

This novel is not just a moving historical narrative; it’s a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and a powerful reminder of the cost of hatred and ignorance. It’s a five-star masterpiece that will stay with you long after you turn the last page, leaving you in awe of the strength found in even the darkest of times.

I cannot put into words the many ways this book affected me. It is so well researched and so realistic. I will never forget the characters and their struggles and the strength they showed at this horrible time in history. This will literally break your heart and then put it back together. I intend to tell everyone about this book because it is one in a million. I just can't say enough good about this but you will have to read it.yourself to realize just how phenomenal it is!

This was a gripping, heart wrenching story that draws you right into that time thanks to it's historical accuracy and attention to detail. I loved that the story covered both before and during the war so you really got the entire picture. I've ready countless WWII books and this one is easily top 10 maybe even top 5. Just wow.

What a read.

It is difficult to put into words the emotions I felt while reading this book. It really is a rollercoaster of feelings and thoughts.

It is a book to be read and remembered and one that I will be talking about for a long long time..

Nothing I say will ever do this book justice and it is a book that will stay with me forever, I will never forget the characters, the story or the writing. I could talk about it all day but I wouldn't be able to without spoilers so please just read it and I know you will love it

Should you choose to read this deeply moving and truly unforgettable story, you’ll meet twins Ava and Shalom who navigate the highs and lows of life after it changed in an instant.

Raised thinking they were of German heritage, they are shocked one day to discover that they are Jewish. Once this secret is revealed, it doesn’t take long before they’re arrested and the scramble to save them begins.

I appreciated a glimpse into the girls’ lives prior to it being stolen by tragedy as it made the harrowing events more impactful. Suddenly, the holocaust didn’t just happen to a group of people in a faraway country long ago. It happened to people I’d just met and felt connected to. For days after reading this book, I kept wondering how resentful I’d be if something was kept from me and later revealed, with devastating repercussions, by the one person who had my best interests at heart. How could I forgive them? What if this stranger had never arrived at the farm that night? The paradoxical pull fascinated me.

I’d never heard about the British Schindler, Sir Nicholas George Winton, and the hundreds he saved who later became known as Nicky’s children, so I appreciated the lessons. I have been to Rothenburg and my memories of this beautiful Bavarian town have now been reshaped to include possibilities such as the one mentioned in this book. There's always so much history just below the surface.

By giving Ava and Shalom a voice, the authors reminded me of the danger of keeping secrets, the resilience and hope that can be found amid the devastation, and the lengths we’ll go for loved ones.

This isn’t an easy read. It’s uncomfortable in parts. We should never forget what happened during WWII.

I was gifted this copy by BooksGoSocial and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Ava and Shalom wrapped around my heart while breaking it at the same time. My mind engaged with unique storytelling, copious historical details and intricate characterization. The book took me to places of disquiet, anguish, disgust, sorrow, anger, joy and hope. Though difficult to read at times due to the Holocaust subject matter, I am so very glad I did. Sometimes we need sobering reality to gain perspective. The thing is, what happened in the story happened to many, many real people. Millions of innocents were persecuted, humiliated, tortured, demoralized, dehumanized and slaughtered by evil. The authors did not gloss over the cruelty of the Nazis, especially the SS, but also included many sweet moments of happiness.

Set near the enchanting Bavarian town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber from 1921 to after World War II, artist Hanz met his lovely wife Maria, married and settled on a grain farm with animals and garden. Hanz was also a caretaker. After experiencing the heartache of childlessness, it was serendipitous that newborn twin girls were left in their barn with a note from their Jewish mother who couldn't care for them. The couple told everyone they were their biological children, including the girls, which worked at first. A German boy was also adopted into their loving household. But the Nazis later came. Families were ripped apart. Betrayals occurred. Many were killed outright, others were taken to concentration camps where they experienced the terror that was Dr. Josef Mengele. Ava and Shalom's birth mother sought Hanz for help in desperation, placing many in danger. But danger came from all over, causing widespread pain and fear.

The significance of the deer and tree was touching. The nature writing was poetic and gentle. Characters ranged from kind and caring to horrifying and despicable. Plots and subplots flowed seamlessly and engaged me from beginning to end. Those who read World War II Historical Fiction ought to priorize this one. You won't regret it.

My sincere thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this achingly beautiful and memorable novel.