The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner

[I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]   

Release date: 3/19/19
Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: Historical fiction
Features: WWII, internment camps, strong families, friendship, finding identity, dealing with cultural racism, Alzheimer's disease
Quotes:

"There were two kinds of mirrors. There was the kind you looked into to see what you looked like, and then there was the kind you looked into and saw what other people thought you looked like."

"Don't lose sight of who you are . . . Don't give into anger and bitterness . . . Sometimes it's not about right and wrong but now and later. Right now, we are having to put up with a difficult situation that we don't deserve, and it's not right. But later, when the war is over, we'll remember that we didn't let it break us."

"Maybe being brave is different than being unafraid. If you're not afraid, what is there to be brave about?"


This book has so many excellent quotes about identity and dealing with hardships, but I'll refrain from posting them all here and just tell you to read the book and discover them yourself. I was so thrilled to be given access to this book (thank you, NetGalley!) since I really enjoyed reading Meissner's book last year, As Bright as Heaven. I love how both of these books by Meissner shed light on a historical event that sadly I knew little about. For this book, I was surprised to discover that many Germans in America were deported to internment camps during WWII. I knew about the Japanese, but I had never known that the same thing happened to Germans, many who had been in America for decades. 

I loved getting to see WWII from the perspective of Elise and her German family. Her father, unjustly accused of being a Nazi sympathizer, remains strong and caring for his family through all the trials they endure: the internment camp, repatriation to Germany, and surviving the war in Germany. He is a rock. It's amazing what many of the German citizens experienced back in Germany, many of whom were not supporters of Hiter or his ideas. They nevertheless experienced the destruction and depravity of war, and many lost their lives simply because they were in towns targeted by Allied forces. I liked how this book, like The Book Thief, gave insight into how the average German citizens lived during the war. 

I also loved the friendship between the main character and Mariko, a Japanese girl at the internment camp Elise and her family were sent to. Despite their different cultural backgrounds, they discover that they have many things in common and become fast friends. Of course, I can't tell you what happens to their friendship over the years (the story is narrated by an aging Elise); you'll just have to read it. 

Speaking of the story being narrated by an aging Elise, this book gave such a fresh and insightful look at Alzheimer's. The first chapter opens with Elise knowing she has Alzheimer's and wanting to find answers about people in her past before the disease takes away her memories. Meissner, though, personifies this disease expertly and descriptively. Elise names her disease "Agnes" after a girl she knew as a child who had a penchant for stealing: "I can feel Agnes tugging at these thoughts of mine as the jet climbs the sky. She wants them. Like a child who wants handfuls of candy before supper, she wants them." I loved this description!

And lastly, I just loved how this book showed Elise's growth over the decades. From a young American girl in Iowa who German roots unjustly sent to an internment camp, to a teenager in war-torn Germany longing for her American home, and then a young woman in post-war California trying to find her way and identity and romance, this book was excellent. 

One of few things I didn't love was how much of her life was left un-examined after she moved back to America at the end of the war. I still give this book a solid 4/5 stars. 

To Best the Boys by Mary Weber

[I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]   

Release date: 3/19/19
Rating: 3/5 stars
Genre: Young adult fantasy
Features: Strong female characters, supportive family, family illness, female scientist, high-stakes competition, oppressive social systems, women's rights, science/biology
Quotes: 

"Careful, Miss Tellur. Women who don't know their place have a habit of losing their place."

"You are a specific kind of species, my girl. A strange and terrifying beauty of mind."

"You win this thing, Rhen Tellur. Enough to make [the boys] regret they weren't born women."

"You take this world and make it what it should be. And don't let the beliefs of a backward system define you. You are the one who has to live with the future, baby girl. So you live it."


What attracted me to this book was the unique plot line. Yes, a number of YA lit books have a "competition" -- Hunger Games, Caraval, Maze Runner -- but this one has a new premise: once a year, a wealthy citizen of the community hosts a dangerous and elaborate game that tests the mental, psychological, and physical strength of the contestants. The victor must be skilled in math and science, and they receive a scholarship to a college as their prize. 

I liked that this YA lit book applauded the world of academia, and moreover, math and science for women. Of course, it's even better that the book supports women in science, as the main character is a 17-year-old girl. I won't give any spoilers, but she must go up against the prevailing attitudes and systems of her day to change the status quo and follow her own scientific pursuits. 

I also liked that Rhen, the main character, had two supportive and living parents that loved her and each other. It's rare to see this in YA lit. Rhen had her own way of thinking, too, and didn't let society define her for her. She didn't let boys define her either, and she didn't ever change for a boy. (Finally!)

What I didn't like as much: the writing style, world building, and plot development. Each of these was lacking, which is a shame because the basic plot and premise was so promising. These were the main things that brought down my rating, because honestly, they are the things I appreciate most in a book. I think if the book had gone through more editing, some of this could have been remedied. 

Overall, though, if you want to read an empowering story about a girl defining her own future with a supportive, intact family and a sweet, healthy romance on the side, this is the book for you.