Alan Hlad

“A Light Beyond the Trenches by Alan Hlad” is an absolute masterpiece that deserves a five-star rating.

From the first page, the story captivated me with its stunning, evocative writing and deeply emotional narrative. Alan Hlad skillfully brings to life the harrowing realities of World War I through the interconnected lives of Anna, Max, Emmi, Bruno, and even the loyal and heroic Nia. The meticulous detail and authenticity make you feel as if you’re walking the halls of Oldenburg’s show more hospitals, enduring the hardships of the "turnip winter," and witnessing the profound bond between guide dogs and their human partners.

This novel offers a rich, layered exploration of resilience, hope, and humanity in the face of war’s devastation. Learning about the origins of guide dog training for blind veterans was fascinating and heartwarming—a testament to the ingenuity and compassion of individuals like Dr. Stalling. The characters were beautifully developed, each grappling with their own struggles and moral dilemmas, making them feel incredibly real and relatable.

Hlad doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of war, including anti-Semitism, chemical warfare, and the crushing effects of rationing. Yet, the story remains uplifting, a tribute to the enduring power of music, love, and perseverance. Max’s journey from despair to rediscovering his passion for music was particularly moving and unforgettable.

This book isn’t just historical fiction; it’s a life-affirming tale that lingers long after you turn the final page. For anyone who loves stories of courage, love, and the triumph of the human spirit, A Light Beyond the Trenches is a must-read. Five glowing stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 show less

First sentence: On the day librarians were recruited for the war, Maria Alves was microfilming historical newspapers in the Department of Microphotography of the New York Public Library.

Premise/plot: The Book Spy is a historical fiction novel set during the Second World War. It has a light romance in the background. The focus primarily is on a librarian, Maria Alves, who is one of a handful of librarians--microfilm specialists--recruited for war work. They'll be going to neutral cities in show more Europe, acquiring Axis publications (newspapers, magazines, books, etc.), microfilming the works, and sending them to the Allies (UK and US) for examination. The cover story is preserving works for the Library of Congress.

The Book Spy has two narrators. The second narrator is a bookseller (with a BIG secret) named Tiago Soares. The book is primarily set in Lisbon, Portugal. Maria and Tiago meet and become friendly. He helps her acquire the stuff (newspapers, magazines, books, etc.) she needs to do her job. She occasionally helps him with his undercover work. (He helps Jewish refugees.)

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I don't always love dual narration. But in this case, it makes sense. They are both doing their part for the war effort. His story is just as important as hers. It was well-written. The plot is never dull. It isn't overly melodramatic.

This was my second time reading Alan Hlad. (The first one I read was set during World War I.) I'm definitely enjoying getting to know his work. show less

From the start, the reader is taken on the journey with the protagonist as she goes from being a London switchboard operator to a secret agent in the Specials Operations Executive (SOE), working with the French resistance in Paris during WWII. This aspect of the story was very interesting, and I appreciated the author’s research into such operations. And while I liked both our main character and her love interest, I didn’t buy into their romantic attachment, which seemed to develop too show more quickly from little but their circumstances & one shared goal. (And though petty, I thought the author overused the phrase: his/her skin tingled from her/his touch).
Thank you to the author and publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. show less

I read a lot of WWII fiction and some of it gets kind of boring and repetitive. That is not the case with this new WWII book by Alan Hlad. The book is so suspenseful that I was enthralled until the last page. It's full of wonderful characters who end up in dangerous conditions as they work to destroy the Nazi hold on Paris.

London, 1941: Rose works as a secretary in the Cabinet War Rooms beneath the streets of London. Her brother was killed during the beginning of the war and she works as show more much as possible to do her part to end the war. When Churchill becomes aware that she is fluent in French, he has her interviewed to be part of the SOE - a secret group that sent spies to France to work with the resistance. She accepts the job and her role is to act like a cosmetics salesperson so that she can bicycle all over Paris without suspicion. Her real job is to get information about the Nazi's plans and to send information back to London. The consequence of discovery will be death and every minute she is in Paris is fraught with danger. One of Rose's first assignments it to work with Lazare - a member of the French Resistance who is upset to see what is happening to his beloved city at the hands of the German troops. He risks danger every minute as he does what he can to free Paris.

Rose is a strong resilient woman who wants to make sure that Churchill's faith in her is justified and that she can help her country defeat the Germans. Rose and Lazare work well together and try to spend more time with each other as their interest grows but in war torn Paris, the job has to take precedence over any personal relationship. Will they be successful and live until the end of the war?

Be sure to read the author's notes at the end of the book where he describes some of the situations and people that the novel is based on. show less