15+ Books to Read If You Are Writing WWII // Part 1: Fiction

So there’s a lot of posts I’ve been promising lately, but they all need a lot of work, so while I crank them out, enjoy this one ;P

If you know me even a little, you probably know I’m a WWII aficionado. I read everything I can get my hands on that has any relation whatsoever to WWII. Nine-tenths of my TBR pile is WWII books, and many of my favourite books are set around 1930-1950.

So today, I’d like to introduce you to books you should really read if you’re writing WWII fiction. One, because they have interesting info and POVs and two, because they’ll help get you in the mindset/mood of WWII! Being the very organized and through person that I am, I’m giving you two lists: nonfiction and fiction. ;P Part 2 (nonfic) is coming at some point soon.

*LIST LAST EXPANDED NOVEMBER 11, 2023*

1. Enemy Brothers by Constance Savery.

British airman Dym Ingleford is convinced that the young German prisoner, Max Eckermann, is his brother Anthony who was kidnapped years before. Raised in the Nazi ideology, Tony has by chance tumbled into British hands. Dym has brought him back, at least temporarily, to the family he neither remembers nor will acknowledge as his own. As Tony keeps attempting to escape, his stubborn anger is whittled away by the patient kindness he finds at the White Priory. Then, just as he is resigning himself to stay with this English family, a new chance suddenly opens for him to return home—to Germany!

Yup, I said it. This is my top favourite novel and the best WWII fiction I have ever read. This book focusses on England but through the eyes of a Nazi-raised child. You learn a lot of what daily life was like at the time, and also something of the German POV and ideas. This doesn’t have a set date but it was published in 1943, so it’s set between 1939-1943.

P.S. Another of Savery’s books, Welcome, Santza, deals with a refugee Greek girl brought to England after WWII.

Rating: 10/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

2. The Lighten Our Darkness Duology by Sarah Beth Brazytis.

“I do not believe to live through this war; I have seen too many die to tell myself otherwise. I can be careful, but what is that? I am going to fight.”
A fighter pilot ready to die. A girl whose world has crumbled. A city bombed and broken. A country struggling for existence.
As a Polish fighter pilot serving in the RAF, Pilot Officer Jedrick Ondraski does not expect to survive the war with Nazi Germany; he only wants to avenge his family and homeland before he dies. But when he meets Helen Smith, a young American woman, during an air raid on a dark London street, the encounter forces him back into the world he has renounced. A marriage of convenience seems to be the only way for him to provide her a home and a life after the bombing that destroyed her tranquil home. Helen, destitute and alone, clings to him for help and comfort; but when he joins his squadron in aerial battle with the very enemy who destroyed his own country, there seems little hope of a future for either of them. As the Luftwaffe aggressively targets civilian London, the whole country braces for a Nazi invasion. And in the blackout of the London Blitz, two young souls reach out for life, love…and the One Who can lighten their darkness.
The first WWII historical novel by author and historian Sarah Brazytis, ‘Lighten Our Darkness’ will take you to the bombed streets of London, the barracks of the RAF, and the flak-riddled skies of the Battle of Britain.

Okay, y’all, I ADORED Lighten Our Darkness. It made me so happy! I love it so much that I almost started rereading it already. It was just basically perfect. But gushing aside—I loved the view of the war that this shows, as well as how it highlights an often-forgotten side of the war and of the RAF and the Battle of Britain. Sarah Brazytis did a fantastic job with this hisfic!

LOD Rating: 10/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

A cavalry officer without a horse. A child without a home. A government without a country.
Jozef Ondraski, a first lieutenant in the Polish cavalry during WWII, finds himself without country, family, or home, as Nazi Germany takes over every aspect of life. When he decides to make his way to England to offer his services as a translator to the Polish Government in Exile in London, he must take a perilous journey through enemy territory where he makes new friends, suffers from injury and illness, and learns to reach out for the unseen Hand of God. But nothing can prepare him for the unexpected surprises that await him in the bombed and battered streets of London.

The sequel was everything I hoped for. Jozef is almost as good as Jedrick. The book is similar enough to be a good sequel, but totally different and able to stand as its own amazing read. This one covered Europe instead of just England—Poland, Germany, France, & England—and sees the development of Jedrick & Helen’s story as well. It’s perfection.

TOD Rating: 9/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

3. The Questions of War Series by Jesseca Wheaton.

Spanning Europe, the Pacific, and America, these books tackle the harder questions of war (obviously) for both civilians, armed forces, and medical personnel. Although fiction, there’s a lot of history in them, and they also give a good picture of what it was like living in the War under various circumstances.

A man. A child. A war.
When German soldiers invade France during World War II, young Joyanna’s perfect world is shattered. In the hands of those who hate her, she battles to comprehend why people can be so ruthless and cold toward those whom they have never met.
David Sullivan, pilot in the Royal Air Force, was certain he would never hate, but a painful loss forces him to either reconsider or do the inconceivable—forgive. He is suddenly challenged by the realization that doing God’s will is not easy, but most important. With the lives of freedom-fighters relying on him, he must learn the difficult lesson that he is not in control, but merely one who must surrender his heart of obedience to One greater.
A sudden turn of events lands Joyanna and David in the same country—but for far different reasons. When their paths cross, David finds he must make a decision that will affect them both for the rest of their lives.
Will he choose vengeance, or will he let his life be ruled by a higher standard? A standard of Honor.

QOH Rating: 8/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

A man. A decision. A destiny.
Rafe Sullivan never imagined the war would come to his doorstep. But when Pearl Harbor is attacked and America’s focus suddenly shifts to the pacific, he finds he can’t ignore the problem anymore.
Leaving the life he loves behind, he joins up to do what he does best. Fly.
Yet, nothing could have prepared him for the horrors of war, and the struggle that is going on in his own heart. As an outstanding navy pilot, he is stationed on one of the few Pacific carriers. But could God be calling him to step out in faith, and go beyond the call of duty?
Lily Wilson gives her all to help the hurting community around her. With the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the war is brought home to many American families. And as a nurse, she longs to be able to relive some of the suffering. Yet, her own grief is still fresh in her heart, and though she’s made the decision to get on with her life, she can’t seem to leave the past behind. When healing at last comes, the guard she placed around her heart slowly begins to crumble.
But when she receives the news she hoped she would never again hear, can she trust that God’s plan is always right?
Arthur Warrington saw the Navy as an escape from the life he left behind. And it seems good for him. He is able to forge new friendships and distance himself from his past. But when his best friend makes a decision that rocks his world, he is left grappling with the what is true courage?
Three lives. One War. And a search for the Courage to go on.

QOC Rating: 7/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

A Man. A Brother. A Traitor.
The war has taken everything Micah Wilson has ever held dear, and with all his being he wishes he could do something to stop the heartache. But he often wonders if he’ll ever be able to move on after the war, or forget the brother who left six years before. How can God still have a plan, when it seems that the world around him is falling to pieces, to say nothing of his own heart?
Ann Wilson has seen two brothers changed by the war. And she’s resolved to do something to stop the pain she sees in their eyes from becoming a reality for so many others. The world is on the brink of Normandy when her nursing unit is shipped to England and, while there, an unexpected encounter promises to change her own life . . . Forever. But it’s only the beginning. As the war in Europe rages on, Ann is caught in the crossfires. And when the unthinkable happens, she comes face to face with the evil of the Third Reich. Is it possible that the reality of it all is more deadly than even her worst nightmares?
Erich Essler never questioned his duty to his country. All his life he’s struggled to live up to his father’s expectations, and bring honor to the Essler name. But when the man he thought of as his only friend turns out to be the enemy, he can no longer rid himself of the questions that continue to torment him. Is what he’s doing really honorable? And does he owe his loyalty to his country . . . Or a higher power?
Freedom for Europe dawns on the distant horizon. But in the midst of the fight, four lives will be forever changed, and their loyalty to God and Country brought into question.

QOL Rating: 6/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

Pssssst…. There’s also a cute Christmas prequel, As in Olden Days (4/10 hearts). And if you really want a heartbreaker, Jesseca also wrote a short tearjerker called A Place Called Lonesome, all about D-Day… 8/10 hearts, y’all.

4. Listen for the Singing by Jean Little.

Anna faces prejudice that stems from her German heritage, and contends with small problems like her first school dance. Tragedy strikes when Anna’s brother, Rudi, is blinded, and it is her turn to provide the love and strength Rudi needs to face his new life.

This book is the sequel to From Anna (5/10 hearts), chronicling the story of a girl who immigrates to Canada during the Great Depression with her family, seeking freedom from mounting tyranny in Germany, and discovers help for her disability. It definitely should be read as a sequel. But anyhow, this book handles the difficulty of living as a German in North America during WWII (and has a beautiful message…) as well as the help military members needed after being injured.

Rating: 8/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

5. On the Edge of the Fjord by Alta Halverson Seymour.

No one dreamed that the Nazis would ever bother Valcos, the sleepy little Norwegian fishing village on the edge of the deep fjord. However, its happy, carefree life ended when Nazi officers quartered themselves in the Engeland home with the intention of securing Captain Engeland’s influential help. Petra Engeland, only fourteen, had good reason then to transfer her resourcefulness in mischief to grimmer tasks involving life or death, and her first undertaking was to warn her father, still away with the larger of the fishing boats, of the trap awaiting him.
Against a background of mountains, caves and fjords, Petra and her impetuous brother Martin—with numerous other Norwegians, young and old—take part in daring schemes right under the noses of the occupying forces.
Published before WW II was at an end, this tale retains its sense of immediacy and courage in the face of great adversity.

All right, so the virtue here is the characters. Alta Halverson Seymour writes some of the most lovable, living characters ever. She’s well worth studying. She also writes some of the most exciting adventures I’ve ever read—still gripping after a dozen rereads! I recommend reading her post-WWII novel The Tangled Skein as well, because it’s just as good, if not better, and handles the topics of Nazi sympathizers real and not real… 😉

Rating: 7/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

6. Jacob’s Rescue by Malka Drucker & Michael Halperin.

Once Jacob Gutgeld lived with his family in a beautiful house in Warsaw, Poland. He went to school and played hide-and-seek in the woods with his friends. But everything changed the day the Nazi soldiers invaded in 1939. Suddenly it wasn’t safe to be Jewish anymore.

This story is beautiful and thought-provoking, and really digs into the heroism demanded of common people during WWII/the Holocaust—the choice between fear/self-preservation and choosing the right. It also touches on the conundrums of hiding Jews and surviving in the war-torn city.

Rating: 7/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

7. Waiting for Anya by Michael Morpurgo.

The gripping story of a boy who risks his life to take Jewish refugees to safety during World War II.
A reclusive widow’s farm has become a haven for a growing band of Jewish children hiding from the Nazis. Jo knows he must keep the secret, and help out any way he can. But when German soldiers move into town, the danger suddenly becomes much more real. As Jo knows all too well, the penalty for helping these children escape is death.

The thing I liked best about this was how well the author did the characters. There were good and bad Germans, good and bad French, and a disabled character—and the vices of the bad men made them worse than the Germans who were just doing their duty. This is a great book to analyze characters from!

Rating: 7/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

8. Our Yellow Tape Letters by Caitlin Miller.

Just days away from Germany’s surrender, Lucy Skyes never expects to receive the same telegram that thousands of families across the world have since the start of World War Two: a notice of her brother’s death in the service of his country. While reeling from the shock of losing her best friend, Lucy receives a letter from someone who knew her brother and can tell her two things she desperately wants to know: What her brother’s life was like in the army and who is responsible for his death.
Jeremiah Sparrow wakes up in an army hospital, unable to remember what put him there, why he can’t hear anything, or who he lost. When memories resurface of a plane crash, a parachute, and a friend, Jeremiah harbors deep guilt and secrets. Jeremiah sends a letter of his own to Lucy—and his words open a door that may cost him more than he realizes.
Everyone has secrets to unearth and stories to tell. War, loss, and letters—they are a lot like yellow tape: Once you cross that line, there is no going back. And sometimes, what you find on the other side looks nothing like you imagined it to.

This novel is more focussed on the PTSD side of war, as well as the grief, injuries, and those-back-home. It crosses back and forth between the years of the war and the immediate aftermath, so it still fits into this list. And it’s really a great portrayal of handling mental and physical tolls of the war, as I mentioned.

Rating: 7/10 hearts. Click here for the full review.

9. Brothers-in-Arms by Jack Lewis Baillot.

Can a Jew and a Nazi survive Hitler’s Germany? Franz Kappel and Japhet Buchanan never expected their friendship to be tested by the Third Reich. Friends from early childhood, the boys form an inseparable, brotherly bond. Growing up in a little German village, they escape most of the struggles of war until the day Japhet is banished from school for being a Jew, and later has a rib broken when other village boys beat him up. Franz learns he is putting himself in danger for spending so much time with Japhet but continues to stand up for his Jewish friend even at the risk to himself. Then one day their lives are shattered when they see first-hand that the price of being a Jew is dangerously high. With the war now on their doorsteps, Franz and Japhet come up with a desperate plan to save their families and get them out of Germany alive. Leaving behind the lives they’ve always known, they move into Berlin with nothing to protect them but forged papers and each other. Convinced their friendship can keep them going, the boys try and make a new life for themselves while trying to keep their true identities and Japhet’s heritage a secret. Taking his best friend’s safety upon himself, Franz joins the Nazis in an attempt to get valuable information. At the same time, Japhet joins the Jewish Resistance, neither friend telling the other of their new occupations. With everyone in their world telling them a Nazi and a Jew can’t be friends, it is only a matter of time before they believe all the lies themselves, until neither is certain if they are fighting against a race of people or fighting for their homeland. Somehow they have to survive the horrors of World War II, even when all of Germany seems to be against them.

What particularly struck me in this book was the themes and messages. You really see what it was like among the Nazis and what they taught… and how it messed with your head. You also see what the Resistance was like and what they thought. And it shows the moral and ethical dilemmas that shook people. This is a fantastic piece of fiction and I really recommend it if you’re writing anything about Nazi infiltration or Resistance work.

Rating: 6/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

10. The Winged Watchman by Hilda van Stockum.

This acclaimed story of World War II is rich in suspense, characterization, plot and spiritual truth. Every element of occupied Holland is united in a story of courage and hope: a hidden Jewish child, an “underdiver,” a downed RAF pilot, an imaginative, daring underground hero, and the small things of family life which surprisingly carry on in the midst of oppression. The Verhagen family, who live in the old windmill called the Winged Watchman, are a memorable set of individuals whose lives powerfully demonstrate the resilience of those who suffer but do not lose faith.

This book was really very intriguing to me, since it was a POV that isn’t often explored—country life in occupied Holland from 1944-1945. It also focuses on daily life and dangers, as well as the underground resistance and hiding Allied soldiers and/or Jews.

Rating: 6/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

11. Untitled by Jesseca Wheaton.

Okinawa, 1945
Two brothers. Two separate paths.
A Navy corpsman assigned to the Marines, Jess Walker’s world is shaken as he struggles to aid the men around him. But the battlefield isn’t his hardest challenge. The nagging memory of how he lost his brother weighs on him, serving as a constant reminder of his failure. War has no mercy for anyone and Jess isn’t sure he can survive the war inside. As his world comes crashing down around him, he struggles to believe there is a future beyond the pain.
Clay Walker has moved on from the life he once lived. A successful Marine pilot, he wants nothing to do with his family and the God he left behind. Japan is on the brink of surrender when his unit is shipped off to Okinawa, and it’s there that Clay is forced to realize his past is not as deeply buried as he thought. Faced with heavy losses and questions without answers, Clay has a choice to make. Is he willing to step back and let God take the controls? Or is it too late for a second chance?
As WWII rages, the two brothers must face their demons—or be lost to the burning world around them.

To be perfectly honest, I added this book to the list because it did a good job portraying the horrors of war—graphically. It also did a good job handling non-Christian MCs. I still don’t think it’s necessary to include language because non-Christians use it—that’s my personal opinion and I just want to point that out in case someone questions that. But aside from that, this is a good resource for those two aspects of the war.

Rating: 6/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

12. Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan.

In the bleak winter of 1940, Nazi troops parachuted into Peter Lindstrom’s tiny Norwegian village and held it captive. Nobody thought the Nazis could be defeated—until Uncle Victor told Peter how the children could fool the enemy. It was a dangerous plan. They had to slip past Nazi guards with nine million dollars in gold hidden on their sleds. It meant risking their country’s treasure—and their lives. This classic story of how a group of children outwitted the Nazis and sent the treasure to America has captivated generations of readers.

This book is pretty light-hearted, but its value lies in the way it presents the Germans—showing their various temperaments—and for tackling the plight of the prisoners forced to serve in the German army.

Rating: 5/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

13. A Father’s Promise by Donna Lynn Hess.

Adolf Hitler’s ominous statements seem only a distant threat to eleven-year-old Rudi Kaplan. But when the Nazi forces invade Poland and bomb his home city of Warsaw, Rudi finds out that he is Hitler’s enemy not only because he is a Pole, but also because he’s a Jew–and a Christian. The next few years change Rudi’s life forever. With only his imprisoned father’s promise that they will be reunited after the war, Rudi must learn how to survive in hiding, how to be truly brave, and how to overcome the hatred of his enemies. He must learn to die to himself and to trust the God who is mightier than any army.

This book focuses on Poland from 1939-1945 from the point of view of a boy hiding in the forest with underground resistance fighters. It’s a great portrayal of how long the war lasted and what it felt like for people during that time. It also touches on the hardships of occupied cities and the realities of losing family and friends to the concentration camps.

Rating: 5/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

14. Finding Zasha by Randi Barrow.

Randi Barrow is back with another gripping heroic World War II story about a boy and his best friend, a German shepherd!
In 1941, the Germans began the long, bloody siege on Leningrad. During the chaos, twelve-year-old Ivan is sent to live with relatives when his mother’s job is moved to the mountains. But it is a long and dangerous journey to get out of Leningrad. After settling into a new town it falls under Nazi occupation and Ivan is picked by Axel Recht, an especially heinous soldier, to come work for the Nazis. One of Ivan’s more pleasant tasks is to train Alex’s dogs. Yet Ivan is determined to use his position to undermine the Nazis and rescue the dogs. But Ivan underestimates Axel’s attachment to Zasha and Thor, and soon finds himself being hunted by a ruthless soldier who will stop at nothing to get his dogs back. As World War II rages around them, Ivan must find a way to hide from Axel, protect Zasha and Thor, avoid the constant barrage of deadly bombings, and survive in the devastating conditions of a city cut off from the world.

Russian involvement in the war is a sadly underrepresented topic! This book fixes that issue. But it didn’t make it on that list only for that. It also did a fantastic job creating one of the most terrifying villains I have ever seen. (Wanna raise the stakes in your WWII novel? A German captain like Axel will keep your readers constantly unsure if your MC will make it out okay.) And I loved how the ending was so realistic. Another good lesson!

Rating: 5/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

Psst… there’s also a sequel called Saving Zasha, discussing post-war Russia where everything German is being eradicated, including German Shepherds…

15. Exiles from the War by Jean Little.

When a frightened girl and boy arrive on the Twiss family’s doorstep, to escape the Blitz, Charlotte wonders how she will keep her war guests from missing their parents back home, or from cowering every time a plane flies overhead. Though the war is being waged across the Atlantic, Charlotte begins to feel its danger, as her brother George defies their parents and enlists in the Navy. After months of receiving letters from overseas, suddenly there is no word from him — has the unthinkable happened and George’s ship been sunk by a German submarine?
Charlotte Twiss’s diary shows her innermost feelings about her life on the Canadian homefront, as she helps her war guests “settle in” and wonders whether her brother is safe from harm.

This made it on the list because it does such a great job presenting vintage WWII life & ideas, as well as the life of War Guests. By the way, my review is ages old, and not very good, but I did really love this book. ;P

Rating: 5/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

16. Shadows on the Sea by Joan Hiatt Harlow.

1942.
The U.S. is at war with Germany. Fourteen-year-old Jill Winter’s mother is traveling to Newfoundland and must pass through the treacherous North Atlantic, where German submarines—U-boats—stalk like wolves. Jill’s father, a famous pop singer, is on tour, so Jill is sent to Winter Haven, Maine, to stay with Nana.
Quarry, a local boy, says that “gossip ain’t never been so good,” and Jill soon discovers he’s right—Winter Haven is full of secrets and rumors. It seems everyone has something to hide—even Nana! Jill doesn’t know whom to trust, and she’s worried for her mother’s safety. And things get even worse when she finds a wounded carrier pigeon with a coded message attached to its leg.
Jill is determined to get to the bottom of all these mysteries, but when she uncovers the biggest secret of all, she finds herself in grave danger—and must run for her life!
Based upon startling historical events that took place in the harbors of Maine during World War II, the author of Joshua’s Song delivers a fast-paced mystery that will keep readers guessing.

And our last book is on this list to tackle spies… 😉 and a suggestion to look for unknown WWII happenings or outside-the-box tropes! It’s also a good picture of how to alternate the WWII with the daily life and the struggles of war with the personal struggles of characters.

Rating: 5/10 hearts. Click here for full review.

There are three other books I could recommend as useful WWII reads, but since they didn’t make it to 5 star ratings, I didn’t want to officially recommend them. However, if you’re writing of the Holocaust, WAAF or cryptographers, and/or spies, you might want to check out Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (4/10 hearts), A Secret Courage by Tricia Goyer (4/10 hearts), and/or Violins of Autumn by Amy McAuley (3.5/10 hearts). Also, for a different side of the war, The Cay by Theodore Taylor (5/10 hearts) touches on WWII in the Caribbean Dutch islands.

Also, you might want to check out the Beautiful Blue World duology by Suzanne LaFleur. It’s set in an imaginary world, but it is very reminiscent of WWII and it has some fantastic messages and thoughts about war. Here’s my review of Beautiful Blue World and my review of Threads of Blue.

And there’s your (very long) list of WWII fiction recommendation. Which one struck your fancy most? Have you any WWII recs for me?? I’m always looking for more. ;P