Bluebird

Bluebird is one of those historical fiction books that have been on my TBR list for a very long time. I knew it would be great, and it is, but I must be in the right mindset to read a book with themes of post-World War II, Hitler, and the Holocaust. With those heavy themes in mind, the author did an excellent job finding an unexplored aspect of the war and creating a thrilling story that hits those themes without being heavy-handed.
Told in alternating timelines, we meet Inge in Nazi Germany, August 1945. She is the daughter of a prominent concentration camp doctor, she attends the League of Hitler Youth, and has been kept carefully shielded from outside sources so that she is a good German girl preparing to find a soldier to have a good German baby with when asked.
Then there is Eva, who arrives in America in 1946 and is taken in by the charity organization at Powell House. They help her get on her feet and expect no payment. There is a cute Jewish boy named Jacob assigned to be her mentor. She must take care of her friend, Brigit, who has had a bad war and is mentally compromised from it. All while dealing with personal mysteries and trauma herself.
The author does an excellent job of alternating these timelines so that we get foreshadowing for Eva’s story from Inge’s experience. There are many twists and turns that are uncovered as Eva is dealing with the trauma of the war and the culture shock of war-torn Germany to the prosperity of peacetime America. Some you can see coming from foreshadowing and others are surprises.
I loved Jacob’s character. He is a bit too perfect to help Eva play spy, but I completely support the development of their relationship. The author’s notes go more in-depth into what is made up and what is real. Overall, this is an engaging story dealing with a tough time in history and making us all question the culpability and issues of justice that arise from these horrible events in history.

It's 1946 and Eva and her friend Brigit leave behind destroyed Berlin for New York City. Eva carries a deadly secret. One that others want. She thought she left behind the horrors of what happened at the end of WWII, but they follow her as she is determined to bring justice to someone close to her. Along the way, she discovers haunting truths that might break her.

What worked: I totally love Cameron's WWII novels and this one is just as exciting and thrilling. I totally was mesmerized and couldn't put this book down! Powerful writing alternates between the end of the war and 1946 when Eva and her friend Brigit arrive in New York City. Eva can't make sense of the flashes of memory she has on her father who was a doctor in a Nazi concentration camp. I was riveted from the very first page.

Little by little readers start to piece together the puzzle of what Bluebird really means and what this all has to do with Eva. There are twists and turns and total surprise reveals that caught me off guard!

There are also hints of a romance and the struggle Eva has with trusting anyone. There's a huge reason for the distrust as all her moves are watched by shadowy figures.

A heart-pounding historical thriller that sets a girl on a trail to bring justice to concentration camp victims right after the war. There are betrayals, deadly secrets, and a horrific reveal toward the end. After reading I wanted to know more about what happened with Nazi doctors after the war. Cameron has in her author's notes facts on things like the concentration camp, the fate of a couple of the Nazi doctors, a deadly experiment that is the stuff of Sci-Fi novels, and also organizations that helped refugees after the war.

I totally recommend this book. It's perfect as a book of the month pick. Also, I think it would be a great addition to any high school reading list on discussions of WWII and Nazi experiments.