A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin

Two women, bound by blood and betrayal, must break silence across centuries—or be silenced forever.

Lilith Legare’s life is unraveling. Since her mother’s death, strange things have been happening - plants turn toward her touch, animals linger in her path, and the birthmark on her arm has started tingling. Worse still is her recurring nightmare of being burned alive at the stake.

Her search for answers brings her from Savannah to England, to the decaying Brackenmere Manor where the past blurs with the present. There, Lilith discovers a legacy she never asked for and along with it, the threat of peril. History must be rewritten, or she too will die.

In 1645 Suffolk, Sybil Brantham stands accused as a witch. An educated, wealthy widow, she is branded a threat by men who fear her independence. As arrests begin and suspicion abounds, Sybil must protect her younger sister, even as betrayal takes root within her household.

Across centuries, Lilith and Sybil are bound by blood and by danger. To save themselves, and each other, they must confront the silence that has stolen women’s power for generations—and dare to claim their voices before it’s too late.

Kobo Edition, 380 pages

Expected publication September 1, 2026 

by Hanover Square Press

3.5/5 stars

Madeline Martin steps away from her usual World War II historical fiction with A Time of Witches,  trading the battlefields of the war for the witch hunts of 1645 in Suffolk, England. It is a big departure and for the most part it works.

The story moves between present day Lilith Legare and Sybil Brantham in the 1600s, two women connected across centuries by legacy neither of them chose. I enjoyed the present day storyline and how the links between Lilith and Sybil slowly came together. 

That said, something felt like it was missing for me, though I cannot quite put my finger on what.  Maybe I wanted more time with Sybil before her arrest. We meet her already caught up in accusation and suspicion, and I would have liked the chance to know her as a person first - an educated widow living her life before everything changes for her. That groundwork felt a little thin.

Still, this was an enjoyable read overall. Martin clearly did her research into the witch hunts and the atmosphere she builds is good throughout. 

My thanks to Hanover Press for a digital ARc in exchange for a honest review.

The Booklover's Library by Madeline Martin

A heartwarming story about a mother and daughter in wartime England and the power of the books that bring them together.

In Nottingham, England, widow Emma Taylor finds herself in desperate need of a job to provide for herself and her beloved daughter, Olivia. But with the legal restrictions prohibiting widows with children from most employment opportunities, she’s left with only one option: persuading the manageress at Boots’ Booklover’s Library to take a chance on her.

When the threat of war becomes a reality, Olivia must be evacuated to the countryside. In her daughter’s absence, Emma seeks solace in the unlikely friendships she forms with her neighbors and coworkers, as well as the recommendations she provides to the library’s quirky regulars. But the job doesn’t come without its difficulties. Books are mysteriously misshelved and disappearing, and her work forces her to confront the memories of her late father and the bookstore they once owned together before a terrible accident.

As the Blitz intensifies in Nottingham and Emma fights to reunite with her daughter, she must learn to depend on her community and the power of literature more than ever to find hope in the darkest of times.

Paperback, 432 pages

Published September 10, 2024

 by Hanover Square Press

3.5/5 stars

I am a little behind in my reviews.  I read The Booklover's Library in the fall just after its release.  Madeline Martin is one of my auto-rad authors.

The Booklover's Library is a story about Emma Taylor, a young widow struggling to make ends meet for herself and her young daughter. As England enters the war her options are limited with no family around for support.

A fiercely independent woman she is reluctant to ask for help in her time of need.  This story is about her progression through the war, realizing that she cannot do it on her own and she must change. Whether it be evacuating her daughter to the countryside, making friendships,  the war changes everyone’s priorities when trying to protect loved ones.

Madeline Miller has again written a vivid look at England during World War II with not just a war story but a story of courage, resilience and friendship. Just because their is no blood family around sometimes friendships develop in unimageable places.

This is part of my 2024 reading off my shelf challenge

The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London comes a heartwarming story about the power of books to bring us together, inspired by the true story of the underground library in WWII Warsaw.

All her life, Zofia has found comfort in two things during times of hardship: books and her best friend, Janina. But no one could have imagined the horrors of the Nazi occupation in Warsaw. As the bombs rain down and Hitler’s forces loot and destroy the city, Zofia finds that now books are also in need of saving.

With the death count rising and persecution intensifying, Zofia jumps to action to save her friend and salvage whatever books she can from the wreckage, hiding them away, and even starting a clandestine book club. She and her dearest friend never surrender their love of reading, even when Janina is forced into the newly formed ghetto.

But the closer Warsaw creeps toward liberation, the more dangerous life becomes for the women and their families – and escape may not be possible for everyone. As the destruction rages around them, Zofia must fight to save her friend and preserve her culture and community using the only weapon they have left - literature.

Paperback, 416 pages

Published August 1, 2023 

by Hanover Square Press

4/5 stars

Madeline Martin has been one of my go to authors ever since reading The Last Bookshop in London. Along with The Librarian Spy, she has placed herself in my auto reads for World War II fiction, based on fact.

The Keeper of Hidden Books takes place in Warsaw, told from the point of view of 18 year old Zofia. Zofia is an avid reader, she works in a library and best friends with a Jewish family.

This was a interesting story coming in at over 400 pages. Having read enough WW2 fiction over the years this was a nice refreshing change and highlighted the importance of books during this war. As the Germans slowly strip away those closest to her, friends and family and watching the travesty unfold in her beautiful country leaves her wanting to fight back.  She does so in a way that I have never read about before. She has her books and together with others, they preserve those that Hitler deems unacceptable. What follow is a story of dedication, heartache, perseverance and strength.

The author notes at the end was something I was looking forward to, mostly to confirm that the librarians in this part of the book was based on fact, and I love that was.

The power of books still endured though such a horrible time in history.

The Librarian Spy: A Novel of World War II by Madeline Martin

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London comes a moving new novel inspired by the true history of America’s library spies of World War II.

Ava thought her job as a librarian at the Library of Congress would mean a quiet, routine existence. But an unexpected offer from the US military has brought her to Lisbon with a new mission: posing as a librarian while working undercover as a spy gathering intelligence.

Meanwhile, in occupied France, Elaine has begun an apprenticeship at a printing press run by members of the Resistance. It’s a job usually reserved for men, but in the war, those rules have been forgotten. Yet she knows that the Nazis are searching for the press and its printer in order to silence them.

As the battle in Europe rages, Ava and Elaine find themselves connecting through coded messages and discovering hope in the face of war.

Kindle Edition, 336 pages

Published July 26, 2022

by Hanover Square Press

3.5/5 stars

This was one of my anticipated reads of 2022, I really enjoyed the authors previous book The Last Bookshop in London not just for its bookish theme but reading another part of history I was unfamiliar with. The Librarian Spy follows suit in that it takes place in Portugal, which was neutral territory during the war.

Told from two different POVs with one being a French resistant worker in Lyons and the other an American sent to work in Lisbon, Portugal. I enjoyed reading about the historical details that occurred not just in Nazi occupied France but from the perspective of life in Portugal.  It wasn’t just about the lifestyle there but the work that was done for the war effort was something new to me.

The Librarian Spy is a story of heartache, resilience and perseverance. It was well written and the author definitely did her homework with her knowledge of the time shining through. Reading the author notes and knowing the extent of her research made me appreciate that aspect of the story. However, for me it didn’t draw me in like I was hoping it would, there wasn’t a lot to separate this book from other WW2 novels, or maybe I have just read too many and my expectation level is elevated.

All in all I enjoyed my read and look forward to seeing what the author comes up with next.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for a honest review

Review: The Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of World War II by Madeline Martin

Inspired by the true World War II history of the few bookshops to survive the Blitz, The Last Bookshop in London is a timeless story of wartime loss, love and the enduring power of literature.

August 1939: London is dismal under the weight of impending war with Germany as Hitler’s forces continue to sweep across Europe. Into this uncertain maelstrom steps Grace Bennett, young and ready for a fresh start in the bustling city streets she’s always dreamed of—and miles away from her troubled past in the countryside.

With aspirations of working at a department store, Grace never imagined she’d wind up employed at Primrose Hill, an offbeat bookshop nestled in the heart of the city—after all, she’s never been much of a reader. Overwhelmed with organizing the cluttered store, she doesn’t have time to read the books she sells. But when one is gifted to her, what starts as an obligation becomes a passion that draws her into the incredible world of literature.

As the Blitz rains down bombs on the city night after night, a devastating attack leaves the libraries and shops of London’s literary center in ruins. Miraculously, Grace’s bookshop survives the firestorm. Through blackouts and air raids, Grace continues running the shop, discovering a newfound comfort in the power of words and storytelling that unites her community in ways she never imagined—a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of war-torn London.

Kindle Edition, 320 pages

Expected publication: April 6th 2021

 by Hanover Square Press

4/5 stars

The Last Bookshop in London is a fictional account of a few surviving bookshops of WW2. It has that coming of age feel that begins on the eve of the war in London.  Friends Grace and Eve arrive as the world is changing drastically and what follows is a journey of self discovery that is filled with heartache, grief and personal growth.  It isn't just Grace's friendship with Viv but developing relationships and how books comfort during a horrible time. I love bookish themed books

This was an enjoyable read with authentic characters that showed a side of the war I don't often read about.  From the air raid sirens, the men fighting and women doing their part I liked getting to know Grace, Mrs. Weatherford and even cranky Mr. Evans.  The author did the research and it showed. The historical part put me there as I witnessed bombings from a street level.

This is my first time reading a Madeline Martin book, I liked her writing style, her attention to detail and drawing me into a story that kept me entertained. Definitely a book and author I recommend, especially to those that love historical fiction.

My thanks to Hanover Square Press (via Netgalley) for a digitial arc in 

exchange for a honest review.