Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
The Last Year of the War
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
From the acclaimed author of Secrets of a Charmed Life and As Bright as Heaven comes a novel about a German American teenager whose life changes forever when her immigrant family is sent to an internment camp during World War II. Elise Sontag is a typical Iowa fourteen-year-old in 1943--aware of the war but distanced from its reach. Then her father, a legal U.S. resident for nearly two decades, is suddenly arrested on suspicion of being a Nazi sympathizer. The family is sent to an internment camp in Texas, where, behind the armed guards and barbed wire, Elise feels stripped of everything beloved and familiar, including her own identity. The only thing that makes the camp bearable is meeting fellow internee Mariko Inoue, a Japanese-American teen from Los Angeles, whose friendship empowers Elise to believe the life she knew before the war will again be hers. Together in the desert wilderness, Elise and Mariko hold tight the dream of being young American women with a future beyond the fences. But when the Sontag family is exchanged for American prisoners behind enemy lines in Germany, Elise will face head-on the person the war desires to make of her. In that devastating crucible she must discover if she has the will to rise above prejudice and hatred and re-claim her own destiny, or disappear into the image others have cast upon her. The Last Year of the War tells a little-known story of World War II with great resonance for our own times and challenges the very notion of who we are when who weve always been is called into question.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
Margot0817
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
Pickpick

Another 5 star read by Susan Meissner! I had never heard of the internment camps or repatriation in America during the war. I've read several WW2 books (maybe 12 or more?) and each one teaches me something new!🥰

blurb
SilversReviews
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

#ITTAKESALLKINDS
@Eggs
@AlwaysBeenALoverOfBooks
@LitsyEvents
#LitsyEvents

TODAY‘S PROMPT: WAR

HISTORICAL FICTION - WWII

A friendship made in an internment camp during WWII that lasted only eighteen months, but bonds and memories that lasted a lifetime.

If you enjoy historical fiction and Ms. Meissner's books, you will want to make room on your bookshelf for THE LAST YEAR OF THE WAR.

https://tinyurl.com/454r5vwn

tpixie I love this author AND historical fiction 🌺 10mo
SilversReviews @tpixie Me too. 😀 Thanks for your comment. 10mo
SilversReviews @tpixie Have you read this one? 10mo
See All 7 Comments
Eggs Stacked 👏🏻👏🏻 10mo
tpixie @SilversReviews no! I stacked it though! 10mo
SilversReviews @tpixie GREAT!! Enjoy!! 10mo
tpixie @SilversReviews 😀🥰 10mo
31 likes2 stack adds7 comments
quote
cmurrsanders
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

“We do not become different people as we age; we just add layers of experience onto who we already are.”

review
candc320
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image
Pickpick

I absolutely love Susan Meissner‘s novels and have read nearly all of them. While this one is good it unfortunately isn‘t a favorite. I loved learning more about the American internment camps used to house German and Japanese people during WWII (truly insane) as well as seeing the prejudice from their POV after the war ended. My only issue is that the story barely dealt with the two main girls‘ relationship which I thought was the point. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

SilversReviews So good. 4y
19 likes1 comment
review
InnerSavvy
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image
Mehso-so

I normally enjoy Susan Meissner as an author. The story was okay but it was based on a relationship between two girls that just didn't explain itself well enough to hold through this whole story. I found myself struggling to pick the book up.

blurb
Butterfinger
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

@InBooksILive I received the book. But, I don't remember anything about it. 😊 I certainly do appreciate it.

InBooksILive I hope you enjoy it ☺️ 4y
28 likes1 comment
review
Nitpickyabouttrains
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image
Pickpick

A girl of Japanese decent and a girl of German decent meet in a us internment camp. They both get repatriated.

17 likes1 stack add
blurb
BookNAround
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

About to finish the first and pick up the second. Could they be more different?

review
Lexicon1982
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image
Pickpick

This is a story worth reading; everyone should learn about the unspoken truth of internment camps on American soul.We should never assume that our freedoms couldn‘t be taken away on a whim, between the fine line of individual freedoms and “national security”!
Having the story follow the Sontag family after their repatriation back to Germany really highlighted the struggle these interned families faced, they became caught between two worlds.

Rachbb3 I love this author. I definitely need to read some more of her books. 5y
10 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
AmyK1
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

Trying to get one more book read before leaving for our anniversary trip on Saturday.

Crazeedi Happy anniversary ! Have a wonderful time!!💕 5y
6 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
candc320
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

Susan Meissner is one of my all time favorite authors and I‘m soooo excited to read this newest novel! I‘ve really got to do something to speed up my reading....I can‘t seem to concentrate on any one thing for too long 🤨😩.

readingjedi I have spells when my concentration is just woeful & I'm so easily distracted by the slightest little thing ... I'm in the the midst of such a spell right now 😤😤😤 6y
candc320 You and me both @readingjedi ! I don‘t typically have this problem but it‘s been going on this time for months 🥺. I‘m not sure what will fix it! 6y
readingjedi @candc320 Well, for me, I just let myself be distracted. I figure it's what my brain needs to do with itself for a while. After a while I find myself appreciating being focussed on one thing at a time more & more. It works for me ... but I do find it very frustrating when I got SO MANY THINGS TO READ! 😂😂😂 6y
18 likes3 comments
review
a.bookish.byrd
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image
Pickpick

❤️

review
bg_reads
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image
Mehso-so

Check out my Goodreads for my lengthy review! It's LONG. #mylongestreviewever
www.goodreads.com/pollywaug

quote
bg_reads
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

quote
bg_reads
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

P. 192

review
SilversReviews
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image
Pickpick

I am on a blog tour sponsored by Tara O‘Connor of Penguin Random House for my review.

FULL REVIEW: https://bit.ly/2TZJeWO


A friendship made in an internment camp during WWII that lasted only eighteen months, but bonds and memories that lasted a lifetime.

THE LAST YEAR OF THE WAR is a marvelous history lesson and a testament to enduring friendship and learning lessons and making decisions. 5/5

77 likes1 stack add
review
christinehk
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
Bailedbailed

I had read so many great reviews about this book, I was disappointed it did not work out for me. The book seems to be written in the present and the past, depending on the chapter. The first few pages caught my attention; I was hooked. However, once I got to the past ... I felt like I was reading a chapter from a history book. It moved slowly and unfortunately, after reading about 40 pages, I decided I couldn‘t read it anymore.

blurb
SilversReviews
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image



Don't you just LOVE her books?

All are reviewed on my blog, and THE LAST YEAR OF THE WAR will be reviewed on March 27 for a blog tour.

Happy Reading!!

Mdargusch I haven‘t read any of these! Which is your favorite so I can add it to my TBR. 📚📚📚📚 6y
SilversReviews They all are good , but I‘d start with AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN. Check out my blog reviews if you like. Http://silversolara.blogspot.com. Thanks for commenting. (edited) 6y
56 likes2 comments
review
BlueStockingReviews
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image
Pickpick

Enter my Book Giveaway for The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner. https://www.bluestockingreviews.com/blog/book-giveaway-the-last-year-of-the-war A 5⭐️ read of a little known piece of our history. Moving and Thought-provoking! #TheLastYearoftheWar #SusanMeissner #Berkley

blurb
Serenity_Within86
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

Coffee ✔️
Book ✔️
Good morning 🌞🌞🌞

review
Reecaspieces
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image
Pickpick

🍭🍭🍭🍭🍭 review is up on my blog. Stop by and say hi! https://reecaspieces.com/2019/03/19/the-last-year-of-the-war-by-susan-meissner-r.... This book is sooooo good

Crazeedi Thanks for the review! 6y
Reecaspieces @Crazeedi thanks for the comment on my blog. It makes my day! 👏👏❤️❤️ 6y
Crazeedi @Reecaspieces 😉👍🌹 6y
84 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
ReadingisMyPassion
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image
Pickpick

This beautifully written story is about forever friendships, family bonds, adaptability, bravery, determination and even a little romance. But it also contains great historical information about the internment camps and the families forced into them and about the repatriation program, exchanging interned families for POWs held in Germany and Japan.

10 likes1 stack add
review
BlueStockingReviews
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image
Pickpick

A deeply affecting and beautifully written historical fiction story of a family of German immigrants interned during WWII.
https://www.bluestockingreviews.com/blog/the-last-year-of-the-war

57 likes1 stack add
blurb
Reecaspieces
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

A beautiful day in the neighborhood! #sunshine! #alwaysreading. I am reading the tagged book. It is sooooo good. What are you reading today? Please share!

RedLeaves Love this 😍 6y
Reecaspieces @RedLeaves nothing like a little warm sunshine. 6y
AmberWB This sounds so good!!! 6y
See All 14 Comments
Velvetfur I'm reading about how to connect with the Divine Feminine Energy! Love this pretty photo 😍 6y
Reecaspieces @Velvetfur thanks! It is a beautiful day here! Enjoy your read! Sounds interesting! 6y
bookishkai I‘m reading The Huntress and The Perfect Child. 6y
Reecaspieces @bookishkris I hope you are enjoying it!! 6y
RedLeaves @Reecaspieces Absolutely 6y
Velvetfur @Reecaspieces Thank you x 6y
Reecaspieces @SW-T I have put that on my TBR list. Looks soooo good 6y
megnews I didn‘t know she had this out! I love her! Stacked. Can‘t wait to read! 6y
Reecaspieces @megnews it comes out Tuesday. And yes...stack it. It‘s good! 6y
109 likes1 stack add14 comments
review
TorieStorieS
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image
Pickpick

This #NetGalley read is probably between a So-So & a Pick for me, but I‘m going to round up since I enjoyed the author‘s writing. This WWII novel covers a wide range of places & parts of the war, all through the eyes of Elise, an American of German descent who ends up interred in Crystal City and then in Germany. But the pacing is a little slow here & the distance of the narrative frame makes this more of a teller than a shower in many places.

review
ReadingSusan
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image
Pickpick

This book was excellent. It was a captivating story spanning years and different locations. My heart ached for all Elise had to go through. It was also sad to think about those history repeats itself and we never learn.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

wordzie Super 😎 6y
90 likes3 stack adds1 comment
blurb
SilversReviews
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image


FULL REVIEW WILL BE ON MARCH 27.

A friendship made in an internment camp during WWII that lasted only eighteen months, but bonds and memories that lasted a lifetime.

THE LAST YEAR OF THE WAR is a marvelous history lesson and a testament to enduring friendship and learning lessons and making decisions.

If you enjoy historical fiction and Ms. Meissner's books, you will want to make room on your bookshelf for THE LAST YEAR OF THE WAR.

Reecaspieces Can‘t wait! 👏👏👏 6y
SilversReviews @Reecaspieces You will like it...thanks for commenting. 6y
55 likes3 stack adds2 comments
blurb
ReadingSusan
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

The perfect Friday night TBH.

TheBookgeekFrau I second that 6y
106 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
InBooksILive
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

Hey @AmberWB Just wanted to let you know that I'm sending The Last Year of the War tomorrow morning so keep an eye out for it in the next few days! 😊

Hope you enjoy it! And congrats on winning it 😁

#TheLastYearGiveaway

blurb
InBooksILive
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

@AmberWB you've won! 👏🏻🤗

email me, inbooksilive@yahoo.com, your address and I'll get The Last Year of the War sent right out to you!

Congratulations and thanks to everyone that entered! 😊

#TheLastYearGiveaway

JoScho Yay!!!! @AmberWB 6y
AmyG Congrats🎉 6y
AmberWB Yay!!! Thank you so much!!! I have had a hell of a day and this is definitely a nice ending! 😊 6y
InBooksILive @AmberWB awe, I'm so glad I could help make your day at least a little better! 6y
39 likes4 comments
blurb
Soubhiville
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

Thanks for hosting this giveaway @InBooksILive ! I would love to read this. Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres. #TheLastYearGiveaway

InBooksILive Thanks for entering! Good luck! 6y
41 likes1 comment
blurb
SilversReviews
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image



Enter the giveaway if you like...the host is @InBooksILive

Go to her page or the details that didn‘t appear here. 😊

Thanks.

46 likes1 stack add
blurb
cinann
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

I've only read one Susan Meissner book, but I'd love to read more.
#thelastyeargiveaway
@InBooksILive

InBooksILive Thanks for entering! Good luck! 6y
12 likes1 comment
blurb
LitsyHappenings
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

Repost for @InBooksILive :
I just got this ARC in the mail! I guess I entered to win it, but I don't remember doing so especially since historical fiction isn't a genre I typically read.

So! I'll have a #LitsyGiveaway for it!

Whoever wants this ARC, just repost, tag me and use hashtag #TheLastYearGiveaway

I'll randomly pick a winner on Friday!

(US only please)

InBooksILive Thank you! 😊 6y
48 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
Beatlefan129
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

This looks really interesting. I love WWII historical fiction
#TheLastYearGiveaway

InBooksILive Thanks for entering! Good luck! 6y
27 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
AmberWB
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

I love historical fiction, and I triple love World War II historical fiction! Thanks to @InBooksILive for this giveaway opportunity!
#thelastyeargiveaway

InBooksILive Thanks for entering! Good luck! 6y
18 likes1 comment
blurb
InBooksILive
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image

I just got this ARC in the mail! I guess I entered to win it, but I don't remember doing so especially since historical fiction isn't a genre I typically read.

So! I'll have a #LitsyGiveaway for it!

Whoever wants this ARC, just repost, tag me and use hashtag #TheLastYearGiveaway

I'll randomly pick a winner on Friday!

@LitsyHappenings

(US only please)

SilversReviews @InBooksILive #TheLastYearGiveaway - I LOVE her books....thanks for the giveaway. 6y
InBooksILive It sounds like it would be an incredible book! But I think it would just sit on my shelf and get no love, so I wanted it to go to someone who would enjoy it 😊 6y
36 likes2 comments
review
vlwelser
The Last Year of the War | Susan Meissner
post image
Pickpick

This one was really good. A German American teen and a Japanese American teen meet in an internment camp at the end of WWII. It's mostly from the German American's perspective. 💖📚

#NetGalley #ARC