I think ten years ago, I would have really loved this book. It's exactly the kind of thing I would have devoured and adored when I was in the 12-15 age range, which I think is what this book is geared toward. I went in expecting a little older YA since the main character is 17, but that was my mistake and not an issue with the book at all. It was just a little young for my tastes which did impact my overall enjoyment. If you regularly read the younger YA range, I'd wholeheartedly recommend this.

Honestly my biggest complaint is with the synopsis. I have an ARC of this book so I did double check that the synopsis on the final copy is the same (it is). I found the synopsis kind of misleading.
I expect synopses to cover the general premise of the book and be a starting off point for the story, so the meat of the book starts where the synopsis ends. But this one is literally just a summary of the book. The entire book. The only thing left out is the last 40 pages and the epilogue. The two Nazis mentioned in the synopsis don't show up until after the 300 page mark (in my 377 page edition). It probably would have been a more enjoyable experience if I'd stopped after the first paragraph of the synopsis and got to see the rest of the story unfold in the book itself.

I also found it a little too fast paced. In the author's note, Cameron makes a joke about how she had to cut things out or it would have been a thousand page manuscript, and I kind of felt that while reading the book. It feels like there's too much crammed in for the length of this story. It's definitely enough to give you a full picture of Stefania's life and experiences during the war, but it feels like skim reading her life. I just wanted a little more.

I did quite enjoy this, though. A little bit more time and I'd have gotten through this book in a day because I was always excited to pick it up and always wanting more of Stefania's story. It was such a solid book and so gripping. I love when something grabs me immediately from the beginning and doesn't let go until the end.

I think my favorite part was the epilogue. Stefania Podgorska was a real person and this is her real story. Cameron stuck very closely to the real events of her life during the war, and you can tell. I think sometimes that did work to the book's detriment since real life doesn't always unfold in a fiction friendly way, but for the most part I really loved it. Her discussion at the end of the real Stefania and what happened to the Jewish people she hid after the war had me tearing up.

This only barely missed hitting 4 stars for me. I'll be passing on my copy because I do think that some people will really adore it and it's a really worthwhile read if it sounds interesting to you and if you're someone who likes younger YA literature. I really liked it, but this is a book I would have loved at 13.