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Jana Petken
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Before The Brightest Dawn (The Half-Bloods Series Book 3) Kindle Edition

by Jana Petken (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,259 ratings
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Named as the 2020 Book of the Year at the IAN Awards. Named as the 2020 Outstanding Historical Fiction book at the IAN Awards A Gold Medal Winner at the 2020 Readers' Favourite Awards

Jana Petken’s extraordinary Multi-Award-Winning historical epic, The German Half-Bloods Trilogy, reaches its sweeping, heart-wrenching conclusion. In The German Half-Bloods and The Vogels, Jana Petken followed the turbulent lives of an Anglo-German family as they forged their paths through the Second World War. Now, the conflict intensifies in the Soviet States, North Africa, France, and the growing resistance movement in Poland. Will Max, Paul, and Wilmot Vogel survive the most ruthless phase of the war to date? Max takes a path to momentous events in North Africa where he balances undercover games of espionage in decadent Cairo with dangerous missions behind the German Afrika Korps’ lines. Paul’s loyalty to the Third Reich continues to wane as Germany’s extermination programmes in Poland expand, and he is stalked by the new Kriminalinspektor, Manfred Krüger. Can he stay one step ahead of a man who has been ordered to destroy him? Wilmot faces new challenges in the Afrika Korps, but is he mentally and physically prepared to lead his men into Libya’s fiery desert and against the British 8th Army? Before the Brightest Dawn, the long-awaited Book 3 of the Half-Bloods Trilogy, concludes the story of the inextricably entangled fates of three brothers … through a war that becomes increasingly brutal and cruel.

Editorial Review: for Readers' Favorite

In Jana Petken’s Before The Brightest Dawn, Book 3 of The Half-Bloods Trilogy, we are enfolded in a time in history that bears witness to the clichéd saying 'war is hell.' This is a story that reaffirms this wretched truth in a deeply moving way. Told from the perspective of the Vogel family, this epic work of fiction, framed within actual events of World War Two, immerses the reader in foreign worlds torn apart by the ravages and brutality of a global battle for survival. German-born Dieter Vogel and his English wife Laura are proud parents to three sons and a daughter, and when the war erupts in earnest, each member of their family becomes engulfed in fighting in their own particular way, subjected to horrors that confront them and challenge all they hold dear. Thomas Jefferson once said the most successful war seldom pays for its losses. After reading The Brightest Dawn, I know this should read 'never pays for its losses.' In the words of Jana Petken, war holds a ubiquitous disregard for life, and I know life can never be repaid. Before The Brightest Dawn, Book 3 of The Half-Bloods Trilogy by Jana Petken is absolutely compelling reading, which is almost impossible to put down. What is particularly impressive about this book is that in spite of the complexity and detail of the subplots running through the story, the consistency, accuracy, and preciseness of content is maintained to a flawless level throughout. This story has been meticulously laid out to form a coherent and wonderfully gripping tale. The characters and relationships are as real and diverse as any I know, and the empathy I developed for the main players was impressively genuine. I challenge anyone to read this engrossing masterpiece without shedding tears. In summary, this has been one of the best books I have ever read.
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  1. Book 3 of 3
    The Half-Bloods Series
  2. Print length
    651 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    June 14, 2019
  6. File size
    2200 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07SBZPJ97
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (June 14, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 14, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2200 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 651 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,259 ratings

About the author

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Jana Petken

Jana Petken

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Jana Petken is a historical fiction author and screenwriter.

She is critically acclaimed as a bestselling, gritty author who produces bold, colourful characters and riveting storylines. She is the recipient of numerous major international awards for her works of historical fiction.

Before life as an author, she served in the British Royal Navy. During her service, she studied Naval Law and history. After the Navy, she worked for British Airways and turned to writing after an accident on board an aircraft forced her to retire prematurely.

Titles by Jana Petken.

Bestseller, Multi Award Winning, The Guardian of Secrets. (2013)

The bestselling Mercy Carver Series: award-winning, Dark Shadows, book 1, and award-winning Blood Moon, book 2. (2014)

Multi Award Winning, The Errant Flock: The Flock Trilogy Book 1. (2015)

Multi Award Winning, Swearing Allegiance. (2016)

Award Winning, The Scattered Flock (The Flock Trilogy book 2)

Award Winning, Flock, The Gathering of The Damned (The Flock Trilogy Book 3)

Multi-Award-Winning, The German Half-Bloods The German Half-Bloods Trilogy Book 1 (2018)

The Vogels: On All Fronts. The German Half-Bloods (Book 2)

Multi Award winning |Bestseller Before the Brightest Dawn. The German Half-Bloods (Book 3)

Oath of Allegiance (2020)

Dawn of Ages (2021)

From the Ashes of Amiens (2021)

The Man from Section Five: Brinley Knight of MI5

The Dying Peace: Brinley Knight of MI5

https://www.janapetken.org/

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanaPetken

@AuthoJana

petkenj@gmail.com

Youtube https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jana+petken

The Guardian of Secrets

BlueInk Reviews Red Star Review

Jana Petken delivers a powerful family epic that chronicles the travails of an expatriate British woman and her family during the Spanish Civil War.

Recently wedded, Celia Merrill Dobbs' initial expectations of marital bliss quickly dissolve in 1912, when her husband Joseph reveals he has married her only to inherit her wealthy father's prosperous farm in the English countryside. A gambler and drinker with a violent temper, he frequently beats her and secretly murders her father. After Celia discovers that Joseph is her father's killer, she and their newborn son Peter escape to Spain with the assistance of her aunt and family friends.

Petken masterfully moves the gripping action along by creating credible characters and suspenseful plot twists. Writing in a straightforward manner and infusing scenes with details that inform but don't overwhelm, she portrays each of the characters' efforts to survive while coming to terms both with the horrors of wartime and personal bouts with excessive pride and passion.

Though the action is grounded in a particular time and place, the novel's concerns are universal, as typified when Celia's daughter ruminates on whether Spain would eventually "look back and feel proud of a war that had killed hundreds of thousands...or would it feel as she did now, betrayed by men with selfish political ambitions and lust for power." Despite its length, the captivating story succeeds brilliantly and becomes an unforgettable page-turner.

This is a must-read for historical fiction fans.

*****

KIRKUS REVIEWS

A dark debut novel about a woman's escape from a life of abuse and her ensuing struggle.

By all appearances, Celia Dobbs has everything a young Englishwoman in 1912 could want. She's newly married to Joseph Dobbs, a handsome man with whom she's besotted, and is the daughter of Peter Merrill, a wealthy man whose ownership of a vast farm ensures that Celia and Joseph will live well.

But all is not as it seems: Joseph soon shows his true colours as a violent drunk with gambling debts, and he proves to be a severely abusive husband, flinging expletives and punches as swiftly as he once cast promises of love. His dark side takes on added horror when Celia learns that he's responsible for the murder of her father.

With the help of her aunt Marie, Celia and her newborn son escape from Kent to Spain, and Marie promises that she will see justice served while Celia's away. Once in Spain, Celia meets a man named Ernesto and begins the next chapter of her life.

After Joseph's trial ends with a guilty verdict and order of execution, Marie decides to give Celia the dignity of being a widow instead of a divorcee, by destroying the divorce papers that would have freed Celia from her marriage.

Back in Spain, the novel details Celia's recovery and her children's developing lives, and they become key players in a tense, fast-paced story.

The writing is often captivating, with a consistently engaging tone throughout, although the violent scenes are somewhat graphic and disturbing. Celia's growth as a character truly sets this novel apart as more than a simple drama: It's also a commentary on how strong a woman can become when facing adversity.

A suspenseful, compelling historical novel.

*********************************************************************

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
1,259 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Joe Bonadonna
5.0 out of 5 stars A POWERFUL AND MEMORABLE FINALE
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2021
Verified Purchase
This is a magnificent, final novel in author Petken's "The German Half-Bloods" trilogy, the story of the fictitious Vogel family, which I know is based on the real-life stories of so many families torn apart by war. It delivers on a grand scale: from Cairo and North Africa, to England, France, Poland, and Germany. The war in North Africa is told with stunning realism, showing all the horrors and emotions of war. The Warsaw Uprising is also masterfully handled, and we live through the terror, tragedy and savage brutality the characters experience. Indeed, we see and feel the events of WWII through the eyes and hearts of the characters, and that is due to the strength and gift of the author Petken's talent. Twists and turns, deceptions and betrayals, the political and military intrigue, and the opening and changing of the hearts and minds of certain characters. And these characters are real - they spring to life and leap off the pages. We get to know them, what they think and what they feel. We come to love them or hate them, or at least to understand them. We see WWII through their eyes, we live it through their experiences. This novel does not shy away from the ugliness and cruelty of war; author Petken gives it to us straight, right between the eyes. Events unfold at a rapid pace - some as expected, if you know the history of WWII, others jumping out at us and taking us by surprise. Some heroes die, others survive. Some villains die, while others survive. That's truth, that's the reality of it. I came to care for the Vogel family - all of them, no matter on which side they fought. There is a grim reality to all three volumes, but they are not without humor, be it good-time joking between friends and family members, or the dark, gallows humor of soldiers on all fronts. What took me totally by surprise were the last few chapters, when plot threads left dangling were tied together. Where there was a happy ending for some, which I did not foresee, there was sadness and tragedy for others, which I also did not see coming. At the heart of this novel, at the core of all three novels, is the love of family, the loyalty of friends, and the patriotism of the characters. I found the ending to be highly satisfactory, realistic, happy and, in some cases, very sad. This is a saga of a loving, brave and even heroic family, and it does not disappoint at all. I highly recommend the entire trilogy.
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C Woods
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely great book!
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2019
Verified Purchase
This third book of the Voegel family's WWII story is absolutely great! The obvious research into the last few years of the war in Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa, including a prisoner-of-war camp in America, is outstanding.

I was glued to the pages as British Intelligence works throughout the war and resistance armies in Poland and France fight on to end Nazi control as the latter continue the genocide and civilian slaughter. It is beyond belief that German citizens supported their government's policies to such an extent. Shameful! To use the excuse of being unaware of the rampant atrocities is unacceptable! And to cowardly hide behind defenses of being under orders by the German military is absurd! Seeing is believing, and German soldiers saw the inhumanity and participated regardless of knowing it was wrong. It truly angered me as I read on.

I am disgusted and astonished at the blind eye to the slaughter and imprisonment of hundreds of thousands of Polish citizens by the allies. The bravery and heroism of the Polish resistance groups will ever be applauded by me! This novel truly brings it home!

Petken is an amazing author who skillfully created a plot here that gives many sides to this horrific conflict. The refrain "lest we forget" is a powerful reminder of the devastation and destruction perpetrated by fascism.

I highly recommend this profound novel and series to readers of historical fiction.
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Stephen Shaylor
4.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed this series
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2024
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This is the story off a family torn apart by war. The other British, the Father German, one son serves the British intelligence services the other two in the German army, one a doctor and the other a soldier. They all i there own way come to see the horror of the nazi regime. If you like his fiction an Ww2 you will e this book. It is well researched and the characters are well developed.
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Carly
5.0 out of 5 stars Before the Brightest Dawn
Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2021
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I loved all of the Vogals books. Jana is extremely thorough in weaving fact and fiction in her books.
Many a night I could not put the book down as the storyline kept me intrigued through each page.

In this last book Jana brought up the "Katyn" massacre that the Russians (NKVD)carried out on Polish Military officers & Intelligence.
This was in May & April of 1940. This massacre was blamed on the Germans and many of these Polish officers lives were never reported as to what had happened to them besides being POW's. Just recently this information has come to light. And for my family a raw nerve became unstable. As my great grand father John Lipski was one of those officers killed in the Katy Forest.
For my Father to find this out just 6 months ago was devastating. We were happy that my Father's Father never knew what happened.

As my Grandfather was in the Polish army as a Dr. He was captured by the Germans & Russians. his has quite a story too.
The bottom line is that Jana has a deep grasp of military history and feelings and emotions.
I look forward to her next book.
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celia yates
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2024
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I could not put this book down. Her characters are compelling and real. I look forward to reading more novels from this accomplished author.
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Top reviews from other countries

Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Judy wright
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 11, 2023
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What an absolutely shocking story i could not put it down I've read all 3 books and they one of the best books I've read
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome books!!
Reviewed in Canada on June 26, 2020
Verified Purchase
I read all 3 of The Half-Bloods books and am sorry they are over. Highly recommended to anyone who is as fascinated with WW2 history as I am. Great story, excellent characterization, takes us back to the horrors of the War through the eyes of a mixed family. I would rate 10 stars if I could!!!
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T. V. Archer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Trilogy
Reviewed in Australia on August 12, 2019
Verified Purchase
I thoroughly enjoyed following the Vogel families ups and downs through the terrible years of World War 2.
The 3 books have shown a very insightful and accurate description of the atrocities that were endured by millions of people through the disturbing and disgraceful years of that period in our history. Everyone should continue to read such books to understand that we must never allow such things to ever happen again.
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jennifer j.
5.0 out of 5 stars The half blood trilogy
Reviewed in Canada on March 14, 2020
Verified Purchase
Was a great read from the beginning to the end, it followed the lives of 3 brothers of an English mother and German father, during the war.It was amazing how the writer intertwine the event,s, and summarized the conclusion. look forward to reading her other books.Thank you
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AL Malik
5.0 out of 5 stars A true masterpiece
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 1, 2019
Verified Purchase
Jana Petken has managed to deliver a torrid reality checking account of the real inhumane treatment that was meted out to many of our fellow humans.
Told in a way that hits harder than the majority of factually documented narratives that have covered the inhuman way of life for those who were born at the wrong time, in the wrong place and of the wrong faith.
Following a German families escapades with both the Gestapo and the SS. The level of loyalty to the third reich and Adolf Hitler divides the family, compelling the grown up offspring of a mixed race long term marriage and their parents to take divided paths during the years of WW2.
What makes this beautifully written trilogy so compelling to follow and read is the depth of knowledge of armed forces of every nation involved in the struggle against the Nazis and the Axis forces, their leaders and actual events portrayed, even the types of weaponry, aircraft and armoured vehicles used, show the level and depth of research undertaken. This fictional but factual masterpiece is presented, not in the style of historians or filmmakers, but written the way that enables us readers to easily understand years of terror that the poor innocent Polish population, Jews and other minorities faced every living day of their occupation by the cold blooded murdering Nazis. The thought provoking description of tortures and execution, the horrifying selections of those chosen to die by brainwashed sadists brought me to a level of humility I never thought I'd ever possess.
Jana has managed to grasp my enthusiasm for this saga by making everyone of the cast into main actors, each with their own parts that had me following ever word written in the parts they played in. The trilogy leaps from country to country and event to event without losing me or my attention in any way. By far the best read I have had this year. I would love to see this saga turned into a historical drama by Netflix or Amazon Prime.
Thank you Jana Petken for this wonderful gift you have shared with us. God bless storytellers all over the world..
Al31327@icloud.com
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