Discover new books on Goodreads

See if your friends have read any of Shelly Sanders's books

284 ratings | 59 reviews | avg rating:4.27

more photos (3)

Shelly’s Year In Books

Shelly’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Shelly’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to Shelly’s 2025 Year in Books

Shelly Sanders’s Followers (211)

Shelly’s Bookshelves

to-read (80)
currently-reading (11)
read (278)
did-not-finish (0)
family-secrets (1)
fiction (2)
russian (1)
slave-labour (1)
wwii (1)

Shelly’s Friends (293)

Rachel

2,869 books | 281 friends

James

193 books | 479 friends

Andye.Reads

1,592 books | 4,685 friends

Faloni ©

14,976 books | 3,848 friends

Nichol Jones

5,068 books | 421 friends

Nancy Runstedler

1,414 books | 397 friends

Marsha

2,333 books | 1,596 friends

Kelley

14,548 books | 3,719 friends

More friends…

Shelly Sanders

Goodreads Author

Born

Toronto, Canada

Website

http://www.shellysanders.com/

Twitter

shelly_sanders

Genre

Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, Fiction

Member Since

October 2011

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/shellysanders

edit data

THE NIGHT SPARROW April 1 2025/Canada
July 1 2025/UK, Australia, New Zealand

For fans of Kate Quinn and The Nightingale, a gripping story of a young Jewish girl who joins an elite Russian sniper unit and embarks on a mission targeting the highest prize of World War II: Adolph Hitler.

The Night Sparrow is a tense, engrossing tale of WW2. Based on true events, this is an improbably beautiful novel about a brutal episode in history."
— Janie Chang, author of The Phoenix Crown

https://www.harpercollins.com/product...

Daughters of the Occupation, HarperCollins, 2022, is a Canadian Bestseller, and received a Starred Review from Kirkus: “A gripping historical saga that skilfully addresses the trauma of the Holocaust.”

This historical fiction explores THE NIGHT SPARROW April 1 2025/Canada
July 1 2025/UK, Australia, New Zealand

For fans of Kate Quinn and The Nightingale, a gripping story of a young Jewish girl who joins an elite Russian sniper unit and embarks on a mission targeting the highest prize of World War II: Adolph Hitler.

The Night Sparrow is a tense, engrossing tale of WW2. Based on true events, this is an improbably beautiful novel about a brutal episode in history."
— Janie Chang, author of The Phoenix Crown

https://www.harpercollins.com/product...

Daughters of the Occupation, HarperCollins, 2022, is a Canadian Bestseller, and received a Starred Review from Kirkus: “A gripping historical saga that skilfully addresses the trauma of the Holocaust.”

This historical fiction explores intergenerational trauma from the Latvian Holocaust, and was spurred by ancestors, as well as the discovery of my Jewish roots as an adult.

The Washington Post says, “The title of this haunting novel refers not only to the victims of Latvia’s Holocaust but also to their descendants, who carry the trauma of their ancestors.”

“…this is a read that will stay in the minds of those lucky enough to read it.”—New York Journal of Books

Here's a review from New York Times bestselling author Lucy Adlington (The Dressmakers of Auschwitz):
"Daughters of the Occupation is a neatly crafted saga of personal and national trauma, a story of tentative hope in a world of menace, as three generations of women strive to understand who they are, where they came from and how they can feel free."

My first three novels, Rachel’s Secret, Rachel’s Promise, and Rachel’s Hope (Second Story Press) were inspired by my grandmother’s escape from a Russian pogrom and subsequent journey to Shanghai. They received starred reviews, including Booklist and VOYA, and two were named Notable Books by the Sydney Taylor Book Awards announced by the Association of Jewish Libraries.

Before I started weaving my family through historical narratives, I was a journalist, writing about everything from green architecture to Tourette’s Syndrome for the Toronto Star, National Post, Canadian Jewish News, Maclean’s magazine, Canadian Living, and Reader’s Digest. (I did write about family in a few pieces; it was impossible to resist when all three of my children got lice at the same time, or when we hosted a Chernobyl child.) ...more

Learn more
Ask the Author

To ask Shelly Sanders questions, please sign up.

Combine Editions
Shelly Sanders’s books

Average rating: 4.15 · 4,866 ratings · 635 reviews · 8 distinct works • Similar authors

	Daughters of the Occupation 4.24 avg rating — 3,829 ratings — published 2022 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Night Sparrow 3.78 avg rating — 761 ratings — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rachel's Secret (The Rachel Trilogy, #1) 3.77 avg rating — 188 ratings — published 2012 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rachel's Promise (The Rachel Trilogy, #2) 3.96 avg rating — 53 ratings — published 2013 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rachel's Hope (The Rachel Trilogy, #3) 4.09 avg rating — 34 ratings — published 2014 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Night Witches: A Novel 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Night Witches: A Novel by Shelly Sanders (Goodreads Author), Caroline Hewitt (Reader), Gilli Messer (Reader) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Night Witches: A Novel by Shelly Sanders (Goodreads Author), Caroline Hewitt (Reader), Gilli Messer (Reader) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Shelly Sanders…

72 posts
Shelly Sanders's Blog

Polina Gelman: An Inspiring Jewish Navigator in The Night Witches Who Never Gave Up!

Despite being told she was too short to fly in 1938, Polina (Lina) Gelman became one of the most skilled navigators in the Night Witches regiment. With the help of cushions behind her back, and wood blocks on the rudder pedals, Polina (who was not even five feet tall) completed 860 missions, dropped 113 tons…

View more on Shelly Sanders's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on September 23, 2026 07:25

View all 72 posts »

Series by Shelly Sanders

The Rachel Trilogy (3 books)
by

Shelly Sanders (Goodreads Author)

3.85 avg rating — 275 ratings

Shelly is Currently Reading

Shelly Sanders is currently reading

Lucky Boy

by Shanthi Sekaran (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Mar 10, 2025 08:36AM

Shelly Sanders is currently reading

The Frozen River

by Ariel Lawhon (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Jan 10, 2025 07:33PM

Shelly Sanders is currently reading

The Need for Roots: Prelude to a declaration of duties to human beings

by Simone Weil

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Aug 23, 2026 06:00PM

rss
Shelly’s Recent Updates

Shelly Sanders wrote a new blog post Polina Gelman: An Inspiring Jewish Navigator in The Night Witches Who Never Gave Up! Despite being told she was too short to fly in 1938, Polina (Lina) Gelman became one of the most skilled navigators in the Night Witches regiment. Wit Read more of this blog post »
Sep 24, 2026 01:21AM · like
Shelly Sanders is now following Amanda Peters Author of The Berry Pickers
Apr 09, 2026 06:19PM · like
Shelly Sanders rated a book it was amazing The Liar's Playbook: A Memoir of Family and Crime by Leslie Bradford-Scott (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This unflinchingly honest debut is a riveting account of a daughter’s struggle to come to terms with her father’s abusive, felonious past, and of the self-awareness that comes with healing. What is so extraordinary about Leslie Bradford-Scott is her ...more
Mar 23, 2026 05:54AM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Liar's Playbook by Leslie Bradford-Scott. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Liar's Playbook by Leslie Bradford-Scott <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shelly Sanders is now following Leslie Bradford-Scott Author of The Liar's Playbook: A Memoir of Family and Crime
Mar 23, 2026 05:52AM · like
Shelly Sanders entered a giveaway The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz: A Story of Survival by Anne Sebba (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 10, 2025 09:31AM · like · see giveaway · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz by Anne Sebba. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz by Anne Sebba <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shelly Sanders wants to read The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff (Goodreads Author) Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction, Readers' Favorite Debut Novel	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 07, 2025 07:03PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shelly Sanders wants to read Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite Fiction	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 07, 2025 07:02PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shelly Sanders rated a book it was amazing Girl With A Sniper Rifle: An Eastern Front Memoir by Yulia Zhukova	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 30, 2025 01:15PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Girl With A Sniper Rifle by Yulia Zhukova. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Girl With A Sniper Rifle by Yulia Zhukova <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shelly Sanders rated a book it was amazing Lady Death: The Memoirs of Stalin's Sniper (Greenhill Sniper Library) by Lyudmila Pavlichenko	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 30, 2025 11:04AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Lady Death by Lyudmila Pavlichenko. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Lady Death by Lyudmila Pavlichenko <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shelly Sanders and 4 other people liked virginia's review of The Night Sparrow: "I have read many books on this horrific era of WWII, the displaced women who fought back when Hitler invaded Russia. I am no stranger to the horrors that those people who lived through this war endured, often losing every family member and friend the" Read more of this review »
Mar 27, 2025 03:25AM · see review

More of Shelly's books…

Quotes by Shelly Sanders (?)

“He said funerals were for the living, not the dead, and that I’d regret it forever if I didn’t say goodbye.”
― Shelly Sanders, Daughters of the Occupation: A Novel of WWII – An Unforgettable Story of Three Generations, Holocaust Survival, and Family Secrets

0 likes

“Before delving into my family’s history, I’d never heard about the Rumbula forest massacre, where 26,000 Jews were killed over two nights, a tragedy in the manner and on the scale of Ukraine’s Babi Yar. I knew practically nothing about Latvia, its Soviet and Nazi occupations, and the fact that the execution of 90 percent of its Jews (including twenty-six of my relatives) was organized by a death squad also employed at Babi Yar, SS-Einsatzgruppen.”
― Shelly Sanders, Daughters of the Occupation: A Novel of WWII – An Unforgettable Story of Three Generations, Holocaust Survival, and Family Secrets

0 likes

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
South Shore Readers: Purging my book shelves- GONE!	5	38	Jan 23, 2016 04:52PM
Goodreads Librari...: Errors in Giveaway Book Tags	3	23	Apr 24, 2022 03:53PM
Around the World ...: Moldova	13	799	Mar 13, 2025 09:02AM
Aussie Readers: Share Your Reviews (and Thoughts) Here - 2025	2980	288	Dec 31, 2025 07:56PM
The Mystery, Crim...: First Name - Last Name	18541	3670	2 hours, 17 min ago

More…

Shelly’s Quotes

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
― Benjamin Franklin, Memoirs of the life & writings of Benjamin Franklin

tags: freedom, liberty, privacy, safety, security

3395 likes

“To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable.”
― Aaron Copland

tags: music

1290 likes

“Your father, Jo. He never loses patience, never doubts or complains, but always hopes, and works and waits so cheerfully that one is ashamed to do otherwise before him.”
― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

934 likes

“Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.”
― C.S. Lewis

tags: age, fairytales, growing-up

18242 likes

“Look at everything always as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time: Thus is your time on earth filled with glory.”
― Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

2625 likes

More of Shelly’s quotes…