I had to dnf this book at 37%

I received an arc from netgalley for my honest opinion of this book and boy am I disappointed.

Grace is an eighteen year old girl who performs stunts with her uncle's barnstormer team. She's hoping to earn enough money to enter them in a contest that'll surely keep them financially stable. But when Henry, the team's handsome new mechanic, starts pestering Grace about her and the team's safety, she has to put aside her attraction to him and do what's best for her team.

Here are the issues I had:

My biggest problem with this book is that the main character Grace, is the worst. She's annoying, selfish, and a hotheaded idiot. She wont accept help from anyone, and claims to act this way because she's trying to get her team to a competition. It seems to me like the only person in her team that truly cares about the competition is her. We're supposed to feel bad for her/think she's strong because the book is set in a time where women are looked at as weak, but she has no redeeming qualities. She has two female friends, and she's so rude to them when they want to doll her up/take her for a night out. She refuses to wear the dress they offer her because "putting on fancy rags, or rouging my cheeks is not going to make me a different person." NOT WITH THAT ATTITUDE IT WONT. Literally every character cares about her safety except for her. I don't know, maybe she changes later on in the book but it was impossible for me to keep reading.

The relationship that's obviously going to develop between Grace and Henry felt uber forced. They share a moment where he helps bandage her hands and it's supposed to make us feel something, but really I'm just bored with it.

The positives:

This book was very clearly well researched. The author made sure she knew what she was talking about and not just throwing random airplane terms out there hoping no one would notice.

Henry has PTSD from fighting in WWI and that's not something that I've ever seen represented (at least in the same way). Henry has full on episodes that take him back to the battlefield and I think it's important to see that war doesn't leave those who've left the battlefield.

That's it. Nothing else was great. I'm really disappointed because I love historical fiction but this did nothing for me. This book was a hot mess.

2/5 stars because I think it could be an interesting story without Grace.

I chose this book because I had nothing to read and now that I finished it I can say it was one of my favorites of this year. I’m a lot into aviation so I also knew this historical novel was for me.

I found barnstorming – I’d never heard of that – a very interesting way to attract readers like me and I also can say it was a good choice to focus the story. The characters were well constructed and I saw an evolution on each of them. I absolutely loved Grace and all her thoughts because she’s a strong woman and always fights against society stereotypes.

This isn't a quick story which you can read in a few hours but a story you should take with calm. Though, I wasn’t bored in any time. There’re lots of words related to aviation which can lead you to think it's a difficult read but it’s not. The author makes all that easier so we can enjoy the read. I can only say I will probably always recommend this book.

Book requested via NetGalley.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity.

A fun, fast read with lots of drama talking about the barnstormers who did stunts with old military planes. I didn't really know much about this period of history and learned a lot reading it, the author's obviously done her research. The love story wasn't one I got particularly invested in, which let the book down for me a bit, but the in-air high jinxes and threat of sabotage more than made up for it.

Grace is a driven young woman with a mind of her own, striving to succeed in a time where women were barely getting their foot in the door to be heard and valued. She struggles to be taken seriously by the men in her life, but she handles it pretty well most of the time. She's very strong in her sense of self, which I found to be a delightful surprise. I enjoyed the historical detail and the danger of barnstorming and planes as well. Well written and fun!

Considering the fact that I don't each for Historical Fiction (at all, if I'm honest), I am pleasantly surprised. This was such a fun book! It was quick, never boring and I fell in love with the characters. Grace's headstrong personality was never overbearing or annoying and Henry's patient attitude was endearing. And both of them together? They were perfect together. I liked the portrayal of PTSD from Henry's POV and how Grace helped him through it and was understanding. Overall, I'd definitely buy it when it comes out.

I really like to read stories about early airplane pioneers-I find it fascinating that an airplane can fly in this sky. This is the story of Grace, a barnstormer, who wants to go to the World Aviation Expo. I really liked the character of Grace. I think it took a lot of courage for her to perform all of the dangerous tricks. Also, it was not a time when women were accepted in this field. Great historical fiction!

My full mini review will come on December 1 on my blog. The link will be below once the post is live. But I didn't like the MC hardly at all; she was rude, bossy, selfish and her awful behavior was never challenged. Everyone let her push them around and all the character motivations to stay with her at the end, as well as the romance felt forced. I don't like these tropes being seen in YA anymore. While I like the historical research and learning about wing walkers, it wasn't enough to really enjoy it.

This is a beautifully written and researched historical novel. The time period, setting, and world of barnstorming are presented meticulously, while the story and characters carry you along. Recommended!

A slow start for me, but I'm glad I stuck with it. Grace is a barnstormer in the American midwest looking to get into a Chicago flight expo. I've not read many historical fictions from this time period, but Trueblood paints a realistic picture of a post-WWI America. Henry's experience as a young veteran is haunting and a realistic portrayal of the remnants of war brought to the home front. A good book overall.

Is it weird that I’ve always had a bit of a softspot for bi-planes and early aero-nautics? Anyway this was a fabulous book – historical fiction with a very sympathetic heroine, dare devil action, a page turning plot and just the right amount of romance. The hate to love angle made it even more satisfying. Really enjoyed this.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book and the main character, Grace is a spunky, strong heroine. The prohibition era/1920s is one of my favourite time periods and I loved the inclusion of real-life people alongside the fictional ones. The historical details are well drawn without being self-conscious.

Definitely reccommended!

I received this ARC copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. So thank you netgalley and publishers.
This story is about wing walking, Not only was this just an amazing book but my great grandparents were wing walkers so this story was extra special for me ♡ It's also not something that people write a lot about, so this was very well done and I want to say a big thank you to the author for telling such a beautiful story but also giving life to my ancestors and what they might have done when they were wing walkers ♡♡   Grace was such a strong independent woman that was determined to do everything she could to make her dream come true so she could give her family a secure future. She was a little headstrong and stubborn but so is my family so it just made me picture my Great Grandparents even more ♡  Overall, this is a great book to read if you like historical fiction or just cute stories about kick ass ladies.I don't want to say much more so I don't give the story away but this was such a good book!
This was my first book from this author and I can tell you it won't be my last! Well done! 5 stars ♡

Amy Trueblood took me on a whirlwind adventure of barnstorming post World War 1. It was the Roaring Twenties. Time of speakeasies, home run King Babe Ruth and silent movie star Douglas Fairbanks. From chapter to chapter, the compelling tale remained focused, never straying from the storyline. There were no digressions to different scenes or time periods. A welcome relief being easily swept away in a narrative so easy to follow. The main characters were well drawn out. The author set me back in my chair with an ending that would not let go. Beginning to end - a great read.

Lincoln, Nebraska, summer of 22', eighteen-year-old wing walker Grace Lafferty, is the star of the show. The headliner of the troupe known as "The Soaring Eagles". Barnstorming. A Flying Circus. Her Uncle Warren was the pilot of a World War 1 army surplus plane known as a "Jenny". A biplane. They performed stunts and tricks to wow many audiences across Nebraska and neighboring states. Two other members, Nathan and Daniel, rounded out their team with another plane.

Back in the day, barnstorming like many other businesses had its competition. Grace was always in search of new tricks to outperform the others. The ones that stayed on top drew the crowds, made the money. Wing walking was a risky proposition. For some, it proved deadly. During the early years of barnstorming, there were no government rules or regulations. So anything went. There was just as great a risk of engine failure as there was for human error. Anything could go wrong.

The 1922 World Aviation Exposition in Chicago was just over two months away. The best Barnstormers from around the country would be competing. The only thing standing in her way, their way, was the $400 entry fee. Quite a piece of change back then. First prize winner would receive a one-year contract with highly recognized Palm Coast Studios of California. That meant steady employment for The Soaring Eagles. A first. It also meant their close knit group would be staying together. That was most important to her. They were like family.

Grace felt that she had to come up with a new trick that no one else had done before. Found it. Called it the Showstopper. That's entirely what it was. Total daredevil risk. Some might say bordering on suicidal. She figured that if they made to the Expo, they'd be a shoo-in with that new trick for first place. Before that could happen though, they'd have to hustle up some extra shows to make the bucks. Easier said than done. Time was running out.

This ARC was received from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Gratitude sent to North Star Editions - Flux for allowing this pre-release made available.

A good historical novel doesn't make you stop and want to look up things, or perhaps it does. There were several times that I wanted to know if the person in the story, that had just been introduced, was real, and was pleased when I found out they were. That is the best kind of historical novel, to me, spinning in real events, around your fictional story.

This is a story about wing-walking and barnstorming. These are feats done by men and women after the first world war, hanging from bi-planes, while people watched from below. That is the main plot, of Grace, who is a wing-walker, who performs these stunts in the midwest, in the 1920s. This part is all realistic, and a bit of fun. There is also a sub-plot involving her two waitress friends at the diner, who want to go to Hollywood, and are running from an arranged marriage.

The only problem I have with this book, and it is relatively minor one, is that while you can tell she did some amazing work on getting the barnstorming part of the story correct, she doesn't seem to have done as much research on the Hollywood part. And this probably won't bother most people.

But it bothers me.

You see, my grandmother worked for Disney and Warner Brothers. My father worked for RKO, (which became Universal), and Warner Brothers. There is some amazing history there, some amazing people, especially in the 1920s, when this story took place. If she can throw in real people in Chicago, why can't she throw in real studios in Hollywood? Why can't she name areas of Los Angeles? It would make the story just as real when it was in Lincoln, Nebraska.

So, good, strong protagonist, and good strong story. So, other than that minor thing with the movie studios, I would recommend this good, and exciting, and surprising story.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

I have students that are low-level, high-interest...and many of them are also into aviation. This is going to be our class' new read aloud. It is age-appropriate, but still has mystery and intrigue...it also has a lot of history hidden within the story. As the teacher, I felt like I learned quite a bit! Overall, an excellent young adult read.