I think if the reader is a fan of the 1939 Worlds Fair that this a fun read and for those that have never read about the Worlds Fair, it would serve as an introduction. The characters are interesting and likeable and even Ruby, the villianess, ends up being a "good guy". The setting, which for the most part is the Worlds Fair is the best part of this novel. The fair was so fantastic, that it elevates the story. The plot is probably a little predictable--the ending ties up most of the loose ends, but for a summer beach read it is perfect.

Kudos to Susie Orman Schnall, author of "We Came Here to Shine" for writing such a memorable, captivating, intriguing, entertaining, and thought-provoking novel. The Genre for this novel is Historical Fiction. The timeline for this story is 1939, at the World's Fair in Queens, New York. I loved everything about this story. Susie Orman Schnall has such a wonderful way of vividly describing the characters, the events, the scenery and captures it all in a wonderful novel. The author describes her colorful and dramatic cast of characters as complex, and competitive. There are secrets, betrayals, inequality between men and women, and certain subjects were best kept to oneself. This is a wonderful and heartfelt story about friendship, sisterhood, family, and searching and finding what one is truly looking for. 

I have memories of my parents taking me to visit the World's Fair at the same place in 1964. Some of the buildings were the same. I was a child, but so impressed what the future might bring, I do remember the excitement and trying to remember "everything". I appreciate the hours of research the author did to describe her story.

Max, is a young, ambitious journalist, who wants to make her mark on the world. She finds that her assignement turns out to be at "The World's Fair" daily paper instead of the New York Times. More than anything, Max wants to be taken as a serious journalist. She gets to meet Vivi, a Hollywood actress that has been sent to the World's Fair to be the star in the"Acyacade" swimming, dancing, and singing program. Vivi feels that this will ruin her chances at her Hollywood career. Both women realize that their careers seem to be based on the whim of what men think is the best thing, not the right thing.  Both of them do feel that women should be treated equally and by merit.

I appreciate that the author discusses topics as equality, homosexuality, the importance of family, friendship, communicating, love, and hope. This was in the times before the "me-too" movement and just before World War Two.  The two friends realize what their priorities really should be,  and make sure that's how they follow their dreams and realities. I highly recommend this thought-provoking novel. Happy Reading!

I really loved this book! Set during the 1939 World’s Fair, We Came Here to Shine follows Vivi and Max, two young women with huge ambitions. Vivi is a Hollywood actress on the brink of her big break in the movies but has her big role taken away. She gets reassigned by the studio to perform in a synchronized swimming show at the fair and is promised a major role when she returns., Max is a spitfire young journalism student disappointed to be assigned a summer position at the daily paper at the fair over her dream role at the New York Times. Both girls spend the summer at the historic World’s Fair figuring out their role in it all and how to stand up for themselves and for women who want to make a big splash. (Pun intended!) The book gave me all the Mad Men if it were set in the late 30s vibes. The girls are forced to confront some serious sexism and harassment to figure out what they really want in life and what lengths they were willing to go to to get it. The book also transports readers to the amazing fair and made me wish we still had these elaborate events today. I really enjoyed this book! My only criticism is that there was a part where the narration takes the perspective of a voice of god type thing, where the future is foreshadowed very directly and both girls are referred to in a further removed manner than the rest of the book. This only came up in one chapter and it felt random and unnecessary. Otherwise, loved this book a lot and will likely purchase a physical copy! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to figure out how to be a synchronized swimmer!

We Came Here to Shine is historical fiction set in the backdrop of the 1939 World's Fair. It follows a summer in the loves of two seemingly very different women, who become friends and realize they are in fact very similar. Vivi is a young actress swimming in the Aquacade and Max is a journalist writing for the fair's newspaper. When they meet at a women's rally, they both realize they are fighting for the same cause. We follow them as their friendship develops, along with their political beliefs and activism.
The characters are well drawn and the story is interesting. Although the subject matter is serious, it is written as more of a beach read- not too heavy. The book is enjoyable. It is an easy read that leaves you satisfied at the end.

Good book! I enjoyes it quite a bit. The book follows Max, an aspiring reporter, and Vivi, a not-so-famous actress. The backdrop is the 1939 World Fair in New York. I liked these two ladied a lot. My only complaint is, why did it take 44% of the book for them to meet up? Way too much build up. 4 stars.

I really enjoyed #wecameheretoshine and found it to be a very interesting, enjoyable read. This is set in NYC during the 1939 World’s Fair and precedes the author’s other historical fiction book, The Subway Girls, which I also enjoyed very much. This book is a bit heavier on the feminist angle but not enough to be off-putting. I felt like the Fair was one of the characters and enjoyed how the author brought the setting to life. Thanks go to #netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I really enjoyed the setting of this book during the 1939 World’s Fair and on the cusp of another World War and the Women’s movement. Vivi and Max couldn’t be more different but their world’s collide when they are working at the fair in very different capacities. What forms is a true friendship where they work to better themselves and each other.

Two women both end up at the Worlds Fair in New York City in 1939 for two very different reasons. Vivi has had those Hollywood dreams and the studio sends her to NYC to be a part of an innovative show that will take place at the Worlds Fair. Max ends up at the Worlds Fair working for their newspaper when her internship at the Times doesn't work out, but maybe this will be the right place for her to learn and grow. Each women tell their story and at a certain point their stories unite and they will impact each other.

When there are more than one main characters, I always get a little nervous that I will like one more than the other, so I was happy while reading this book that I loved both equally. Vivi had quite the journey with a deep back story that unfolded little by little. She is sent from Hollywood to fulfill a contract and is hoping for a quick return to the life she was living in Hollywood. Max has grand dreams and she knows that setting up her future is all up to herself and she will have little help from her family. She knows that lining up productive internships should set the path ahead for herself and with some bumps along the way she figures out where she really wants to be in the end.

I loved the subtle nod to her previous book The Subway Girls in the back half of this book. I really loved that book, so it was great to see her throw that easter egg in and it completely worked within this story.

I love how Susie Orman Schnall introduces me to places and time and things in history that I wasn't aware of and giving those moments so much color. I will be on the lookout for her next book and am excited to see where she will put her focus on.

Max and Vivi are both reluctant participants in the 1939 World Fair- but it turns out to be the best thing for both of them. Max is a journalism student on an internship with the daily paper put out by the Fair - she was bitterly disappointed not to get a slot at the New York Times. Add to it, the editor and publisher don't believe in "girl" reporters so she is assigned to maintain the calendar while her classmate Charlie gets to write. Vivi was about to star in a movie when POW, she finds herself shipped off to sub in as a star of the Aquacade. Yes she can swim but not swim in this fashion so she struggles not only with that but also with her cast members. She also discovers that her sister Maria banished her from NY because of Maria's husband, who she's since left. Vivi and Max meet by chance and discover that together they can make their days better. This has nice period atmospherics (well, not always given the attitudes toward women!) but it's mostly a story of female friendship. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction who are interested in people perhaps more than events.

For me, this historical fiction story of women and friendship was very strengthening and inspiring. My only regret is that it would have been a great addition for my to-be read summer book list .. but I've already read it! You will enjoy your trip back to the past and savory the memories for years to come.

This is an ideal book to read in the summer, the fair aspect was unique and I loved learning about the 1939 World's Fair. The two main characters, Max and Vivi are both working hard to move up in their careers. It seemed like there were a few too many storylines and characters for me. I would have loved more focus on the paper and the show that continued from the character development at the beginning of the book. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

“The universe had plans for Vivi and Max and this story, during a few short months at the beginning of the 1939 World’s Fair, brings it all to life. Maxine Roth aka Max, a journalism student is hell bent at working at the NY Times, too bad, man makes plans and God Laughs.

Vivi Holden has learned to “ignore the wary voice, charge forward, and deal with the consequences later.” She is bound and determined to be a Hollywood star. Did I mention that man makes plans and God Laughs?

And while God is laughing, Vivi and Max are about to collide in the most special way. These two women, manipulated by the age in which they live and the men in their lives are about to realize their worth and potential. And I am yelling on the sidelines “You go Girls!”

Great writing, great characters that you love to hate and root for in equal measure, a walk around the World’s Fair with its sights, smells and sounds all brought to life – The World of Tomorrow. Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Griffin for a copy.

The book was interesting because it was about a Worlds Fair that did not really happen. I liked the detail about the fair. Some of the plot was too predictable and wrapped up too nicely so that the characters got what they wanted in the end. It was a very easy read and I liked most of the main characters. There was nothing overwhelmingly memorable about the book except the things about the fair.

"Building the World of Tomorrow"- The theme of the 1939 World's Fair in NYC. The fair spanned 1,216 acres with seven zones. Max was assigned to work as an intern in the Communications zone at "Today at the Fair," a daily publication for each days' events and Vivi was in the Amusement zone performing as the star of the synchronized swimming show. Check the map for those locations- isn't that map the best? The girls are on opposite sides of the fairgrounds. So how do the paths of Max and Vivi cross? That's what makes this "story go round!"

Susie Schnall employs an interesting mirroring technique in her opening lines of chapters 1 & 2 and even several more times in the novel. "Vivi Holden would eventually realize that not getting what she wanted that day was the best thing that could have happened to her." Similarly, opening chapter 2 with, " Maxine Roth would eventually realize that not getting what she wanted that day was the best thing that could have happened to her." Each girl is coping with personal life dilemmas, power struggles in career paths and discerning conflicting dominant male opinions and uninvited advances. Schnall also uses foreshadowing early on when Vivi admits her sister has told her "she never wanted to see her again. And she couldn't bring herself to even think of the other person. The potential of what could have been..."

Schnall takes the reader on a grand tour of the fair as the girls' stories unfold. Readers will "yearn" for the girls to mature and grow in their own belief systems and find their own voice amidst the male dominated world in which they exist. Along with fabulous facts and descriptions of the World's Fair, including a royal visit by King George VI and Elizabeth; readers will meet Elizabeth Dorchester and the National Woman's Party. Max and Vivi hearing her speak at a rally, are inspired by rhetoric regarding women being treated equally in workplaces and how they should stand up for their ambitions. Remember, this is 1939. But sound familiar?

"Two friends who had shared an extraordinary experience, and extraordinary summer." As Max's professor had said, "The World's Fair could be life-changing." Susie Orman Schnall says it best: "All lit up by sunshine and optimism and a belief that the future and the better days it promised were just around the corner. The fair had a way of touching everyone who passed through its gates."

We Came Here to Shine will change readers just as the 1939 World's Fair changed Max and Vivi. Give it a "whirl!" ****

"

We Came Here to Shine by Susie Orman Schnall is an absorbing and very enjoyable read. The book was page turning from beginning to end. The setting is 1939 at the Worlds Fair in Queens, NY. It was a setting that I haven't seen used before in historical fiction. The description of the fair itself was wonderful. I felt like I was there walking through the amusement zone, international zone etc. The fair was definitely a major character in the story and the descriptions seemed so alive and authentic.

The main characters are Max who is an aspiring journalist trying to gain both experience and write a story at the fairs daily paper and Vivi who is an actress sent from Hollywood to star in water show at the fair. Max and Vivi are two very different girls whose lives intertwine while working at the fair. The premise of their friendship is a wider view of the challenges women faced in 1939 and how men tried to control them. Each woman is determined to make something of themselves. In 1939 a woman’s role in society was still that of a housewife. Max and Vivi help each other learn and grow during the summer of 1939. Both characters are vibrant, complicated, interesting, brave and memorable.

I feel this is an exceptionally well written work of historical fiction. This is the second book I have read by this author and I have absolutely become a fan. The skillful storytelling of Ms. Schnall succeeds at creating an ending that is both believable and surprising.. I love that Ms. Schnall chooses topics not readily known to her readers which makes them that much more interesting. Having grown up in NY and attending the 1964 -1965 Worlds Fair, there were some of the original buildings and icons which had remained from the 1939 Worlds Fair. It was wonderful to walk around the fair again. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Schnall has in store for us next! Job well done!

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Griffin, Susie Orman Schnall and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really this is more of a 3.5 than a 4. I had read Schnall's previous book and felt about this one much the same as I had about The Subway Girls. Perhaps I just don't mesh with her writing style -- to me, her dialogue feels stilted and I find it hard to connect with her characters. And, although her work is generally well-researched with no glaring anachronisms, I never get from her the strongly evoked period feel that I like in a historical novel. That said, I gave her extra credit for the setting -- a World's Fair is always fun and it was very interesting to read and learn about water ballet. And it was so nice to read a historical where the action doesn't involve a war -- although, with it taking place in 1939, WWII was hanging over my head a bit.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC copy for my review.

The New York World's Fair of 1939 is the centerpiece of this new title from Susie Orman Schnall. Her previous book, "The Subway Girls," was one of my favorite reads of 2018. This one was a lovely read and the friendship of Vivi with her Hollywood woes and Max with her journalism ambitions provides some really great plot potential. Having Max work in the office for the fair newspaper made a great vehicle for presenting details about the day-to-day fair happenings. The subway girls contest is mentioned in the new book making it a nice companion read. I also appreciate this slice of world history before we were in the midst of WW II. IThe cryptic asides directed at the reader sprinkled throughout provide enticing bits of foreshadowing. And that cover. So engaging! For me, though, the pacing was off. It seemed like all the peril was clumped into one section of the book. The first half started to drag a bit without those clear conflicts to pull the reader in. It will still be delightful read for your summer vacation. I recommend pairing it with chocolate mint brownie on a lazy summer afternoon.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

WE CAME HERE TO SHINE is another enjoyable novel by Susie Orman Schnall that takes on the 1939 World’s Fair. Schnall has a current that runs through all her novels about female empowerment and it’s captured in this novel through Max, the inspiring journalist, and Vivi, an actress in transition. These two meet in an unexpected way and form a friendship that helps each other confront what they want in life and how they plan to get it. A good book for those that like stories about female empowerment, historical fiction, and the power of a village no matter how small. The details of the fair are captured wonderfully as it serves as an inspiring stage for this story to be told. There is also a fair amount of drama to keep you engaged and reading. The thing I like most about Schnall’s books is that there is always an honesty to them about how to balance what you want to be and what you need to be and a call to stop and think about who you are living your life for.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

This is an interesting piece of historical fiction centered at the 1939 World's Fair. Schnall does a great job at setting the scenes and making the reader feel like they were actually there. This era is one I don't know much about. I learned a lot about life in America in 1939 and the hopes and dreams of the characters. This story was beautifully written and makes me want to read more about this era and this World's Fair. I would definately recommend this book.

I found Susie Orman Schnall last summer when I read her book The Subway Girls, and was so excited to be invited to read her latest book, We Came Here To Shine! Revolving around two women, Max with aspirations as a newspaper writer and Vivi a fledgling actress who is abruptly cast into a lead at the Aquacade show this story is all about the 1938 World’s Fair in New York City. This book has all of the elements that make Schnall’s books incredible - The characters are all so relatable and memorable, and I quickly became outraged at the wrongs these women endured and cheered them on through their personal triumphs. I love Schnall’s style of writing, with an amazing skill of conveying internal dialogue, faceted conflict and just enough info for the setting that engage and invite you into a well-researched time in our history. I highly recommend this book to all my friends. I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.