Timely and enlightening! The War Librarian a of sisterhood and sacrifice, reminding us of the importance of standing up for what is right in the world–even in the face of war and great peril.

Give me a book about war and a librarian and look out.

Thank you NetGalley.

A story of two women in different times striving to do something they have come to believe is their manifest destiny.

Emmaline volunteers as a war librarian, reading and sharing books with injured soldiers. Books that are not on the approved list become a part of her library and the lively discussions between members of the book club of soldiers become the highlight of her day.

Kathleen becomes part of the first coed class in the United States Naval Academy in 1976, She and the other female recruits faces challenges they never imagined - uniforms and protocol designed for men to outright harassment and condemnation from male service personnel in all ranks.

This story of two women blazing a path for others intertwined with their perseverance for doing what is right creates a page turning novel that will keep the reader engaged and guessing until the very end!.

I received a copy of The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I struggle with dual timeline stories -- this one was no different. A lovely and heartwarming read, it just wasn't quite for me. I'm sure it will find a bevy of readers whom it's perfect for!

4.5 Stars

The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong is inspired by the first female volunteer librarians during World War 1, a role I didn't even know existed. It's fitting that I finished this read on International Women's Day as too often a woman's role in history goes untold. I feel honored to have read this story and absolutely loved how the dual storyline came together in the end. Highly Recommend!

While I appreciated this authors attempts to weave an interesting story, this story just dragged on and on for me. I feel like this kind of story has been done a lot in recent years, and I’m frankly tired of historical fiction authors constantly retreading this world war 2 women territory. I found Emmaline to be frustrating in terms of her youthful naivety, and the romance aspect of the story didn’t feel authentic to me. No chemistry. I loved this author’s first novel, a I will try another book by her in the future , but this one was just a 3 star read for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Well researched, this novel is thought provoking and emotional as it draws attention to the lesser known women serving books during wartime as respite against the darkness. Inspiring, courageous, and emotional.

Thanks to Penguin Group Putman and NetGalley for this ARC in return for my honest review

Addison Armstrong is one of the brightest young authors that I have and pleasure to read. Barely out of college she has produced two wonderful books, the newest being "The War, Librarian." This book follows the dual timeline of World War I and the first class of females at the US Naval Academy in 1976. in 1918 Emmaline Balakin is working at the Dead Letter Office of the US Postal System, and stumbles upon a letter from a former friend of hers, who is now serving in France during the war. She eventually becomes a librarian, and it shipped overseas where she is part of the effort to bring books to the soldiers. While there she finds that her friend is one of the wounded soldiers at the hospital where she is working. She is shocked by the horrors of the war, by the segregation among the wounded and hospitalized, and tries to bring joy and happiness to these individuals, through books, despite all the perils of being near the front line. She makes friends with another young lady named Nellie who is a Red Cross volunteer who helps Emmaline navigate the system while she's over there, as well as teaching her how to drive. In 1976 Kathleen Carrie is part of the first group of female midshipman at the US Naval Academy, and is the granddaughter of Nellie. We follow Kathleen as she is subjected to all types of hazing and harassment at the Academy. Many of the male midshipman do not wish to have females in the Academy, and do anything possible to intimidate them, including trying to have them dismissed from the Academy for treasonous behavior. But there is a secret from World War I, that will impact Kathleen in her attempt to be part of the first class of female midshipmentat the US Naval Academy. This is a well researched book, filled with historical events, and certainly shows you the female point of view in both timelines. The authenticity in this book is shocking, and it also saddens one to see what women had to put up with in their efforts to help and assist our country and military.

An incredible story that tells the lives of a grandmother and her granddaughter in alternating chapters. The grandmother’s story takes place during WWI as she is sent to France to be a librarian at a hospital. Books from the ALA are sent to soldiers but the government tries to ban certain titles as being treasonous. The granddaughter is one of the first women admitted to the Naval academy and faces harsh hazing. The two stories weave together family, friendships, and lost loves.

This book had everything I wanted in it. First of all we’re talking about a librarian. That’s an obvious plus to any book nerd. But Armstrong brings so much more than that to that table. This was outstanding.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Historical fiction always gets me. I enjoy learning about things I would never have read before whilst I read a fiction book. Some authors do not do it well but this one did. It was very well thought out and the characters really jumped out of the pages. Overall, a very good book.

Absolutely loved this book. I struggled at first to get into it, but once I did I was fully invested and could not put it down!

A lovely dual timeline novel, featuring two strong women, working to overcome life's challenges while finding themselves.

In 1918, Emmaline crosses the ocean to become a volunteer librarian in France during WW2. After finding a letter at the dead letter office meant for her, she leaves the comfort of home. In 1976, Kathleen is among the first class including female midshipman at the United States Naval Academy. The men are less than happy about the development and Kathleen faces hazing and false accusations.

The author does an amazing job with the research in this novel, basing both characters on real people (minus the connections). The writing is stellar, drawing you into both stories. Every time the timeline switches, one has wants to switch back, then back again, and again, and again. Both plot lines just make you want to continue to read, late night or not.

Book Review
The War Librarian
Addison Armstrong
Published: August 9, 2022
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @netgalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Blurb: "1918. Timid and shy Emmaline Balakin lives more in books than her own life. That is, until an envelope crosses her desk at the Dead Letter Office bearing a name from her past, and Emmaline decides to finally embark on an adventure of her own—as a volunteer librarian on the frontlines in France. But when a romance blooms as she secretly participates in a book club for censored books, Emmaline will need to find more courage within herself than she ever thought possible in order to survive. 

1976. Kathleen Carre is eager to prove to herself and to her nana that she deserves her acceptance into the first coed class at the United States Naval Academy. But not everyone wants female midshipmen at the Academy, and after tragedy strikes close to home, Kathleen becomes a target. To protect herself, Kathleen must learn to trust others even as she discovers a secret that could be her undoing."

My thoughts: Overall I really enjoyed this book. Let me start with that. The pacing was a little too slow for me. Because of that I overall found this read a bit of a slog. Pacing aside, though, this was such a unique war read. Most war books are either based on the Civil War or World War 2. This was World War 1. I didn't know a ton about World War 1 so I loved learning more about that. Additionally, this is a dual timeline story, so getting to see women first entering the Naval Academy in the 1970s was really cool. They went through so much.
Anyway, like I said, I overall enjoyed the story and reading about a different period of history.

#netgalley #thewarlibrarian #worldwarone #1970s #dualtimeline #historicalfiction #review #bookreviews #reviewsofinstagram #booksofinstagram #picsart #deadletteroffice

"The War Librarian" skillfully weaves together the stories of two remarkable women, separated by time but connected by their unwavering courage and determination. This historical novel takes readers on a captivating journey through the lives of Emmaline Balakin and Kathleen Carre, shedding light on the sacrifices and challenges they faced during pivotal moments.

The novel delves into the lives of these two protagonists, both driven by a thirst for knowledge and the desire to make a difference. Emmaline, a shy and bookish young woman, finds her world expanding when she embarks on a daring adventure as a volunteer librarian on the frontlines in France. As she navigates the perils of war, a secret book club becomes her refuge, where the power of literature bridges gaps and ignites her courage in unexpected ways.

Kathleen's journey, set decades later, brings readers into the challenging world of the first coed class at the United States Naval Academy. Faced with resistance and adversity, she must prove herself while grappling with personal loss and a dangerous secret that could unravel everything. Her resilience in the face of adversity is both inspiring and relatable, making her a character readers will root for.

The novel excels in portraying the strength of female camaraderie and the ways in which books can transcend boundaries. The camaraderie between Emmaline and her fellow librarians, as well as the connections Kathleen forms, showcases the bonds that can develop even in the most trying of circumstances. The clandestine book club serves as a poignant reminder of the power of literature to provide solace and spark hope in times of darkness. If you're drawn to stories of courage, friendship, and the transformative power of literature, this novel is a must-read.

My library won't purchase this, only because I work at a middle school, but I will definitely be recommending it to my high school counterparts. I loved this book and could hardly put it down.

This dual time line story will keep you reading into the night. It's a little bit of a slow start but the stories of Emmaline and Kathleen are based on true accounts of women who served near the front during WWI and of women who were the first to be accepted into the Naval Academy at Annapolis. It takes courage and stamina to be a woman in a man's world.

I am a sucker for a historical Fiction novel.. and this one got me! It was very well written and I enjoyed the characters and storyline.

"The War Librarian" by Addison Armstrong is an enchanting historical fiction novel that immerses readers in a world of courage, love, and the transformative power of literature during wartime. The author takes on the tired story of wartime-librarian and infuses it with new life. Armstrong brings the setting to life, vividly capturing the challenges faced by the librarian and the resilience of the human spirit. The novel beautifully weaves together elements of romance and adventure, creating a compelling and heartwarming narrative.

Through the protagonist's journey, readers are reminded of the unwavering strength found in literature and its ability to provide solace even in the darkest of times. "The War Librarian" is a captivating tale of bravery, sacrifice, and the enduring love for books that will leave readers inspired and deeply moved. Perfect for readers that enjoyed "The Paris Librarian."

The Light of Luna Park by Addison Armstrong was one of favorite reads in 2021, so I was really excited to read her new book. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me a bit. The story was slow, and the two parts didn't feel cohesive to me. It also felt like she would randomly throw in facts about the time period into the story. I liked Emmaline and Kathleen, and it was interesting to read about being a librarian during World War I and the first class of women at the Naval Academy, but I think the story would have been stronger if she had picked one topic or the other. Also, I don't know if I just read a lot in this genre or if the author intended this, but the ending was really obvious to me from the beginning.

I generally love historical fiction and am particularly fond of a story with strong military heroines. This book follows two women from timelines that are nearly 60 years apart. Unfortunately, while I very much enjoyed Emmaline’s POV set in 1918 France, I didn’t find Kathleen’s parts of the story - set in 1976 after her acceptance into the US Naval Academy - nearly as engaging.

I appreciate the way the lives of the two women finally converged at the end, but it still wasn’t enough for me to give this one more than a 3 star rating.

Thank you to NetGalley for a digital arc in exchange for my honest review.