Absolutely loved The Blackout Book Club! This is my first book by Amy Lynn Green and I’m excited to read more books by her. This book had so many things book lovers will enjoy. There was romance, mystery, delightful engaging characters, intrigue, and so many wonderful references to classic books by authors like Daphne du Maurier, Agatha Christie, and Edgar Allan Poe. I also loved the unique small town set in Maine during WWII.

There are quite a number of characters in this story and at first they’re a lot to keep track of, but once I got several chapters in, the story was easy to follow. There’s a young wife who doesn’t like to read whose brother is going away to war and asks her to take his place at the library. An Italian mother and her two children whose husband is fighting in the war. She leaves her home in Boston so he won’t find them when he returns. The older, somewhat aloof single woman who owns the library, but resents it and harbors a deep secret. There’s the plucky young woman whose home has been confiscated by the government for war purposes who’s trying to save money to buy it back and attends the Book Club for the food. A handsome ex-pilot who lost an eye during the war who’s now the gardener for the wealthy woman and has secrets of his own.

All of these characters come together for a book club at the library. As they discuss classic works, they form a strong bond and learn to rely on each other. It’s a character driven story that builds as each layer and secret is revealed. The lessons they learn from each other and the books enhances the story even more. Some books become beloved favorites while others like The Tell Tale Heart aren’t everyone’s cup of tea and may hit a little too close to home.

I love the relationships that grew and the slow reveal of each person’s story. The audiobook version was especially good. I enjoyed the way the narrator brought the story to life and distinguished each of the characters. I also liked the bit of mystery and inspirational messages expertly woven into the story. This is one of those stories to be savored and enjoyed slowly. I received an advanced complimentary audiobook copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

I really enjoyed this USA based, war time era, story. The characters were complex, and the story took twists and turns. Ginny, Avis, Martina, and Louise all shared their perspectives, and it still managed to tell a seamless story. A very enjoyable book. I will look forward to more from this author.

Great! I enjoyed the narration of this story. it was a little confusing as an audiobook due to the multiple POV but the narrator did a great job! I really enjoy WWII stories, so this was right up my alley!

This book is boring and long-winded. The only interesting parts in the first 20% were when the brother was around (before he left for war) and when all the women were together at the book club meeting. The fact that the author chose not to actually give us the meetings on rhe page but instead wrote them in as minutes of the meeting just added to the dry boredom of the storytelling. The book is called The Blackout Book Club, to not tell THAT part of the story is a waste of an interesting premise. Without the book club, this is just yet another WWII story 🤷🏻‍♀️

Also this book employs the back and forth through time storytelling method which I am not a fan of and makes the book longer than it needs to be. Add to that the multiple POVs, and you've got a book with no flow from all the bouncing about.

The narrator isn't bad, but her attempt at different accents is rough.

My thanks to Net Galley and RB media for this arc to listen to.

Avis Montgomery finds herself in the position of head librarian when her brother and husband goes off to war. Her and several women band together to form a book.club and see the real power of friendship.

Great story, well written great narrator . My only negative comment is I wish there weren't so many sub and back.stories. Lost focus.

I downloaded the audiobook from NetGalley and had it on in the background while doing some admin.

It touches on a lot of difficult topics, including tuberculosis, the 1918 flu epidemic, the disgrace of having a child outside wedlock, the worries of those at home while loved ones were on active service, domestic violence and a library fire.

We have the sense throughout that the main characters are going to be OK, which allows Amy Lynn Green to get into darker territory than historical fiction about libraries often explores. And the library fire is definitely the place we feel most jeopardy - is one of the children trapped inside or not? Will Miss Cavendish, the town benefactor, give them the money to repair and rebuild? The author knows these questions will play well with an audience who picks up a novel about a library!

Another strength is the number of ways she finds to let us know the books that were popular reads at the time. Because of my background, I know what was being read during the Blitz in the UK, and it was interesting to hear the similarities and the distinctively American titles.

Either because she is a respectful person and / or because she knows The Blackout Bookclub will be on sale over here, Green makes a point of referring to the USA’s later entry to the war than ours, mentioning how much longer London had been bombed and the different sorts of threats experienced by the troops in different theatres of War. Unsurprisingly, there’s more about the Pacific in this book.

All in all, I really enjoyed this listen and will probably pick up the ebook (either from my local library or from a retailer) in order to extract a few quotes for the @bodiesinthelibrary instagram 🙂

Three Word Review: Plucky American librarian

This is one of those feel-good books you will love reading on a cold winter night. A calamity which brings people from different backgrounds together, gradually bonding over books. Well, what's not to like? I'd definitely recommend this. It's a simple story that you will love to listen to.

It is an interesting perspective on the Atlantic Coast home front during WWII. Loved the surprises and interwoven stories.

This was such a spectacular story! I am absolutely in love with Amy Lynn Green’s work and she’s on my “auto buy” list for sure. This beautiful WWII story, with its ensemble cast of characters, was irresistible! I love how the intertwining stories were told, (especially with Miss Cavendish, flashing back between WWII and WWI) as well as the natural way that God’s mercy and love is shown even in the most difficult of times. Each member of the Blackout Book Club contributed deeply to the story and brought everything full circle. The audiobook was so well narrated and I truly felt like each character was represented and the.narrator was warm and inviting. I received an advance copy of this audiobook and was not obligated to provide a positive review.

There are a lot of characters in The Blackout Book Club, maybe a little overwhelming in the first couple chapters but it doesn't take long for them to "come into their own" and become familiar. So give the first couple chapters a chance. I'm kind of glad that the author "dives right in".

I reviewed the audiobook and the narration was very well done.by Leah Horowitz!

Thank you to NetGalley (for once again ... introducing me to a "new to me author!). The review of the advance read copy of the audio is in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Amy Lynn Green the author, Leah Horowitz the narrator and RB Media the publisher.

The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green was a well written historical fiction novel that took place in Maine during World War II. It explored the roles and connections of four very different women and how a small town library brought them together. Individually, these women were so different from one another yet friendships were forged due to the pull of the library and its books. I listened to the audiobook that was very well narrated by Leah Horowitz. It was interesting to learn about some of the unique dangers that plagued the coast of Maine during World War II and how the people living there handled those dangers and coped with them.

Anthony and Avis Montgomery were brought up in a small town in Maine. Avis had married and took up residency in the small town where she and her brother had grown up. Anthony, the older brother of Avis, had been running the local library as its head librarian until he joined the Army and was sent overseas. Before Anthony left Maine, he convinced his sister to take over the responsibilities of running the library for him. Anthony loved books and reading. He enjoyed interacting with the library patrons and suggesting books for them to read. Avis was not a reader and did not have a love for books like her brother. She took over the library functions to honor her brother’s wishes. Avis made a promise to Anthony and she would do her best to fulfill it. When the owner of the library informed Avis that the library was going to close and be used for war related activities, Avis had to think fast. What could she do to persuade the owner to keep the library open? What could she do to avoid breaking her promise to her brother? Avis quickly invented the creation of The Blackout Book Club. How would she get people to attend its first meeting? Could she pull it off? Would the creation of the book club be enough to keep the library open and functioning? Avis would her best to make it happen somehow.

The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green was a character driven historical fiction novel. It was well plotted and was told from the POV of each of the four vastly different women characters. The books that were chosen for The Blackout Book Club varied by genre, length and personal suggestions. Each member got to choose a book to be read and discussed. Notes from the Blackout Book Club were taken at each meeting by one of its members. These notes offered insight into the various characters’ lives and personalities. The friendships that resulted from the formation of The Blackout Book Club were genuine and true. The Blackout Book Club inspired a community to come together and take a stand, acquire a real love for books and reading and the desire to be there for one another. I enjoyed listening to The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green and recommend it very highly.

Thank you to Recorded Books for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Historical fiction is just so cool because it brings up pieces of history we don’t necessarily know or learn about. This one, for instance, reminded me of what a scary time WWII was even here in the US and how scared people must have been about foreign invasion on our land. I liked that this book brought together people of various backgrounds by using books.

🌀Synopsis
The war is threatening to close the library where Avis is the head librarian. I’m order to get more patronage she decides to start a book club.

At first, they are strangers who only have the war in common. However, over books and conversation they learn more about each other. As they all face the fear of invasion together, they learn each other’s secrets from both past and present.

There is still a final decision to be made too. The library, which means so much to so many, is due to close but there may just be a way to save it.

“Books make fine friends, but fellow readers even better.” 📚

Thank you to the author and publisher for my copy of The Blackout Book Club! I found the audio to not be as enjoyable with a strange feedback hissing sound. However, this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.

What a great read and quote! Bookstagram is such a fun place for readers of all types and this quote sums up the book and the Booksta lifestyle well.

The Blackout Book Club follows four women in Derby, Maine in the months and years after Pearl Harbor. Each woman holds secrets as well as pain. As the war progresses, they form The Blackout Book Club which gives them and their town a purpose and fulfillment in bonding over books and companionship.

Read if you like:
-WW2 stories
-Small towns
-Found families
-classic literature
-a great mix of modern and “1940s” women with depth and gumption

This was published this week so be sure to check it out!

To gather people together in the midst of the war and get their midst of the gruesome reality, the town's librarian creates a book club. Within a few short months, the book club turns its attendees into a close-knit group of trustworthy, reliable, and loving friends.

The Blackout Book Club is a beautiful, heartwarming story. A group of people from different social circles bonds together over the love of reading. Although the time of the novel takes place in the middle of WWII, our characters are placed in the safety of the little town of Maine.
One of my favorite parts of the novel was the club members' discussions of the books they have read in their club. During my reading, I wanted to be a part of their wonderful group.
If you're in a search of a feel-good novel - this book is for you. Wonderful writing, a great fast pace plot. This book will leave you with a feeling of hope and joy.

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced and free copy of the novel in the exchange for my honest review.

The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green
Narrated by Leah Horowitz

Derby, Maine 1942

Avis doesn't like to read books. What irony because now she is going to be taking over her brother's job at the library while he goes off to war.

Ginny's family has been on Long Island forever but now they are being kicked out of their home because the government has taken it due to the war. She is determined to have earned and saved the money her family will need to buy back their place once the war is over so she gets a job in Derby.

Martina, an Italian mother of two, works with Ginny at the factory. She is in Derby to provide for her children while she hides from a man who frightens her.

Louise has a love/hate relationship with Derby and she can't help letting her unhappiness infuse all her dealings with others. She thinks she has to be strong and unyielding because of events in her past but she's wrong.

The audiobook narration is very good although it was a challenge meeting these four people and their POVs, at first. But after a few rounds with each person and especially after they are all in Derby, I had no problem keeping up with the many characters in this story. So often when we see life at home during WWII it will be in a country other than the United States. But with this story we get to see how folks lived during the war in Derby, Maine. Most war age men are overseas but there are those that are home from the war due to injuries and there are the men who are too old to fight or who were medically disqualified. I wasn't really aware of the blackouts that took place in Maine but this story showed me it happened in the US, as it did in other countries. So many pastimes were not available or were curtailed during wartime, especially because there could be no lights after dark for the enemy to see.

When Louise, who owns the library, decides to refurbish it and turn it into a nursery for the working mothers, Avis tells a whopper of a fib and says that she has started a book club and convinces Louise to let her keep the library open for several more months. That newly invented book club becomes real and we get to be there for some of the meetings and we also get to read the minutes of the meetings, written by various members of the club. Fred, wearer of an eyepatch due to his war injury, was my favorite recorder of the minutes.

There is a theme of secrets held and how they can hurt when they aren't told. There is a shaky marriage, a scared mother, a young woman with a beau away at war, and a mature woman whose stiff demeanor hides hurts and regrets that she sees lasting her lifetime. Everything coms together in a very satisfying way and it's obvious that strength comes from working together for the good of each other.

Thank you to RB Media, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I listened to the audiobook and in all honesty it took me a while to be able to remember who each woman was and longer to connect with the story. I thought I would connect much more. I love libraries. I was curious to learn about life in the U. S. during World War II. Most other books I’ve read from the time period are set in Europe.
I like the way the story played out and how the characters pulled together in support of one another. The people were the heart of the book club so their stories were important, but there were enough story arcs that the main storyline didn’t hold the power I would have expected.
Maybe it’s just a case of having different expectations from reality. Overall, it’s a nice story that didn’t wow me.
I like the narrator.
Thanks to Netgalley and Recorded Books for the opportunity to listen to this book.

Avis Montgomery in the unlikely position of head librarian in small-town Maine after a promise to her brother in 1942 before he heads off to the European front. She was never much of a reader but when wartime needs threaten to close the library, she invents a book club to keep its doors open. The women she convinces to attend the first meeting couldn't be more different a wealthy spinster determined to aid the war effort, an exhausted mother looking for a fresh start, and a determined young war worker.




At first it seems the struggles on the home front are all the members have in common, but over time , the books they choose become more than an escape from the hardships of life and the fear of the U-boat battles that rage just past their shores. As the women face personal challenges and band together in the face of danger, they find they have more in common than they think. But when their growing friendships are tested by secrets of the past and present, they must decide whether depending on each other is worth the cost.


I give The Blackout Book Club five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

The Blackout Book Club
Amy Lynn Green
The setting is during WWII a small town, Derby, Maine.
Avis Montgomery made a promise to her brother before he left for the European Front. He was the head librarian and dearly loves the library, the patrons and books. Avis promises to take over for him although she is not fond of books. While at times it seems overwhelming, she does her best. When the library faces threat of closure Avis desperately starts a book club.
Four women attend the first book club meeting, four very different women. The women form a strong bond, a friendship. The club helps the women cope with U Boats, black outs, fear and desperation.
Beautifully written!

In a Nutshell: Set during the WWII period but not like any typical WWII fiction. This is a story of friendships, relationships and bonding over books. Interesting characters. Appealing plot. Enjoyed this a lot.

Story Synopsis:
1942, Derby, Maine. Avis Montgomery, who prefers women’s magazines to books, is suddenly thrust into the role of the head librarian as a replacement for her brother who has signed up for active service. When the owner of the library reveals plans to shut it down for other war efforts, Avis invents a ‘Blackout Book Club’ to keep the library open. Now all she needs is people to join the impromptu book club.
Along with Avis, we have Ginny – a young girl determined to buy back her Long Island home from the government by any means possible, Martina – a mother looking for a fresh start for herself and her kids in a new town, and Louise – a wealthy spinster who is adamant about her beliefs. The story is written in the third person perspective of these four characters.

Where the book worked for me:
😍 My favourite part of this book was everything connected to the book club. As I am a member of a book club myself, I know how tricky it is to select the right book, get the right discussion questions, and keep a majority of members satisfied. The discussions of the Blackout Book Club won my heart with their true-to-life depiction. I loved how the author doesn’t just stop at saying that they discussed XYZ book but also incorporates the selection method and the actual discussion into the story, and that too, without becoming repetitive. If you have already read the books being discussed (which you will in most cases, as they are popular classic titles), you will enjoy the perspectives presented. I could write a lot more about the book club but I want you to experience it for yourself.
😍 The author’s research seems to be impeccable. The references to the pop culture of that era seem perfect, as is her depiction of their lifestyle and beliefs.
😍 The four women at the forefront are memorable. Each has a distinct personality, and it is fun to see how much they grow over the course of the story. The best part was that none of them were shown as perfect but realistic.
😍 While the book is set across the homes and work places of the four key characters, the best scenes were the ones in the Cavendish library. What bibliophile wouldn’t love the depiction of such an extensive and reader-friendly library! I also loved the way the story highlighted the role of librarians in an era prior to the Internet.
😍 As a Christian fiction, there are plenty of Christian elements in the writing. These are incorporated in the way I appreciate – rather than simply quoting biblical verses, the characters embody the true spirit of Christianity through their acts of fellowship and charity. I always love it when Christian deeds are prioritised over mere words.
😍 There are subtle shades of feminism in the story, not common for a WWII novel. The patriarchal vocabulary such as “manning the desk” or a dog being “man’s best friend” is also not spared.
😍 As far as I can recollect, I haven’t read a WWII story set in Maine. I liked this unusual perspective as it had many new details to offer.
😍 That said, this isn’t like a typical WWII fiction at all. While the war is going on, and does form a background to most of the events, it stays just there – in the background. The focus is firmly on the characters and their interactions within and without the book club. I appreciated this even more because I have become a tad saturated of WWII fiction lately, as almost all authors seem to follow a predefined formula. Not this one!

Where the book could have worked better for me:
😕 With four main characters, the start of the book was a little rocky for me as I took time to identity who was who and who was related to whom. It took me a while to get into the groove of the book. Once I could remember the characters, the going became a lot easier. The third person writing helps tremendously. I might not have had this issue if I had had the physical or digital book.

The audiobook experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 12 hrs 20 minutes, is narrated excellently by Leah Horowitz. She embodies the spirit of each character well and gives them a distinct voice and personality through her narration. I enjoyed her performance thoroughly. However, as I said, the initial 10-15% is confusing because of the number of characters. There is also a flashback timeline in Louise’s narration. So if you are an audiobook newbie, stick to reading this.

After a long time, I have enjoyed a WWII story this much. Its focus on the importance of books and libraries, plus its strong female lead characters make it a must read. Definitely recommended for fans of the genre. I will definitely keep an eye out for more books by this author.

4.5 stars.

My thanks to RB Media and NetGalley for the ALC of “The Blackout Book Club”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.

I enjoyed listening to this story about books, book clubs, and friendship. As in this story, books often help us escape the darkness of everyday life and allow us to live in another place for a time.

This book is set in Maine in 1942. Avis, after making a promise to her brother, finds a determination she didn't know she had and finds a way to share her strength with other women in her town. Read and find out how she relates to the people in her life through books and the Blackout Book Club.