I have read other novels about the occupation of the Channel Islands and how people suffered from hunger and loss. The Wartime Book Club has many similarities to other novels about this period of time. I am a big fan of historical fiction and of how reading changed the lives of those who endured so much during the Nazi occupation the Channel Islands. The nazi determination to censor books and all other kinds of reading material was an especially destruction choice. As Kate Thompson makes clear in The Wartime Book Club, books help people escape the loss of freedom, food, and loved ones.

The characters in The Wartime Book Club are a vast assortment of personalities. Not all are good people, and unfortunately, Thompson does not devote much time to these characters. I understand the urge to devote content to telling the lives of those who worked so hard to save their neighbors and friends, but knowing more about those who were not so good helps to create a fuller picture of the times. Yes, some people did write letters turning in their neighbors for rewards, but we don't get to know any of those people very well, if at all. We only know they wrote letters. It took a long time to get to the creation of the book club, and the first part of the book was slow, but once the book club is created, the novel moves along much faster.

I did enjoy this novel and do recommend it. I thank the publisher, Forever, and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If you like reading historical fiction, especially historical fiction based on true events for you and are wondering if you should read this book, the answer is YES!

This is a hefty book at over 500 pages, but it only took me 2 days to read the whole thing. It's that good! I love historical fiction books especially because they take a lot of time spent researching the way things were back in those days, and then you base it on actual events, and I am hooked!

This book takes place during the Nazi invasion of The Isle of Jersey during WW2. The main character is the sole librarian on the island where they live and she is on a mission to save all of the books that the German's have banned before all of the soldiers arrive and destroy them all. Her and her best friend do everything they can do to help boost morale in their area during these dark times.

A story of friendship, bravery and resilience, this story highlights just how difficult this time in history was for people and how they overcame those times, especially while feeling cutoff from the rest of the world on a remote island.

I was provided this book from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for my honest review. Thank you so much for providing me this opportunity!

Also, please make sure to read the author's note at the end of the book. This is where the author explains which characters and events were real. This is truly one of the best WW2 era books that I have read.

An altogether heartbreaking and heartwarming story of love and loss, enduring friendship, difficult decisions and new beginnings in the backdrop of WWII. Readers will enjoy this story centered around books and their ability to bring community together during the darkest of times.

**Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.**

The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson is a beautifully written, richly evocative story.
I really enjoyed reading this book, it was a beautifully done novel with a great premise.
The characters were well thought out and their situations were put together and resolved well.
The book grabbed me right from the start, I quickly read it and was very satisfied with the way the book wrapped up the styoryline. Great storyline and well written, characters came to life and the story held my attention.
The plot was what I was hoping for when I saw the description and it works great as a historical novel. I can't wait to read more from Kate Thompson.

Thank You NetGalley and Forever for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All of the opinions are my own. Thank you Forever and NetGalley!

The book is interesting. It is slow for me at first, but it started to get more interesting in the middle of the book. Set in the island of Jersey during WWII under the occupation of Nazi Germany. Some of the characters are good. Grace is a librarian (I think of working at the library would be nice) and Bea is a post office worker. The downside is that there are some parts of the story that make me sad (tears). Overall, I like this book. All about survival, friendship, companionship, tragedy, and of course... book club. I would say that Kate Thompson did a great job on researching the historical events and people for this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
A well-researched novel that I learned a lot from. It’s beautiful yet sad and an amazing story to read.
I liked the dynamics between each of the characters and they all brought something to the story. Highly recommend this!

This book covered an interesting topic but felt scattered most of the time. Also, some of the language felt unnecessary and out of character. Overall, I felt like this book was trying to do too many things.

*thank you to NetGalley and Forever for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my review*

My favorite thing about Kate Thompson’s work is the realism baked into her settings and characters. Her research and investment into the lives and histories of real people shine through in her work every time. And if it doesn’t just reach out and touch your soul…where is your humanity? I cried and cried my way through this bookish book. It was beautiful.

Grace and Bea are incredible protagonists who go through the unthinkable during WWII on the island of Jersey. Both working women, and both pursuing their own ways of making a difference during the war. Their friendship is so touching. I didn’t immediately feel connected to their characters or initially understand why they were best friends, but as the story progressed I became so invested in their lives and the success of their endeavors.

While this story, like many other WWII stories centers on keeping hope alive, Thompson particularly tackles how we as humans respond when we are surrounded by lack and fear and pain. War does something to the human soul, and Thompson’s delicate but honest treatment of the realities of war are stirring. I dare you to read this book and be unmoved.

I love stories that feature courageous women doing hard things. If you are a fan of WWII fiction, this is not a lighthearted story, but it is a very good one, and I recommend it wholly. Generally speaking, I have mixed feelings about epilogues…the one in this book is no exception. But reading Thompson’s notes at the end is always the icing on the cake for me. Be sure not to skip them! They are worth it!

Bea and Grace have been best friends since childhood. Bea was engaged to Grace's brother Jimmy until he was killed by the Nazi's in an attempt to escape the Isle of Jersey. Bea works in the Post Office and Grace is the head librarian. The Nazi's have occupied the island placing a curfew, getting rid of the Jews and removing/burning many books in the library, that the third Reich finds offensive. After Jimmy is killed Bea works to thwart the Germans, by opening their mail and warning residents who have been turned in for having radios and unauthorized livestock or who are hiding people. Grace shelters a downed American pilot and falls in love with him. Grace starts a book club at the library, which does much to lift the spirits of the population. Eventually the Nazi's shut it down. The leader of the Nazi Army on Jersey, the Wolf, watches Grace and Bea very closely. Eventually, Bea is arrested and Grace sacrifices herself for her friend. This is a fictional historical novel which does a great job depicting life under Nazi occupation.

This is a powerful, entertaining, emotional read. Grace and Bea are interesting, intriguing, complex, wounded, entertaining, relatable characters. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment – there are all kinds of characters in this story. Thompson writes her story with a deft hand that manages to have the reader both feeling the characters’ pain and wanting to shake them. Without going into great detail, the reader is sucked into what the world on Jersey during the occupation and what Grace went through during her imprisonment. I loved the nod to the main characters in The Little Wartime Library 😊. This book took me on an emotion ride – I laughed, cried, cheered, and got angry. The book and its word are easy to get into.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book! The start was a little slow but once I got into it, I got really attached to the characters. The story is told from two POV's; Grace, the town's librarian, and Bea who works at the post office. When the island is occupied by the Germans, everything changes for both of them. Both women help out the resistance in their own ways with a cast of amazing supporting characters. I fell in love with all of the residents of the island. I felt all the emotions while reading this book. It was sad, funny, inspiring and heartbreaking all at the same time. The ending wrapped things up well and I enjoyed the epilogue as well. The author's note at the end provided so much context on the storyline as well as the individual characters and who they were based on. I highly recommend reading this book!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson is a captivating adventure filled with historical authenticity. The characters and setting are vividly brought to life through descriptive narrative, enhanced by meticulously researched historical details. Thompson's storytelling immerses readers in a richly detailed world, making for a truly engaging and informative read.

The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson is an achingly beautiful story set in the Channel Islands during World War II. Not only are blackout shades and food rationing necessary but innocent lives are constantly discarded in horrendous ways. The historical details are thoroughly researched and the novel is based on a true story which makes it even more harrowing and heroic. In addition to constant fear and sorrow are also snippets of romance, loads of courage, close bonds of friendship and intriguing information on what Nazis deemed to be problematic books. Talk about fascinating!

Dear friends Grace and Bea are horrified when Nazis occupy the islands for many reasons. But one which concerned them in particular was the banning of books. They realized the importance of securing, circulating and hiding them to bring spots of joy into otherwise desperate lives. It was a big part of the Resistance and the women risked their lives to do it. Their book club must have been the only bright spot for so many! Their empathy and understanding are evident in their calling. I love the banned book blurbs at the beginning of each chapter and the riveting information at the end of the book. Details like this make a good book great. The writing itself is gorgeous and the actions of the brave crushed my heart in the best way.

Snap this one up if you are looking for that WWII Historical Fiction with substance. It captivated me and left me breathless at times.

My sincere thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this stellar and unforgettable novel.

Oh heavens, this book was fascinating! The German occupation of the islands is such a new and interesting time in history - thank you for capturing the residents’ grit and compassion. What a horrifying experience. There were a few spots that felt really long but overall loved the book!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
I love WWII historical fiction, but this one missed the mark for me. It was ok, very long book. The title is The Wartime Book Club and I was 30% into the book before a book club was finally mentioned. The book focused on two women (friends since childhood) Grace and Bea, their family drama and the occupation of the Jersey island by Nazis. While it was interesting learning about a different location during the war and the hardships they faced, I felt the book could have gone into more detail about the people of the club and what the meetings brought to them. There was a sweet love story woven through the book between Grace and a fallen American pilot, but overall I thought the book was just ok.

Just let me dry my tears! I cried for the entire epilogue and maybe a few pages before.

This is such a well told story of female friendship, love, pain, name the emotion - it’s here in the pages of this story.

I loved the inclusion and focus on banned books and censorship - a beautiful and unfortunately timely parallel with the story of the German occupation of Jersey. When we talk about history we don’t get taught, this one is included. When will I stop being surprised that there are stories about this conflict that I, a student of history, am unaware of? Perhaps never. And perhaps that’s beautiful in its own way because we get to keep discovering the stories of the past and how they are intertwined with lives being lived today across the world.

All the cheers, the stars and the bravos for this beautiful, if lengthy, work. Will be recommending!

this was a heartbreaking, fascinating, and overall a powerful read. it's the second historical fiction i read this year that i can confidently rate 5 stars. it is obvious the author did very in-depth research of true events, more so by using real people for inspiration. this truly does read like it's beautifully written to honor those who lived, suffered, fought, and died through WW2.

i LOVED that every chapter started with a book that was banned during those times because "they said so." but even then, the very premise that books had kept some people alive is, in my opinion, a testament to how powerful books are and can be. i personally read for escapism, adventure, and to keep my mind and imagination strong. so knowing that many came together to do the same to help them keep going through dark and devastating times... it's remarkable.

all in all, HIGHLY RECOMMEND! this is one of those novels that deserves plenty of praise and appreciation, especially for it's historical accuracy. even if you don't care for historical fiction, if you love books... then this book is for you!

thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book. i received this as an ARC and leave this review voluntarily.

I deeply loved and enjoyed this book so much that I IMMEDIATELY posted about it on my personal Facebook page to recommend it to my family and friends and one of my daughter’s teachers immediately purchased as a pre-order.

Thompson manages to squeeze SO much into this incredible book. Beautiful, heartbreaking, inspiring. I loved that every chapter begins by highlighting a particular book (or author) banned by the Nazis and their reasoning. There is so so much more to this than just a group of Jersey islanders who gathered to read together. There is so much more to this than the secret stash of “verboten” books Grace hid and smuggled to her patrons. This is a book about friendship, family, betrayal, loyalty, love, perseverance, bravery, and the lengths one will go to in order to just do something, even a small thing, to make a difference, even if it means risking one’s freedom. It is a testament to the belief in holding onto hope, choice, and small bits of freedom and it pays tribute to an island of individuals who hung onto whatever tiny thread of hope and will to survive they could, especially during a time when they felt forgotten and lost.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Forever, and the incredible Kate Thompson for an ebook ARC of this amazing novel which haunts me still, days after having finished it.

Thompson does a tremendous amount of research for her books and provides an additional 70 pages of information about the occupation at the end of the story. The characters of Grace, Bea and Red are based on information she obtained from oral histories of the islanders and jump off the page. No one knows exactly how they would react in the same situation. We can only hope we would have the courage to endure five years of an occupation and will continue to protect the right to read what we choose.

Just when I think that every WWII book has been published, I find a title that exposes me to another aspect of the war which I have not previously encountered. This follows two young women through their experiences during the occupation of the Channel Islands of England. Told in alternating views, the story is easy to follow and engaging. Thompson’s writing pulls the reader into the setting in a vivid fashion that allows you to feel as if you were peeking into the scene over Bea or Grace’s shoulder and feeling their feelings.

I especially appreciated the lengthy addition at the end of the book that gives a history of the occupation of the Channel Islands, as well as providing histories of the real-life occupants upon whom various characters in the book were based.