⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really liked it, stuck with me & would recommend
Part wartime drama, part small town snapshot, part emotional journey, I really enjoyed this extensively researched historical fiction story. Grace and her best friend Bea, try to cope with the realities of and subvert the Nazi occupation of their very small but highly strategic island during WWII. All of the sub-characters along with Grace and Bea were beautifully written with uniqueness and realness. I felt very attached to these characters. They each illustrated the small subversive acts, sacrifices, and grave danger each and every islander was in, and how they coped in their own way. The Wartime Book Club centered on themes of family, friendship, community, sacrifice, wartime desperation, love, the power of books, and resilience and I would recommend this to anyone who likes stories about strong women or historical fiction.

The narrator, Imogen Church, did a good job, I had no trouble understanding who was saying what, where, when, with what expression/intension, and the appropriate accent. It was a pleasure to listen to.

Thank you to Hachette Audio, NetGalley, and author Kate Thompson for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. The Wartime Book Club is out April 9, 2024.

One thing that always astounds me about historical fiction novels is the amount of research that goes into them. A well written historical fiction attests to the passion the author has for the subject. This is abundantly evident in this book.

This book was based on true events and real people during the Nazi invasion of The Isle of Jersey during WW2. It focuses on Grace La Mottée, the sole librarian on the island, and her best friend Bea and their unrelenting efforts to help boost morale of their fellow islanders in any way they could.

“And it was then she realized, readers weren’t reading a book. They were inhabiting a whole new world.”

Do yourself a favor and read this incredible novel. The story of these islanders deserves to be shared.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook.

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.

The War Time Book Club is an excellent book set on the island of Jersey during the occupation of World War II. Bea, post mistress, and Grace, librarian, are best friends that live on the island. A book club was started to help the morale of the island folk. It showed that books are important. But even more so, in times of war. Books help ward off boredom, allow escape into a new world, and discover new things. The people of Jersey needed all the help they could get to escape into the books.

A unique aspect of the book is that each chapter starts off with a banned book. Most are well-known books that were considered against the Third Reich. The book is well written with many details to make the characters likable or not.

One thing I greatly appreciate about most historical fiction is the facts and author's notes at the end. This one, even includes how the book came about and when the research happened.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hatchett Audio for this Advanced Reader Copy. The opinions are my own.

The narration of this audiobook was not for me. I really wanted to like it because I generally love historical fiction books set in WWII England, but I did not enjoy this narrator’s voice or style.

So, you know when you start to read a book, and it brings you to new places? Carries you away? Makes you forget about what is going on in YOUR life, and transports you to the lives of those in the BOOK?
Well, that is what happened here...and it was astonishing!
I only wish I could go back and read it again for the very first time.

This is a very SPECIAL book!
And, it has several remarkable main characters, as well as an array of supporting characters too...and if you are like me, you are going to fall in love with them too!!

#TheWartimeBookClub by #KateThompson is one of the best books I've read in a long time!
Not only did I love the book, but I loved the characters, the town (and it's people), and became very invested in the lives of everyone in the book!

To me, when a book makes you FEEL everything, it is a winner.
And this one made me feel in spades!
I laughed. I cried (sobbed out loud, at work... for multiple parts of it...) =0
I cheered them on, and felt my heart break too... when things didn't go as planned...

It is told in 2 POV's with Grace and Bea as the 2 FMC's, but with so many more ancillary players...
They grew up on a beautiful, small island, off the Channel Islands called St. Helier, Jersey. But when Hitler's people come and occupy the space...well, everything changes.
Grace runs the town's library, and Bea the post-office. But during wartime, everything changes...

Such a beautiful story, spanning so many families, their lives, their losses, and how...even during the worst of times, people and communities can come together to help in whatever way they can.

My heart shattered over and over again for these beautiful women, their losses, their despair, the tragedies they faced, and the very brave faces they put on to get them through on a daily basis!
But the good news about shattered hearts? They can heal…❤️❤️❤️

5 thousand ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫💫💫💫💫 for me!!!!

The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson and beautifully narrated by another of my favorites, #ImogenChurch.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HachetteAudio for giving me the opportunity to read this one before it came out by providing me with an ARC of the audiobook, which is due out on 4/9/24...so, less than a week!
If it sounds good to you, I'd ask you to put it on your list soon... if you are anything like me, YOU WILL LOVE IT!!

Just an aside: Although NetGalley provides me with these books, I am under NO OBLIGATION to give a good review...I'm only asked to give A REVIEW...and so, with each book I read, I am totally honest...whether I love it (this one), or really did not care for it (so many others...)

Feel free to like, follow and friend me on: Goodreads,
IG @ #BookReviews_with_emsr or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine.

Thanks so much for reading!📚⭐️

I'll be honest it was just okay. It wasn't great I'll remember it forever and it wasn't awful. I felt the story was good plot was good but it needed to be shorter and less detailed.

I love finding unique WWII stories, which is admittedly hard to do when you read as much WWII fiction as I do. Libraries, librarians, bookstores, and book clubs during WWII have become a popular topic in the past few years. I've read a couple set in Europe, but recently they have given me a glimpse at the homefront.

I was looking at my digital library for different library-themed WWII novel when I saw The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson. I was momentarily confused as I knew that I had The Wartime Book Club on my review list but then I realized that was last year's book. I did listen to it but you don't need to have read it to enjoy this book. They are totally stand-alone novels.

The Channel Islands were mentioned at the end of The Little Wartime Library but before that I don't think I've ever heard them mentioned in regards to the war. So I was interested to learn about the German occupation of this British island.

The story is told from the point-of-view of two best friends - Grace, the librarian, and Bea, a postwoman. The chapters alternate between the two and we get to see a lot of island life between them. I really liked the characters - not just these two main characters but the secondary characters as well.

If you read The Little Wartime Library you know how the chapters started off with a snippet from a librarian. In The Wartime Book Club each chapter starts with a book banned by the Third Reich. We get a little information about the book and/or author and why it was banned. I found these snippets as interesting as the story. I do wish though that the date stamp for the chapter was told after the book snippet because I often lost track of the story's timeline.

The Wartime Book Club is narrated by Imogen Church. There were times were I thought the voices for the characters were wrong, particularly for Bea. She seemed to only have one volume even when the text indicated that she was getting louder or should have been whispering. Otherwise, the story was easy to listen to.

There is nearly 1.5 hours at the end of the book that includes a book club reading guide and information about the author's research, which was quite extensive.

If you like books about books or like me looking for something new in WWII fiction, you should pick up this book.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Friday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2024/04/the-wartime-book-club-by-kate-thompson.html

"The Wartime Book Club" is a historical fiction novel set during WW2 in German occupied island St. Helier, Jersey, of the Channel Islands. This book is very well researched, and the last 2 hrs of the audiobook are author's notes.

Grace is the librarian, and her best friend, Bea Rose, works for the post office as the only post woman. The German occupation is very difficult for the residents. Food and medicine get more scarce over time. Grace hides some of the banned books. Bea ends up steaming open letters to hold back the poisoned pen letters and have time to warn the residents if they are going to be searched.

Eventually, a book club started at the library to share a love of books. Grace reads aloud to the pleasure of many local residents who come to listen. She reads from Rebecca, Pride and Prejudice, and Shakespeare. More people want books than prior to the occupation, as it helps them escape in their minds.

The situation gets more and more dire for Bea and Grace. The end is scary, but the war finally ends with Liberation Day, 5 years after the German occupation began. An epilogue from 45 years later tells us what the rest of the lives of these two friends were like.

Characters - 5/5 but there are many
Writing - 5/5
Plot - 5/5
Pacing - 5/5
Unputdownability - 4/5
Enjoyment 4/5
Narration 5/5 Imogen Church does many voices extremely well, but sometimes her voice is rather harsh (the one for Bea)
Cover - 4/5
Overall - 4.5/5 rounded up to 5.

Thank you to Netgalley, Hachette Audio/Forever, and author Kate Thompson for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This was so good! Historical fictions are becoming a favorite for me, and this book is helping the cause. It has everything you would expect from a wartime story - death, grief, fear, and oppression - but this also gave us a beautiful friendship and strong bonds made through the wartime book club. In the darkest of times, stories helped get the people of Jersey through and that is relatable for so many. Highly recommend!

This is the story of two best friends, Grace and Bea, who live in St. Helier on the channel island of Jersey. It’s the story of resistance and survival of German occupation of the island during WWII, of both the women and the other citizens of the town and island. Based on a collected narrative history it is a sad, yet heartwarming story of friendship, community, and family.

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A beautifully written wartime book set in Jersey that absolutely stole my heart.

Childhood friends, Grace and Bea, are the main characters in the story, which is inspired by real events, and they, along with their families, friends and enemies on the German occupied island are all well developed characters and so realistic.

The story is filled with heartbreak, tragedy, love and hope. At times shocking, and sad, but equally demonstrates the power of good and the resilience of humanity.

I listened to the audiobook and the narration by Imogen Church was brilliant, as always. It’s actually hard to believe that this book was narrated by just one voice actor. Imogen captured each character brilliantly, voice tone, accents, pitch, personality… absolutely spot on!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Kate Thompson and Hachette for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I love books that speak to the importance of books, that enforce that words on a page are some of the most profound pieces of art we will come across in our life. This book does just that and more.

We follow Bea and Grace, two best friends growing up in Jersey amid the German occupation during WWII. They are each called to take part in the resistance by different means and different motivations, but each makes huge sacrifices to try and maintain some semblance of normalcy while life around them deteriorates. Both Bea and Grace experienced great loss and I was devastated over and over while reading.

While it is a long one, this book is beautifully written and tells a story of two vibrant young women who did everything they could in a time when choices and freedoms were stripped from them. I was moved to tears on more than one occasion but it made even the small victories feel enormous. Historical Fiction lovers, this one is a must read and you can grab it April 9th!

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the advanced listeners' copy of this remarkable and moving book.

I listened to the audiobook and also read the ebook. Overall, I have mixed feelings on this book. There were many things to like about this novel. It is clear that the author has done extensive research in order to write this story. She really brings to life the grim realities of war for the residents of Jersey. The book started off very strong but as it went on, I began to lose interest. I think it was just too long with too many characters and side stories.
With respect to the audiobook, I initially had trouble with the narration but eventually got used to it. It seemed like it was over-dramatized and not my favorite narration.

I loved learning about the lives of the residents of Jersey during the war and it’s clear that a ton of research went into this book. The story started out slowly and I am sad to say that, while the narration was well done, it took awhile for me to get into the narrator’s cadence and dramatization. Once I got used to it and the story picked up, I enjoyed it but it was much longer than I felt it needed to be.

Grace and Bea are best friends living on the island of Jersey during Nazi occupation. Grace is the local librarian who holds book clubs to keep up moral. Bea works at the post office and tries to defy the Nazi's any chance she gets.

This is a must-read for historical fiction lovers. It is a beautiful story of friendship, love, loss, and sacrifice. It gives you a realistic take on what it was like to survive during these times and what people had to do to keep going. It was equal parts heartbreaking and beautiful. Never underestimate the power of friendship. I also LOVED that each chapter started with a banned book and gave some information on it.

I was a little confused after the epilouge because there was still a lot of time left, but I was pleasantly surprised with the author's notes! The author talked about real-life stories she heard while doing research and other gems. It was really fun and informative so don't stop it before it's completely finished.

The audio book is done extremely well. The audio is clear, and the narrator does a wonderful job doing multiple voices and accents. She was a great pick for this book! I typically listen to books at a faster speed (2.0) and had no trouble understanding or following along. I would check out other books she's narrated in a heartbeat. This book and audio were both extremely well done!

I received an advance audio copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Wartime Bookclub is a moving, harrowing and very realistic story of life in Jersey during World War 2. Jersey being close to France, was occupied by the Germans for most of the war. While being near France Jersey has closer ties to England.

The story follows the friends Grace and Bea, two young women who were very brave in the way they went about thwarting the German soldiers. It is the young women's story along with their family and friends and coworkers. And it is a story of the power of books.

Bea works in the post office and delivers letters all over the island, Grace works in the local library. Grace establishes a book club to help morale and many of the local islanders turn to books to keep them going.

It was a terrible time for the islanders, this book helps to show just how much. I loved the characters, I was in awe of their bravery and heartened by their care for each other. I was saddened by those who turned on their own neighbors, and horrified by the brutality of war.

Imogen Church really brings the characters alive. I was almost sure for a time that there were a whole cast of narrators, but no, just the one. This is a very. emotional story and her narration beautifully enhances it.

I highly recommend the audio version of The Wartime Book Club.

This was a really beautiful story. The audiobook narrator did a really nice job! I read lots of WWII fiction, and I was so thankful to get to listen to this one!

I do think it could have benefitted from being just a bit shorter.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kate Thompson for the advanced copy to read!

2.5 stars rounded up. First, thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC of this book!

I enjoyed this book, but I think there might have just been a little too much going on. I had to go back several times in the audiobook to try to figure out what I must have missed because I'd end up somewhere that things didn't make sense. This was LONG for me for an audiobook. I usually prefer to physically read the books, but the premise of this one was promising enough that I requested it! There was a war-time book club in this novel, but it was not exactly a driving factor and that's what I went into it hoping for. I'm a little disappointed--when I finished this one it was just "meh."

This tells the tale of Grace, a librarian, and her best friend Bea, a postal worker. They're two young women facing WWII from home on the occupied island of Jersey. They are both going through some very tough situations while the Germans are parading around, and maybe this novel would have been more effective if it was split so each one had their own narrative that could be given the adequate time needed to flesh out their characters. I'm not sure. The book was propelled forward by both of their romantic entanglements and that's another strike on my end. Please give me something more to hold on to that's not just love interests!! I think learning more about Peter's story in this one would have prompted me forward. I really liked the kid and I think getting a greater background of him and his story as the plot progressed instead of just glimpses would have been very enticing. He was the most interesting one to me, including his life between the end of the book and the epilogue!

All in all, if you're a fan of romance and historical fiction, this will certainly be more up your alley. I just prefer the romance of a book to take more of a backseat to the action and LIFE that's happening around/outside of it.

I really liked this book. I liked the story and the characters. I felt like it was missing something though. Maybe the ends were tied up too nicely. There were some losses but the ending was predictable. That's great for some readers but not super realistic.