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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For something that is outside my usual genres this was great.
Really well written, a little bit of thriller, a little bit of romance, a large part of a love letter to books.
Really well written, a little bit of thriller, a little bit of romance, a large part of a love letter to books.
I LOVED this book! The whole story was beautifully written and really captured the terror and heartache of living through a war, but highlighted the beauty of life despite the troubles and bad things. It is exactly the kind of story and hopefulness that the world needs now. I loved how we as the reader got to join the main character on her journey of falling in love with reading and stories and how powerful they can be. It really highlights how important books are to the world.
Another book about this well-documented historical period needs much better writing and characterisation than this author is able to bring to the task. I did read to the end but thought it was a pedestrian and predictable retelling of a tale told many times before and with no new insights or information to make it worthwhile.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, War
Moderate: Child death, Blood, Death of parent
Minor: Car accident
My mom loaned me this book as both she and my dad really enjoyed it and thought I would like it as well. I don't usually read WWII historical fiction but since this one was recommended to me by my parents, I figured I'd give it a try. I am happy to report, I was not disappointed.
I love reading, libraries, books, and of course book shops, and the fact that this story took place in a book shop in London only added to its charm. With all of the chaos and sadness that surrounded people's lives during WWII, it was lovely to read a book that not only acknowledged the difficult times in which these people lived but also highlighted the humanity and kindness people can demonstrate even under the worst of circumstances. Ultimately, this book was about friendship, compassion, and doing what you can to make the world a better place.
Grace Bennett and her friend come to London in 1939 to live the glamorous life of shop girls however, soon everything changes with England's declaration of war in 1940. Grace and her friends must each find their own path to help with the war effort both domestically and abroad while also facing the very real fears of living in a city under siege. Madeline Martin has written a lovely story of courage under fire and the resiliency of the human spirit. If you like WWII historical fiction, books or book shops, or just want a good story with some fun and interesting characters, I definitely recommend picking up this book.
Want more book content? Follow me at thebookwar.com
I love reading, libraries, books, and of course book shops, and the fact that this story took place in a book shop in London only added to its charm. With all of the chaos and sadness that surrounded people's lives during WWII, it was lovely to read a book that not only acknowledged the difficult times in which these people lived but also highlighted the humanity and kindness people can demonstrate even under the worst of circumstances. Ultimately, this book was about friendship, compassion, and doing what you can to make the world a better place.
Grace Bennett and her friend come to London in 1939 to live the glamorous life of shop girls however, soon everything changes with England's declaration of war in 1940. Grace and her friends must each find their own path to help with the war effort both domestically and abroad while also facing the very real fears of living in a city under siege. Madeline Martin has written a lovely story of courage under fire and the resiliency of the human spirit. If you like WWII historical fiction, books or book shops, or just want a good story with some fun and interesting characters, I definitely recommend picking up this book.
Want more book content? Follow me at thebookwar.com
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5 stars, it was a perfectly fine story, but as some other reviews mentioned it felt a bit flat. I think it felt almost too idyllic even through the tragedies