Suzanne Kelman has written some wonderful historical fiction WWII books and this one was definitely up there as one of my favorites. The characters are richly developed and the research conducted was amazing. This is a story of love and friendship. The relationship that develops among the three women was touching. There is romance, but it is buried in the midst of the trauma and angst of WWII. I had no idea about the barrage balloons used during the war. I spent a lot of time googling them to see exactly what they looked like and to read how they worked. I love learning a new aspect of the war and especially how the women were instrumental in fighting alongside the men. This is definitely a heartwarming story and one I would strongly encourage you to read. Just make sure you have some tissues on hand because they will come in handy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

I wanted to love this, but for me there just wasn't enough substance, and it was a bit of a let down compared to the author's previous books

Emotional and heartbreaking but really lovely at the same time. I loved the characters and writing style.

I liked the beginning of the story and the characters we were introduced to but the farther I got into the book the more It was just kind of ok for me. I found some things that I thought would be bigger storylines end up not being and a bit surprised that other things seemed to be more of a focus.

A good story about life during the war in London and the women that kept things going on the home front but not my favourite from Kelman.

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

This is a WWII Historical Fiction. I found the beginning hard to get into. There is so many WWII books and this one did not stand out for me. I just found this one a good story, but I read so many WWII book so I want the stories to stand out and jump off the page. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Bookouture) or author (Suzanne Kelman) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

Oh my gosh, this was my first novel by Susanne Kellman, and it will NOT be my last! I fell in love with her writing style and this story! I was swept away to WW2 through the pages, and just didn't think about anything else while reading it. I ADORED Lizzie and especially enjoyed the romance in this book with Pilot, Jack. I recommend this for any historical fiction reader!

I enjoyed this book. It tells the story of three women who met during WWII and were friends for life. Each of them had different jobs during the war, and they each had wonderful and frightening experiences. The job descriptions were detailed and it was fascinating to learn about plane tracking, barrage balloons, and what it was like being a secretary to Churchill. If you like WWII home front historical fiction, you’ll enjoy this book. 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A well done and emotional historical novel. Fans of the WWII genre will welcome this one, which takes the reader into depths of the blitz. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I didn’t get on with this book. It failed to grab my attention at the start which unfortunately meant I struggled to get into it and therefore didn’t get very far with it.

The cover is not the only beautiful thing about this book. This story was truly amazing. This heartbreaking, WWII novel is a must read. Loved it

I could not get drawn into this story despite starting and stopping several times. I felt the author's craft needs a fair amount of work--there was a lot of telling not showing, many such sentence level issues pulled me out of the story. I do think the concept is a good one and the author has a lot of potential, but it felt like this story wasn't quite ready for publication.

This book was a good, heavy read. So many storylines to keep up with that sometimes I got confused, but I could always backtrack a bit. Definitely puts images of war into a different perspective.

DNF at 40%

You may be wondering why I would give a book I DNFed a 3 star review? Well I have LOVED everything this author has written in the past so setting this book down is a me problem not a writing problem. I think the main issue I had with this book is the fact that whoever wrote the synopsis did not summarize the book at all. From the beginning I loved Lizzie and could not wait to see her story unfold and then she pretty much disappeared from the book. The main focus shifted from her to Julia who is a typist who has just started to work in the War Room in London. While I did like the friendship shown between Julia, Lizzie and Diana, I just couldn't get into the story. I tend to enjoy plot driven novels more and since this one is more character driven, diving into the day to day lives of these women I think this story is just not for me right now.

I love this book. This story has several characters. One of them is Lizzie Mackenzie, who lives in London. During September 1940, London suffered many attacks by Germany. Many civilians had to evacuate the city. Lizzie has a strong desire to help her country. During one of the attacks, she meets Jack Henson, a charming pilot. Lizzie and Jack begin a relationship despite the complications that the war could cause them. Every day Jack has to deal with the enemy, to protect not only Lizzie but her homeland. One day Lizzie meets a little orphan. The little girl changes everything in Lizzie's life. This situation makes her want to take care of the girl so that she can have a promising future. I liked the rhythm of this book. There were no dull moments. The character of Lizzie, very well described. I also liked the inclusion of important people of the time, such as Churchill. As I continued reading, I felt concerned for Jack, and that is why I did not stop reading the book until the last page. I like that the story included a romance and that it happened during the Blitz of WWII. I thank NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Britain in 1940. The Blitz is anticipated with dread. Children are evacuated from cities, men go to war. Three women step up to work for their king and country. Lizzie plots plane raids, Diana mans barrage balloons and Julia is a secretary in the war office.
But on the personal side, Lizzie has a heartbreaking past, Diana has led a quiet life due to her father's shellshock, and Julia is battling loneliness with her husband fighting abroad and her children living safely in the countryside.
Under A Sky On Fire is a wonderful historical novel about the Blitz in war torn London. I enjoyed the developing friendship between the three main female characters. The horror of war is counterbalanced by the Blitz spirit of the women and other characters. As a mother and wife, the danger and fear was really easy to imagine so I felt an emotional connection with the female leads.
Each of the women's lives has changed dramatically since the start of the war especially in the disruption of their normal family lives. However, Lizzie and Diana have a chance to find love and happiness if only they can prevent the past getting in the way. The romances are very different but are both affected by the drama of war.
Winston Churchill makes an appearance but it is the everyday life of London that is the star of this book. There is a natural and realistic feel to the writing and plot so I feel that the author Suzanne Kelman has done a great job with her research.

Under a Sky on Fire is an historical fiction novel set during the Second World War. The story follows Lizzie, Diana and Julia and highlights the vital part women played in the war effort.

Lizzie has traveled from the Scottish Highlands to London to join the WAAF and to look for the child she gave up for adoption several years earlier. She meets Diana on the train from Birmingham and they both bump into Julia during a trip to the cinema. All three have challenging jobs and use their new friendship as vital support during this tough time.

Although the novel is fictional, it tells the story alongside real events and people. I found the characters to be interesting and the book was incredibly well researched. My only criticism would be the overall slow pace of the narrative which didn’t keep my interest at all times.

I received this ARC from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

What a rollercoaster of emotions and what a well written tale. This.book is one of my first sci-fi novel. A heartwarming story. Would love to add it to my library, provided I get it in India,

Under a Sky on Fire the new book from Suzanne Kelman was an excellent read from start to finish and one in which my eyes were opened to aspects of the war that I had never previously read in much detail. Having recently read a lot of books set in Italy during World War Two, it was refreshing to change setting back to England. As much as I love historical fiction it can become slightly monotonous reading of the same setting and time period but this book was like a breath of fresh air. It follows three young women, Lizzie, Julia and Diana, all from very different backgrounds who forge a friendship because of a missed bus home after a night at the cinema. Theirs was a friendship forged in fire quite literally as when we meet them the Blitz was just beginning over London.

There must have been such extensive research undertaken by the author before she began writing this book as everything is so detailed, but in a good way as it never felt like I was reading a history book, and the imagery created is so vivid and realistic that I felt like I was there amongst the girls as they battled through each day in the face of so much adversity whilst trying to keep themselves safe and keep things as normal as they possibly could. The emotions experienced by the women ooze off the page and the reader themselves becomes deeply invested in their lives, both personal and professional. The bond the trio create is not forced or over the top, it felt genuine and supportive. That they would be there for each other no matter what, through thick and thin and through the good times and bad. War made everything change more or less overnight and this also could be said for personal relationships as one never knew would long term love or loss be around the corner. The relationships the women establish, particularly Lizzie and Diana, are intense and fast moving but that was the case at the time so I never looked on them as just being way too quick and that it couldn’t have happened in real life because it did at the time. Every chapter and scenario that developed was so expertly crafted and written and the trio’s sheer determination and resilience shone through at every available opportunity.

In 1940 Lizzie Mackenzie leaves the Highlands where she has been living on a farm with her Aunt and Uncle. Her heart belongs there and they have been good to her especially as she had to leave the island of Barra, where her family resides, very much under a black cloud. She is now joining the Women’s Auxiliary Airforce and hopes this new stage in life will help her in the healing process that meant she has never spoken to her immediate family since she left the island. I thought it was brilliant that we knew the reason for Lizzie being made to leave as it really helped me to understand her a lot more. Why she made the decisions that she did? What was it that was motivating her to get to London in particular? Yes she wants to do her bit for the war effort now that women are being allowed to step up and take on greater roles but there is something else burning deep inside her that motivates her and keeps her pushing forward. She meets Diana on the train as she travels to her training camp and they instantly feel a rapport with one another and this never wavers throughout the entire book.

Lizzie is still tormented by a significant event in her past and she can never let go of what she did. She carries this burden around with her and in London she hopes to find some resolution. When her training is complete she is given an important role as a plotter. I had never heard of this before and the insight into Churchill’s underground war bunker in Whitehall where so much crucial work was carried out and decisions made was fascinating. I felt like a door was being opened into an aspect of the war that is often kept very much secret. Lizzie finds the work challenging and finds it very hard that if she sees or hears something how will she cope if she knows it will affect someone she knows. Lizzie keeps her little quest/secret to herself even when she meets squadron leader Jack Henson she doesn’t really open up and I could understand why she did this. The chemistry between the pair is evident and I enjoyed how the lighter and more romantic side of their relationship offered some relief from the constant terror of the bombs raining down each night.

One night when Lizzie emerges from a shelter after a raid she encounters a young girl wandering on the road after her street has been destroyed. She is dazed and confused and will not speak but Lizzie feels drawn to her and realises she must help her. Through one thing and another she ends up staying with the women at Julia’s house. Reading the blurb you would believe this encounter to be a huge part of the book and for a short while it was but then I thought it took a back seat and not much happened with it. But I needn’t have worried as Suzanne Kelman had everything plotted out so well and there were plenty of twists and turns awaiting me as I kept rapidly turning the pages of this brilliant read.

Diana leaves her home city of Birmingham like Lizzie wanting to do her bit for the war. But her father is not that happy that she is signing up for war work and she feels very guilty. He still suffers from his experiences in the first war but Diana feels pulled to do something on a grander scale for her country. She knows people have to be stronger and make Britain proud. Her friendship with Lizzie and Julia sustains her especially as her work on the barrage balloons is dangerous, tough and she lives in fear of what will happen. But Diana grows over the course of the book and as she battles each night on the ground as the bombs rain down she starts to feel a greater appreciation for what her father went through and she begins to understand why he is the way he is. She girds herself with steel and is determined to keep going and to keep fighting for herself and her family. But Diana knows that each of the trio can reach out to each other to seek comfort and normality and she can always draw on the feeling of home in the midst of a world gone mad. I thought it was great that Diana began a relationship with Len as it offered her some pleasant moments and relief when she was off duty. Yet was this relationship another source of worry that she would also feel the need to constantly shoulder?

Julia was the mother hen of the group in that she came from a slightly different situation and background to either Diana or Lizzie. She seemed more grown up and of course she would be given she was married and had two young children. Her concerns regarding the war were different to that of her friends because she was worried for her husband’s safety as he was away fighting and she also wrestled with her conscience as to whether she should send her two children away to an Aunt in the Cotswolds. Not to mention Julia had to put up with a mother-in-law who lived next door and wasn’t all that nice to her. Julia, as similar to the other two women, had such an interesting job during the war and at the risk of repeating myself yet again it’s one I had never even imagined people doing but now I realise the necessity of it. Julia was promoted to a typing pool who worked for Churchill, they typed his speeches and important documents. It was like an entire other world as the battles raged across many countries and continents and this little system was hidden deep in Whitehall. I loved Julia as a character and it seemed as if there wasn’t overly much going on with her apart from the worries I have mentioned above. But again Suzanne Kelman has been really clever and if I had been even more alert I would have copped on to some of the clues dropped within the story. Suffice to say I didn’t but I wasn’t annoyed as I thoroughly enjoyed all the reveals and twists and turns that came aplenty towards the end.

I really really enjoyed Under a Sky on Fire. Suzanne Kelman is a really talented author and I hope to read many more books from her in the future. The only minor little gripe that I would have is that some events were left too late to come to the fore and therefore the ending felt slightly rushed. A few more pages of explanation and expansion before the epilogue would have been good. But aside from that I think the story of Lizzie, Diana and Julia will capture many people’s hearts. They were women of endurance, a three strand cord and they showed by being strong that you could get through the worst that life has to offer. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book as I spent several hours so deeply engrossed in the world inhabited by Lizzie and co.

As the German Luftwaffe begin a terrifying bombing campaign that will come to be known as the Blitz, thousands are evacuated to safety. But Lizzie Mackenzie finds herself heading towards London.
She knows she must help in the war effort. But she has another reason for leaving the security of her Scottish village: the illegitimate child she gave up for adoption nearly five years before is somewhere in the city. And – as the bombs rain down – she will stop at nothing to find her and make sure her little girl is safe.
This book will transport you right in the middle of the Blitz in London, during WWII. A truly moving, heart rendering novel about human survival and love in the midst of tragedy. A great historical fiction.