I enjoyed the multiple perspectives offered in Henry's historical novel. I got to experience D-Day through the eyes of a German secretary in occupied France, a Resistance courier, an elderly French woman whose home was used by the Germans, a nurse-in-training in a hospital in England, and Axis Sally, radio mouthpiece of Nazi propaganda. And the writing was so good, I felt as if I were in each locale as the stories unfolded.

D-Day: June, 6, 1944. A novel of 5 women-1 American, 1 English, 1 German and 2 French told about the most harrowing day of their lives. Ages: 19 years to a grandmother. Territory’s covered: England, Germany and France. I was reminded of the movie “The Longest Day” where this same subject was covered in light of the servicemen and what took place on that day. This covers that aspect but, more importantly, the impact of these women as D-Day occurs in France. Each woman’s story is a book within itself but all have the one quality of: what must I do in order to survive. A passionate story with such detailed historical research. A particularly relevant story within 2022 being the struggle of the Ukraine people fighting for the survival of their country. I highly recommend this book for genres of historical fiction, WWII, and a great book club read.

The stories of five different women on D Day and how their contributions mattered.
Many thanks to Alcove Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Henry frames a deeper look at the largest amphibious assault in military history, D-Day. It’s the final point of her historic novel. She looks at the nuances of the invasion from many perspectives. Readers will appreciate the well rounded prism of such an auspicious event. The writing is smooth and the narrative flows among the differing characters. At times, the shifting of the voices was a bit confusing, but eventually it evened out.
Shed some light on one of the most pivotal events in WWII.

All The Lights Above Us is an ambitious novel. It follows the lives of five women in three different countries over the course of the D-Day invasion in World War II.

Adelaide is a French widow who has had her house taken over by German soldiers. Emilia is a German girl whose family wanted her to enter a birthing house in order to produce good Aryan babies. She chose to escape that life. She is working for the Germans in a small village in France close to the coast. Flora is French. She is very young. Her parents were part of the French resistance. They were killed in the course of their actions. Now Flora is determined to do as much as she can in their honor. Theda is a young English woman who does not want a conventional life getting married and having babies. Determined to be her own person, she wants to become a nurse. Lastly, but not least, we have Mildred, an American who is working for the Nazis in Berlin. She fled the US in order to work in Germany spreading the Nazi cause over the radio.

I read a fair amount of novels set in WWII, so I feel I can say that I have never seen these particular perspectives before. In addition, the descriptions of the soldiers returning to England to be treated in hospitals there after D-Day were some of the best I have ever read.
If you enjoy WWII novels, I recommend this debut novel. I gave it four stars.

Even though there is nothing truly new in this account of June 6, 1944, experiencing the confusion and fear of that invasion through the eyes of 5 different women really exposes the emotion and human cost of war. The writing is just superb, filled with descriptions that evoke the smells, sounds, and sights of the land, the French citizens, and the soldiers themselves. Telling this war story through women’s voices was creative and very effective.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC to read and review.

(3.5 rounded up)

“The dice are on the carpet!”

The six code words broadcasted far and wide alerting people across Europe that the invasion of France was on the way.

June 6, 1944 was D-Day. When over 150,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France— one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history. It’s often been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe.

There is an endless supply of WWII novels out there. What makes this book unique is that it focuses on one 24 hour day.

All the Lights Above Us— titled for the thousands of aircraft lights and bombs that lit up the sky that day—follows five different women in Europe and how they were affected and challenged by the events of D-Day.


The Cast of Characters

- Mildred, Berlin, Germany - (denounced) American actress at a German radio station responsible for broadcasting propaganda on the airwaves, trying to convince herself she’s not doing anything wrong. Nickname: Axis Sally, real historical figure.

“Germany gave her fame and fortune, where America gave her scandalous headlines and terrible scorn. Germany fed her, while America starved her. Germany transformed her from a nobody into an icon.”


- Theda, Portsmouth, England - independent woman who hated the idea of marriage and feels like she doesn’t belong since she cares more about books and traveling than homemaking but finds herself caring for soldiers at the hospital.

“A very sad truth, Theda Brown. Sometimes the biggest roadblock to women is the judgment and criticism of other women.”


- Flora, Caen, France - stubborn daughter of deceased parents of the Resistance who has taken up their mantle and tried to prove her usefulness to the Resistance by doing whatever secret tasks she can, like delivering encrypted messages.

“She just couldn’t understand why no one ever took her seriously."


- Adelaide, Sainte-Mère-Église, France - traditional elderly woman billeting (and mothering) German troops in her home, struggling with her usefulness in old age and the tension with her daughter (who views motherhood differently) and wishing she could be with her daughter and granddaughter out in the country.

“Day in and day out, all Adelaide did was mother. But no one had ever called her a good mother, at least not to her face. She couldn’t even say the words to herself in the mirror, because without the validation, she didn’t know if they were true.”


- Emilia, Caen, France - beautiful woman who was destined for the ‘birthing houses’ of Lebensborn to produce more Aryan offspring with German men until she made her escape and ended up working with the Gestapo typing up interrogations.

“She admired those women who had bucked male authority, who made their own mark on the world. Women who never felt the need to run away.”


Themes

All the Lights Above us shows us the terror, the panic, and the danger of that infamous day. It shows us how women from a variety of ages, stations, loyalties, and locations handle the impending invasion. How they muster the courage to do what needs to be done.

Another major theme of this book is the roles and expectations of women during that time. Each character has a male counterpart and an important moment in which they must decide whether they stand up for themselves or ‘fall into line'.’

A less admirable theme is the gore. If this was a movie, it would definitely be rated R for violence and gore. It’s different when you read it than when you see it, but there are a lot of descriptions of destruction, injuries and death.

To give you an idea if you think you can handle it, some of the wording is like this:

“Germans tackled paratroopers to the ground like wildcats. They shredded them to Swiss cheese with bullets.”

“Putrid, rotting algae mixed with the sharp odor of decaying flesh.”

“Teeth cracked, blood spattered, and the jaw broke.”

It’s not super graphic, but it’s enough to make you cringe.


Recommendation

Because there are so many WWII books out there, it’s hard for me to recommend this over some of the other books out there. The idea of focusing on a variety of characters while looking at one day in history is interesting. But I felt like we didn’t get enough time with each character.

I thought that the author was going to intersect all of their stories in the end somehow as we see done in Cloud Cuckoo Land, but only Flora and Emilia interact. I think it would have made more sense of the larger cast of characters if their stories intersected or culminated at the the end.

Instead it feels a bit shallow. It seems like more time was spent describing the war movements/actions/violence than each character’s story. I’m not sure what I would have rather had because there’s only so much ‘character development’ that can happen in the span of one day and to do more back and forth between past and present to create historical depth would only have added to the complexity and flow of the chapters.

I would say if D-Day in particular interests you, or books with many characters, or you just want to read all the WWII stuff there is, then I think you’ll like this book.

If you’re just looking for a really good WWII novel, I’m not sure this is the one I would hand you. It’s not a bad book and I don’t discourage anyone from reading it— there were parts that were gripping— it just didn’t keep my attention like other WWII books I’ve read.


“Wrapped in each other’s arms, they watched the dizzying light show out the window. Flares, antiaircraft fire, bullets, and shells. Liberation.”


**Received an ARC via NetGalley**

The story's premise was pretty good, how D-day affected five different women. They were an ex-pat working in Nazi propaganda, a young woman working with the VADs, a young woman with a minor role in the resistance; a German woman who takes a job as a typist in order to escape the Lebensborn and an older French woman who billeted Germans in her home. The book wasn't that long so none of the stories had time to really develop or to get to know the characters. They were in France, Germany and England, two French women, one English, one German and one American. The story jumped from character to character and at times was confusing. It seems with most books with different perspectives there is a point where all the characters connect but that wasn't the case here for the most part and then at the end each chapter ended kind of abruptly. The research was good and the writing was easy to read although did drag at some points. With so many main characters it read more like jumbled up short stories rather than a novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for providing me with this copy.

Five very different women tell their stories in this novel about DDay. They are all struggling with their role in the war (notably Mildred, an American who has been broadcasting for the Nazis). The characters are well drawn and sympathetic (yes. even Mildred) and it's suspenseful. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This is a unique novel about D-Day told from five non-linked perspectives. It was interesting see this day from the point of view of five separate women on both sides of the lines. It wasn't particularly emotional for me, but I did learn nearly hour-by-hour how the different fronts were affected by the invasion.

This story is told from the point of view of 5 women, and details that fateful day of June 6, 1944. Mildred is an expat living in Germany making her way as "Axis Sally" - spouting propaganda on the German radio, and trying to convince herself things aren't as dire as she fears. Theda is a young girl helping in the medical units back in England, seeing far more casualties than she thought. Then there's Flora - the gutsy young girl helping the French resistance, despite the dangers involved. Emilia is the secretary and sometimes lover to a high ranking German officer, and must decide how to use the confidential information she has access to. Adelaide provides a warm home to German soldiers, convinced they are "just boys" as she tries to mother them, but is forced to realize each is a killer. Each of these women have to comes to terms with the life they are living on that fateful day, and decide the path they must take.

I thought this was an interesting take on an important WWII event, but it ended so abruptly and I wish it had wrapped up with the stories a bit more connected. I thank NetGalley for the ARC of this in exchange for an honest review, and all opinions are my own.

So many times when we think about D-Day, we are imagining the storming of the beaches. But it was so much more than that. There was an American in Berlin who had become "Axis Sally" and was trying to pretend a trial for treason was not imminent. In the coastal towns of France, there was immense destruction and turmoil. As Germans were rooted out, many of the French were collateral damage. The wounded needed treatment and the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth was in the thick of it. Then there were the French citizens who had been trying to live their lives while occupied by the Nazis. How do they weather D-Day? Some families were reunited, while others were irretrievably broken. In this upcoming release, M.B. Henry gives us a view of this day through the eyes of five women: Mildred, Theda, Flora, Adelaide, and Emilia. They are not all on the same side and most do not know the others who help tell the story. Yet, all of their lives were deeply affected by the events of D-Day. This is their story.

Thank you To Alcove Press and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

The Invasion

This is the story of the D-day invasion June 6, 1944. It is a story of four women during this time in history and the different ways in which they were affected by the invasion. How they fought for their survival, and their way of life in a country torn by war.

Mildred is an expatriate American working at a radio station as Axis Sally spreading propaganda for the German's. She begins to have a guilty conscious for what she is doing. She knows that it is wrong and that she will be tried for treason by America when she is caught.

Theda is a VAD volunteer at the hospital working with the nurses and the doctors to help care for all the wounded soldiers returning to England for medical treatment. She is conflicted between wanting to be her own person and her mother's wishes for her to be a wife and mother.

Flora is in France working with the French resistance. She lives with her boyfriend who also works with the French resistance. The resistance is called The French Maquisards. She wishes to do more but as a woman is only given simple jobs. Then she learns the real reason why as she sits by a fellow resistance worker and a childhood friend at the hospital.

Emilia is working for the German Nazi's in France as a typist and a secretary to a Nazi officer. She took the job to keep from being sent to the Lebensborn program. She hates her work and only took it for that reason. She hates what the Nazi's are doing and the cruel acts they perform. She wishes to escape but is trapped.

Adelaide is an older lady living in France. She has been forced to take in German Soldiers to board in her home. She has issues with her daughter, but when the invasion happens she takes on an impossible task to find and be with her daughter and granddaughter, first with the help of a German soldier and then with the help of an American soldier.

These are the women the book is written about. Each of them live different lives and are affected differently by the D-day invasion. Even though they all live different lives, they are all affected by the war and it's horrors. It forces them to look inside to their true feelings.

This was a pretty good book, it did go from one person to the next and was somewhat hard to follow because of that. I did enjoy the stories, but it was a lot of different switches with so many different stories to follow. It was almost like reading a book of short stories but they were mixed in together so you read a little of each story then a little of the next story.

Thanks to M.B. Henry for writing the story, to Alcove Press for Publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available for me to read and review.

Integrating factual accounts of D-Day within her storyline, M.B. Henry has created an unforgettable historical novel in All the Lights Above Us. What stands apart in this particular novel is her approach to the story of D-day as seen through the eyes of five very different women.

Mildred Gillars, otherwise known as Axis Sally, has sold her soul to the devil for a radio career. Her popularity and stardom was all she ever wanted and Germany has given her that, but her treasonous activities will come with a price. Theda Brown works hard for the Voluntary Aid Detachment for England’s Queen Alexandra Hospital. Always fighting against the norm for women of her time, Theda wants more than just marriage and a family. She wants to be a woman of worth with a career of her own. Flora Babineaux is a fighter and a member of the French resistance. She will grapple to be involved in any and all activities to rid her country of Nazi occupation. Adelaide Paquet, an elderly French woman, has never wanted to be anything but a good mother. Recent quarrels with her daughter leave her feeling as if she failed in her vocation. When the Allied invasion starts, she will move heaven and earth to find and protect her daughter and grand-daughter. And finally Emilia Wagner. Barely escaping Lebensborn, Hitler’s baby factory, beautiful Emilia will use her looks and feminine charms to work her way to the top of the Nazi ladder, But beauty has a price and Emilia no longer wants to pay it. All these women tell their story of D-day and the impact it will have on their country and their lives.

The author's approach in All the Lights Above Us was unique. I found it hard to put down and at times held my breath as some of the scenes were fierce. The characters were distinctive and well written, and readers will either like or dislike them intensely. Most characters were fictional, but the author also blended real characters into the storyline which I appreciated. There is violence and some language throughout, so readers need to be aware, but on the whole, All the Lights Above Us was an unforgettable piece of historical fiction.

I want to thank NetGalley and Alcove Press for an ARC of All the Lights Above Us by M.B. Henry. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alcove Press, & Random House for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

DNF @ 25%

I love multiple POV in novels, and especially in historical fiction, but it didn't work for me in this one. All of the characters seemed too superficial, too black & white - even as they were obviously being presented as living in shades of gray. I know this could have changed as the novel progressed, but I at almost 100pgs in I had no investment to continue.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book for my review.

The book takes place on D Day 6/6/1944 when the boats, planes, air drops come onto Normandy beaches to defeat and remove the Nazi Germans.
The story is told thru 5 women who have different goals, backgrounds, and circumstances. Yet the realization of freedom and times of humanity are still in their hearts.
The women who tell their story are Mildred, aka Axis Sally, is an American expatriate, who works at a German radio station providing war propaganda.. Theda, in England, who works as a hospital trainee nurse. Her conflict is whether a job is more important than finding love. Flora, who wants to be recognized joins the French resistance. Emilia works for a prominent nazi Hyens in Cain France. She struggles with what she knows and sees. The last is Adelaide who had to board soldiers in her home. However, finding her daughter and granddaughter was most important..
The story is refreshing reading it thru the eyes of women and what they do given the horror. The horror is told in such a way it seems real.
The only down side is keeping track of each woman since the chapters are not long and move fast.
Either combine them or less women but I had to take notes as to who is where and what is happening.
If your into historical fiction and war stories from a woman’s perspective go for it!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley - thank you.

All the Lights Above Us is the debut novel by M B Henry. It is a story of what will be become D-Day told from alternating points of view among five different women that covers the twenty-four hours of D-Day, June 6, 1944. These women, who are are restricted by social norms, war, and being women, need to dig deep to survive the day. Will they all survive?

I really enjoyed this book. While the subject matter is very difficult, the author paints a picture that makes you feel like you are there.

It's a subject of endless fascination, but I always hesitate a second before reading yet another WWII historical fiction, wondering whether there are really any new stories to tell. I feel like this novel did in fact bring a fresh approach. I appreciated the condensed time-frame -- really just the 24 hours surrounding D-Day. And I enjoyed viewing the events through the lenses of five very different women. In particular, I think it was wise to include two viewpoints of women on the German side, and was especially intrigued by their persepctives. A solid read.

In All the Light Above Us by M. B. Henry, we meet five strong and wonderful women. Each of these ladies have a struggle. Each of these ladies attempt to overcome the adversity in their lives, each in her own individual way. How they handle their difficulties makes for five great stories told against the background of the beginning of the D-Day invasion. There is Mildred who wants success, recognition, and acceptance above all else. Meet Theda who thinks she cannot pursue her dreams and have love in her life at the same time. Flora works for the resistance to honor her dead parents. Adelaide travels around battlefields to reach her daughter and granddaughter. Finally, Emilia who learns that the Reich is not all she was led to believe. A novel about beautiful, strong, and resilient women. A good book about the strength and caring of women. I liked the book very much and would recommend it to others.

Set over a period of 24 hours in Nazi-occupied France on the important date of June 6, 1944 All the Lights Above Us is a cleverly-told story from five women's perspectives. Not only are the women variously aged and characterized but they represent different countries and political sides. However, Theda, Emilia, Mildred, Flora and Adelaide are under the same sky as Normandy is invaded. Soldiers and civilians of all stripes survive and die. Through powerful descriptions the reader sees, smells, tastes, touches and hears atrocities, deceptions and acts of kindness through the eyes of the characters. Not only that but we are privy to anguish, despair, filth, disgust, frustrations and sorrow, a constant barrage of emotions.

My favourite aspects are the colourful historical bits and the fact that the author does not gloss over the horrors of war. The 24-hour timeframe is brilliant as is the title. I also like the touches of humanity shown in unexpected places and appreciate details which had not occurred to me before such as issues parachutists had landing on various landscapes.

Historical Fiction fans ought to seek out this book. Do be sure to read the author's note in the back.

My sincere thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this wonderful book!