This is a long over due read and feedback. Thank you net galley for giving me an advanced electronic copy of Under a Sky of Memories by Soraya M Lane. This book follows 3 women that become transport nurses that have been selected for a special mission. The mission takes a turn and they are left stranded in the forests of Albania. They must cross rugged terrain with lurking Nazis that could spot them at any turn. Just like her other novels, this is based off true events that happened to the 807th Squadron. I highly recommend reading this novel if you love historical fiction.

I loved the three friends in the story and how they stuck by each other through it all. The character development was spot on. A great homage to the work and sacrifice of the nurses during WWII, who are often overlooked.

I have honestly yet to read or listen to a book by this author that I did not absolutely love! This was such an interesting storyline with the nurses. I will most likely be reading this book again and definitely is a recommendation from me to historical fiction fans. I look forward to what’s next from this author!!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Another wonderful book from Lane. This one was about nurses in WWII who were lost in Albania. I literally didn't know a thing about the war in Albania so it was fun to read about a different setting. If you've read her books before, you'd know what to expect when it comes to lovable characters, brave women and sweet love stories. I really liked this one.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction that is set during WWII. This book is based on a true story of which I was not familiar. The three main characters, Dot, Evelyn, and Vida, are nurses from the U.S. Their willingness to do whatever it takes to support their country in the fight against Hitler’s reign of terror leads them on a fearful journey. The romance focus did not detract from the intense danger they experienced. What an amazing tale of dedication, fear, agony, love, heartache, and suspense. I strongly encourage you to put this on your to-be-read list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing 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!

This story will put you right into the tension of WWII and give you a story of three nurses that would travel near the front lines to airlift wounded soldiers to bring them back to a make-shift hospital so they have a better chance of survival. They trained hard, determined to make a difference but nothing could have trained them for what was ahead.

Now stationed in Italy, the girls are anxious to get to work. But a flight to a warzone goes terribly wrong. They're shot down and the Nazis are hunting them. The rough terrain of Albania involve many hardships and their only way out is on foot, running and hiding from the Nazis.

This story is gripping, putting you among this group and this author is perfect at describing the sights and sounds around them so you feel like you're right there with them. It's an ongoing struggle and you wonder if they'll ever get out alive. You'll have to read it to find out. I was gifted with an ARC and wanted to post a review. Outstanding story.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

I wanted to read this novel from the first time I heard about it. I like books that focus on little known true stories from WWII, as long as they are well written. What really piqued my interest is the fact that the main characters are nurses! As a former RN I couldn’t pass this one up!
The book opens in 1943, in Kentucky where three recently trained nurses meet on a train platform. They are being transferred from one training facility to the next. They are there to learn to become flight nurses for MAETS, ie, Medical Air Transport Squadron. Prior to MAETS’ formation the injured were transported, via truck or train, from the front lines to medical facilities that were often many miles away. The death rate was high among the severely injured. With air transport the critically injured could reach hospital much faster and death rates did drop significantly!
The three nurses; Dot, Evelyn and Vida, become fast and inseparable friends. They support each other throughout the rigorous training. Upon completion they are assigned to Italy to begin right away. The work is hard but rewarding with each nurse gaining In confidence, even Dot the shyest and least confident amongst them.
First and foremost this is a story of survival. During a period of daily bad weather all MAETS flights were grounded. Wounded GIs were not able to be evacuated until the flights could be resumed leading to increased chance of severe disability and death. Once the weather cleared the General in charge ordered a larger plane that would carry 13 nurses and 13 medics instead of one each. This large of an undertaking had never been attempted before so with little warning our 3 find themselves flying towards the front lines. Spirits are high with everyone anticipating getting back to work. That is until they hit bad weather and are blown off course. Furthermore it appears their navigational equipment has been broken. Flying blind they soon run into German planes intent on shooting them down. After they crash they have no idea where they are. Fear then grips the team when they learn they are behind enemy lines in Albania! The story then focuses on the groups struggle to return to safety with as many survivors as possible. Do they make it and with how many alive? For the answer you will need to read the book.
The novel is for the most part well written. The one area I found a little wanting was the pacing. Even though there are periods of high tension and danger I felt that the book fell flat in between them. Sometimes it became even boring to me. I feel more description of the villages and villagers they encounter along the way would have been helpful. For example; we know food in the villages is short and the Americans are showing signs of malnutrition. I found myself wondering how the Albanians were able to cope. Also what’s their day to day life like? Very little is shared about them. I feel the book would have been more interesting and have a richer context if more was included.
One thing the author does very well is in her handling of her characters. Each main character and a few of the secondary characters are supplied with very detailed backstories that gives us a chance to care about their survival. They become important to us. Lesser characters are not even named let alone described. At first I was disappointed but soon realized that it would be a very complicated book if they were given roles.
The other thing I liked about the book was the Authors note. Here she delineates fact from fiction, something I wish more authors would do.
Oh for our Romance lovers there are a few sweet romances, so don’t turn the book down thinking the material too dark. There are definitely some very credible romantic moments! This is not to say that the romance stories overtake the main plot because they only enhance the book.
I can recommend this book wholeheartedly to fans of Historical Fiction especially if one likes stories were strong and courageous women are featured. Also fans of WWII stories will find this book engrossing!
I’m rating the book 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley. This fact in no way influenced my review.

This was a wonderful story about 3 young women who want to help their country during World War II. The three women, Vita, Evelyn and Dot meet and become fast friends. They get their orders and the plane crash lands in Albania amongst the enemy. We learn about their backgrounds and their dreams and what made them decide to become nurses. They endure much being survivors and dealing constantly with obstacles. There is some beautifully written romance within the pages.

'Under a Sky of Memories' is the story of three incredible and brave women during the war. It is a hauntingly powerful book and one that I would highly recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction.

This book is a powerful story of courage and determination. Vita, Dot, and Evelyn are brave and strong, and their friendship is inspiring. The journey they take is dangerous and difficult, but they never give up. As they travel through enemy territory, they must fight for their lives. This is an excellent book for anyone interested in World War II history or stories of survival against all odds. Soraya M. Lane is a superb storyteller, and this book is sure to keep readers engaged from beginning to end.

Epic... that was quite a ride!! I loved every minute of it ☺️

Thanks netgalley for giving me the advanced pdf so that I can share my thoughts and opinions with y'all 🧡

If you love stories in the times of World War 2, you'll love this beautiful book. It is heart-wrenching and provides a beautiful story about three nurses who are part of the Medical Evacuation Transport Squadron based in Sicily.

This story is beautiful and heartbreaking, and had my emotions all over the place.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this for me to read and provide an honest review.

Wasn’t sure whether I’d find this book a bit of an easy read, and yes it had romantic interest and lightheartedness, however I quickly became engrossed in the lives of 3 nurses, members of the US Air evacuation transport squadron and their survival and eventual rescue after a crash landing in enemy territory in Albania. After a short amount of training, each of them has to draw on every resource they have in order to survive, forming close friendships along the way.

Thanks to Netgalley the author and publishers Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I received a free copy of Under a Sky of Memories by Soraya M. Lane in exchange for my honest opinion.

4 stars! I really enjoyed this book from beginning to end (including the author's note, which I am so glad was included). I've read a lot of WWII books from different points of views or home countries but this was the first time I learned about the 807th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron. This book should be made into a movie!

I thought it was unfair to put only one character at the front cover. When the story is about three amazing, heart-wrenching total human women. This story is emotional, fact backed without being boring and historical. The use of flashback also made me understand the different characters more.

It is a good read for WWII readers.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, & Amazon Publishing 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.

Enjoyable enough, but unfortunately nothing really stuck out for me.

This book I loved! It is set in the tear 1943 f you enjoy a story set in World War 2 that shows the strength and courage of woman and men who do what they can to save other people, then this is a book that you must pick up, another beautifully written heart-felt story from Soraya Lane as she digs deep into the emotions and characters of three woman. This story if filled with emotion, beautiful romances along the way yet in such tough times I felt their pain, the love and the fear!
I highly recommend this book!
Thank YOU NetGalley!
I rated this 4 1/2 stars!

I wanted to fact-check every word of this book because it was all so unbelievable.
But I think that doing that while or before you read it would change the impact that it has on the reader.
I am an avid reader of historical fiction, and I will be recommending this to EVERY single person I know that is a fan of this genre. This was one of the best books I have ever read. Right up there with how I feel about The Nightingale and The Rose Code.

Kudos to the author for a well-written, unforgettable, and dynamic book. I am looking forward to reading more.

A great fictional story based on true facts of American medics, whose plane crashed in wartorn Albania.
The book depicts the dedication of the secret agents and the partisans who tried to rescue different people.
Great characters which enabled the story to flow well.

Under a Sky of Memories is the story of Vita, Dot, and Evelyn, three American nurses who sign up to serve in World War II. As members of the Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron, they will be the nurses on board air ambulances, transporting injured soldiers away from the front lines so they can recover in proper hospitals.

They are posted to Catania in Sicily, where they find the work difficult but satisfying. Soon, they are all assigned to the same mission, a super flight with multiple doctors and nurses on board. A series of mishaps leads them to crash-land in Armenia … enemy territory.

The story then becomes a tale of survival: will the pilots, nurses, and medics survive?
Under a Sky of Memories is a gripping story with excellent characters. The writing is excellent, with plenty of suspense, made all the more engaging once I realised this was based on a true story. That’s actually an important fact, because otherwise it would be easy to complain the mistakes leading to the crash weren’t realistic!

The author has obviously done a heap of research, which is great, but it never overwhelms the story. Instead, the story very much focuses on the three nurses.

Recommended for historical fiction fans, especially those who enjoy World War II fiction.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.