This was an incredibly compelling story told in dual timelines. It focuses on two brave women who are fighting for their place in a male dominated setting. The two time periods were seamlessly woven together, which is usually a hard thing to accomplish in dual timeline stories. This book was empowering, enlightening, and shed light on so many important themes with beautiful prose.

I appreciate NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Addison Armstrong's new book The War Librarian. I love, love, loved it! In 1918 Emmaline is the quiet daughter of Russian immigrants. Her parents pass away while she is young and she remembers the amazing way her mother could bring people together while she feels she is hiding from life herself. Through her work in the Dead Letter's Office, she finds a letter written to a childhood friend, who is a soldier fighting in France during World War I. She realizes she has to do something more and becomes a librarian at a field hospital in war-torn France. In 1976 Kathleen is one of the first women accepted to the US Naval Academy. She endures hazing and violent attacks from the male students. After the death of her grandmother Kathleen finds a letter that ties her to Emmaline and her story. I couldn't put the book down. This is sure to be a favorite.

The War Librarian parallels the lives of two young women: the first during World War One; the second serving in the first class to. Include women at West Point. Each woman is beginning a new chapter of her life in an untraditional role. Both must display courage to meet the challenges of their new daily lives. The end of the story reveals the common thread between them as well as a love that has stood the test of time.

The War Librarian is a compelling historical fiction novel. The story is told from two points of view; Emmaline, whose story is set in 1918, and Kathleen, whose story takes place in 1976. Emmaline is a timid young woman who goes to France during WWI to provide comfort to wounded soldiers through books, and Kathleen is appointed to the Naval Academy the first year it is open to women. Both women face unexpected challenges as they encounter racism and misogyny, and must dig deep to find strength and courage to forge ahead. The author has done a wonderful job in bringing the characters, their stories, and their timelines to life.

The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong
Release Date: 8/9/22

Going back and forth between 1918 and 1976, The War Librarian tells the story of two incredibly strong women during two difficult periods of time. Emmaline Balakin, the daughter of Russian immigrants, finds herself volunteering as a librarian in France during WWI. While there she reconnects with her childhood sweetheart who had been drafted into the war, and she also becomes close friends one of the only women on the front to drive a car, Nellie. In the short time that she is in France, Emmaline finds herself in dangerous situations as she combats censorship in the war. Kathleen Carre, the granddaughter of Nellie Carre, is a part of the first class of women allowed in the Naval Academy. While there, Kathleen does her best to stand strong against assaults, lies, and overall misogyny while digging deeper into her grandmother's past.

I really enjoyed this book! It was one that I definitely couldn't put down. Personally I enjoyed Emmaline's chapters more than Kathleen's but I think that's just a preference for the WWI time period. I wish that there had been a longer explanation of Nicholas's life after the war and how everything that happened had affected him. And above all I wish that Emmaline hadn't felt like she was forced to do what she did! I don't want to put spoilers but I feel like she still could have had the life she wanted with Nicholas, even if it wasn't exactly what it should have been.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!.

The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong tells a story with a dual timeline spanning 58 years. It tells us about the power and importance of books and words. But it also tells us about women breaking into a man’s world by assisting the war effort during WWI in 1918 and 58 year later, the first class of women admitted into the US Naval Academy. We are ensconced in the lives of Emmaline, Nellie, and Nicholas in 1918; and in 1976, we hear about the struggles of Kathleen, Susan, and Linda as they become plebes at the US Naval Academy. This story shares with us the strengths of the women involved, the challenges they faced during their lifetimes, and how the two generations are forever woven together.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

4.5 stars

This was one of those books that gave me withdrawals after finishing. The author did a fantastic job of transporting me back in time and I felt as though I was living though the war myself. This was a great portrayal of women’s contributions to war efforts and the military.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The War Librarian follows the story of two women: Emmaline and Kathleen and is told in their dual timelines of their lives. Both women are attempting to follow their dreams in the midst of WWI and the story that unfolds is how each woman struggles, but then overcomes. I really enjoyed the determination and friendships that evolved throughout the story, and the ending definitely left me emotional.

The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong is the story of two strong women who refuse to give up on their dreams. Both women are faced with (and must overcome) many obstacles to achieve their goals.

The story unfolds over two time lines. First, you have Emmaline. In 1918 she volunteers as a war librarian to help get books to wounded soldiers in army hospitals in France during WWI. Emmaline tries to stand up for what she believes is right irregardless of the consequences she may have to face. Second, we have Kathleen. Her greatest dream is to be among the first women to be admitted to the Naval Academy. In 1976, she becomes a member of the first class to include women. Kathleen is determined to make it even if she must face injustices at every corner and fight for the chance to keep her place at the Academy . As the book progresses, secrets are revealed, deep friendships are made and lives are changed forever.

This is the first book I have read by this author. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was intrigued by the idea of WWI and the first class to include women at the Naval Academy coming together. I would definitely recommend this book of sisterhood, courage and determination.

I so wanted to love this one -- World War I historical fiction following a war-time librarian in France? Count me in! Unfortunately, this one was just OK for me -- a solid three stars, but not a stand out on my list of finished books.

The War Librarian follows two timelines. One is during World War I following Emmaline, a woman who leaves her safe job in the United States to become a librarian at a hospital on the front in France. The other timeline follows Kathleen in 1976 as she experiences being in the first class at the United States Naval Academy that allowed women to be admitted.

Emmaline and Kathleen both experience adversity and come to terms with the realities of being a woman in their respective societies. They both also see the effects of racism in their environments. These themes constitute a pretty large part of the novel. The women fight back against societal constraints in the hopes of enacting change.

I enjoyed reading about the effort of the war librarians in World War I, which is something I did not know existed. It was clear the author did research into the topic, and it felt informative and interesting.

Kathleen's timeline seemed to have more of a driving force -- she is fighting to complete her first year of training at the Naval Academy amidst all of the sexism and criticism she receives for being in the first group of females to be admitted. I felt like Emmaline's sections had less of a driving plot. Her chapters felt much more "day in the life" with no real goal other than to bring books to the injured soldiers at the hospital. The novel does ultimately build to a twist, but it's not altogether surprising.

Ultimately, I thought that the book had a lot of potential and I loved the idea of following a war-time librarian, but I didn't really connect with the characters too much which made it difficult to become too invested in the story. Some characters seemed to exist to advance a particular plot line, which I didn't love.

I will admit that part of my hesitancy with this novel began at the time I read it. Roe v. Wade was overturned just a day or two after I'd started this book, which really soured me on feeling gung-ho for women's rights and the achievements we have made over the years. Roe v. Wade is even mentioned in Kathleen's timeline, and it felt a sad sort of comedy to be reading how revolutionary and exciting that was for women at the time. Obviously, this is not the author's fault and the book was written prior to its overturn.

Overall, it is a solid read, but not my favorite historical fiction. If you love strong female characters and are interested in military history as well as the war librarian effort, then I would say give this a go!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group's G.P. Putnam's Sons for the advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review!

This book captivated me. I was drawn in once I realized the two different times that were being used. I read a lot of WWII and this was a different story than I have ever read before. I was so invested in the characters I could not put it down. While I started to suspect the twist at the end, I had no idea how the author would get us there. I read the last 2/3 of this book in one afternoon and sat on my couch crying.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

The War Librarian is a story of generational activist, women, who during their life encounter racism and equality of women's rights. One character is a librarian who travels to France to see her lifelong friend and love while the other character is part of the first women to enter the Naval academy. The women fight for right equal rights among women and minorities when during their lifetime these were not accepted.
I enjoyed the book, however I felt at times it lagged and the constant comparison of literary characters to those of the. book was at times not needed.

Addison Armstrong sold her first historical novel while still an undergraduate studying elementary education. “The War Librarian” is her sophomore novel and continues her strong showing. It features a dual timeline: set in the last months of World War I and in 1976 when the Naval Academy first admitted women. The chapters alternate between the story lines. (I was so tempted to skip ahead to continue the narrative gripping me at the moment). Eventually elements from the two timelines merge in a suspenseful courtroom scene.

Emmaline volunteers to serve as a war librarian in France. She operates a small library of donated books out of the recreation hut at an army field hospital by loaning or reading books to the wounded soldiers as they convalesce. Introverted Emmaline knows firsthand that “books are the best place to hide … when the world is too much to take.” While carrying out her duties, she discovers that the negro soldiers receive a lower standard of medical care and accommodation at the hospital.

Kathleen, whose Nana served in WWI as a driver, is excited to be among the first women admitted to the US Naval Academy. She experiences hazing and false accusations from those who would prefer the institution remain male, not unlike the first African-American midshipmen.

The novel explores themes of equality, the role of dissent in a democracy, and whether books (and their ideas) are more dangerous than weapons of war. I like that the more recent of the two timelines also has a sense of the historical about it. It’s like getting two historical novels in one.

This was a great book. Many of our patrons loved books about librarians. This gives similar vibes to the books written about the packhorse librarians of Kentucky. The struggles that women had to go through to get reading material to difficult places. However, these women were under a considerable amount more stress, due it being wartime. We sometimes forget the importance and convenience of library, assuming they will always be available for our use. This is not the case. These women were pioneers and helped with the war effort in a unique way. I am looking forward to reading this title at an up and coming book club meeting. This book was provided my Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a DNF for me. The beginning was good, but as the book progressed, I found myself not able to identify with the characters and their storyline. It was a 2 person POV. Both storylines were progressing into a challenging point in the characters life.

Dual time novel with a twist that ties it all together at the end. Loved learning about the ALA's program of getting books to soldiers and sailors during the Great War. Also, the first female who attended the Naval Academy account of her experiences were eye opening. Discrimination and harsh treatment were hard in both timelines. I always enjoy reading the author's note. Recommended.

THE WAR LIBRARIAN by Addison Armstrong

Told through dual timelines this story is about two women, Kathleen Carre and Emmaline Balakin.

Emmaline is a volunteer WWI war librarian at a field hospital in 1918 France. She provides wounded soldiers with much needed reading material to distract from their injuries. Being a librarian allows her to come out of her shell and discover she’s braver than she thinks.

Kathleen is part of the first coed class of the Naval Academy in 1976. She and the other women “plebes” are subjected to discrimination, sexism, harassment and hazing. She is determined to prove she’s worthy and capable to be a member of the Navy.

While I didn’t truly connect with either character, Emmaline’s storyline was the standout for me. Her experience and the friendships she formed felt real and genuine. Kathleen’s strength and spirit was admirable, yet it seemed her perspective and thoughts didn’t match the era she was living in.

I did like the way their stories were weaved together in the end. Not really a twist, but a detail that was significant to all the characters.

Overall, a good read if you’re not familiar with the WWI war library program and/or the history of women in the Naval Academy.

**ARC courtesy of @NetGalley & Penguin Group Putnam

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
Release Date: 08.08.22

Thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam , I was provided an ARC of The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

*****Publishing August 9, 2022****

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you love historical fiction, then this is a must read! A great story of two women who lived in two different time periods, but had many parallels and were connected by Kathleen’s grandmother, Nina. A wonderful story of heartache, resiliency, and determination. I absolutely loved this book!

A dual timeline story that follows Emmaline, a war librarian, who served in WWl and Kathleen who is accepted into the Navel Academy’s first female class of 1980 in Annapolis, Maryland. Kathleen follows the footsteps of her Dad who fought in WWII and Korean War and her grandmother who served in WWl. Her Dad did not come home from the Korean War and when she was young, her mother left to be a travel writer, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother. Both Emmaline and Kathleen have had loss of their parents, which pushed them both into military careers.

Emmaline was a trailblazer not only for women, but for soldiers. She helped them escape through books by reading to them or supplying them with books during the war. Emmaline has to navigate the male dominated world, will it catch up to her and she be accused of having documents that could go against the military?

Kathleen was determined to be a trailblazer for future women Plebes, so they wouldn’t have to endure the abuse and discrimination she went through. She wanted future generations of women to have equal treatment and rights at the Naval Academy. When Kathleen is accused of a military crime, will she be able to prove her innocence? Will this end her career?

This book is great for book clubs as it will spark many great discussions such as importance of books to war times to women’s rights to race relations to burning of banned books to discrimination to mental health to survival, etc. What did it take for women in their time to be successful and was this even possible?

We meet two strong women who are determined to make their way in a man's world.

We meet Emmaline Balakin in 1918 who after working in the dead letter office for five years volunteers to be the librarian in France during the war. Delivering books to the injured soldiers helps their morale and to pass the time.

Being one of very few women, Emmaline has her struggles, and seeing the wounded soldiers is upsetting for her.

We meet Kathleen Carre in 1976. She had been working in a dental office, had been raised by her beloved grandmother, and wanted to be in the class of first women accepted into the Naval Academy.

The men really didn't want women in the Academy and bullied and harassed them. One particular midshipman had it in for Kathleen and tried to humiliate her and trip her up as often as he could.

This midshipman also had her accused of treason.

We follow both women as they make it through their days. There is a connection and secret between the two time lines that will have readers dropping their jaws.

Despite the excellent writing and revelation of the secret in the ending, THE WAR LIBRARIAN dragged for me. 3/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

I like a dual timeline--here: 1918 and 1976. Two strong women face obstacles. Emmaline Balakin, works in the Dead Letter Office but becomes a volunteer librarian in France when a letter crosses her desk with a name from her past. [oy?] She struggles against some rules [notably censorship and racism]. Kathleen Carre is accepted into the first coed class at the U.S. Naval Academy and faces many obstacles--mainly, the men who don't want her there.

Emmaline is the daughter of Russian immigrants. This does have some significance as the two stories are ultimately intertwined. I do like a twist [mostly in mysteries], but this one really did nothing for me [no spoiler]. I liked the two main characters well enough [add Nana and Nellie and a few other minor characters] but was never really engaged].

This was an easy enough read which I enjoyed initially, but then it spiraled down. What I liked the most was learning about the history of women in the Naval Academy--how unprepared the Navy was--from uniforms, to shoes, etc. At the beginning: standard haircuts, no jewelry, no makeup, no combat, and more.

Adversity, feminism, sisterhood, family--all themes.

I worked at the Library of Congress so I found the parts that mentioned the Library's role in the war effort interesting. At one time, my location was the Washington Navy Yard--the Metro DID NOT GO NEAR THERE in 1976 as one would be led to believe herein: "...hopped onto the Metro that would take us to the Washington Navy Yard." [It just opened in 1976 and that stop was not among the very few stations at the time.]

In the distinct minority of readers; this book really did nothing for me. I found it pedestrian and simplistic and as the "mushy" parts progressed, I disconnected.

2.5 not rounding up as sorely disappointed.