Thank you to NetGalley for a prerelease copy of this book. Generally I don’t care for novels that switch back and forth between the past and present time but I don’t think this book could have been written any better. It takes place during WWI. Women volunteered. to provide library services to the medical hospitals but they were met by intense objections by the men and fought hard to serve their country and to take their places in history

I appreciated the unique setting of this book and liked the way it was structured to shift between time periods. There were some compelling moments. However, I think the author tried to do a bit too much in some areas of the story, and not enough in others. There's too much telling, not showing; there are too many characters who exist merely to move the story along or make a moral point. This was an ambitious work and I wanted more from it, so I'm sorry I could only give it in honesty three stars.

After reading so many WWII novels, it was fascinating to read one that featured WWI. This story follows Emmaline who goes to France as a librarian in WWI and concurrently tells of Kathleen who in the 1970s who is in the first class of women midshipmen at the US Naval Academy. Both women face similar (yet totally different) experiences of women who are in places where men don't think they belong. Both stories are engaging, fascinating, and intertwined in a way that reveals itself later in the book. I really could not put this down and devoured it in 2 days. It had me googling places, people, and events which is always the hallmark of good historical fiction in my estimation.

Unfortunately I don't think this book is for me. I appreciated the writing style and the characters' development, but I didn't feel myself drawn into the story enough to fully enjoy it. I'm grateful for the chance I had to read it though!

The War Librarian following Emmaline a former Motor Car operator from World War In 1918, and a woman who was in the first class at the Naval Academy that allowed women in 1976. Both these ladies face adversity in their new roles. It shows the difference between men and women within the military.

Overall I liked this book! Was it my favorite book ever, no, but I throughly enjoyed the book, getting lost in a different time period, and gaining knowledge about World War I!

1918. Timid and shy Emmaline Balakin lives more in books than her own life. That is, until an envelope crosses her desk at the Dead Letter Office bearing a name from her past, and Emmaline decides to finally embark on an adventure of her own—as a volunteer librarian on the frontlines in France. But when a romance blooms as she secretly participates in a book club, Emmaline will need to find more courage within herself than she ever thought possible in order to survive.

1976. Kathleen Carre is eager to prove to herself and to her nana that she deserves her acceptance into the first coed class at the United States Naval Academy. But not everyone wants female midshipmen at the Academy, and after tragedy strikes close to home, Kathleen becomes a target. To protect herself, Kathleen must learn to trust others even as she discovers a secret that could be her undoing.

I adore books that are told by different characters in different times, that ultimately weave together. And this book was no exception. It is a historical fiction that takes a look at WWI in a different way than usual, and takes a look at the first women admitted to Annapolis. These were interesting storylines that haven’t been done a thousand times. Kathleen and Emmaline’s stories are inspiring. Each woman goes through a different difficult experience that helps them grow and learn. And interwoven in those stories are so many applicable themes: racism, sexism, fear, strength, love, perseverance, power of words, integrity, and so many more. As an English teacher I love the way that books are shown as powerful tools for the characters. And the look at censorship as being against everything democracy stands for is spot on. You will fall in love with these two women and their stories.

Wonderful dual timeline story of two women in a male dominated military. So rich wonderfully researched. If you like to read about strong women try this one. You won’t be disappointed.

I really enjoyed this book. Its not so much about the historical war but about a family secret. The author has relatable main characters with an easy to follow storyline.

The War Librarian is really two stories in one novel. First, the story of Emmaline Balakin who travels to the front in World War I to serve as a war librarian after receiving some training. Second, the story of Kathleen Carre, a young woman driven to prove herself and serve in the first co-educational class at the US Naval Academy. The interweaving of the stories keeps you intrigued, and the stories present moral conflicts faced by each protagonist. The well-researched story shares underrepresented aspects of our past.

THE WAR LIBRARIAN
by Addison Armstrong
PENGUIN GROUP Putnam
Pub Date: Aug 9

The War Librarian is a compelling dual timeline story focusing on two courageous women who must overcome obstacles in male-dominated military settings.

In 1918, quiet bookish Emmaline strikes out past her comfort zone when she decides to volunteer as a librarian on the French front. When she finds romance in a secret book club there, she needs to grow even more fearless to survive.

In 1976, Kathleen wants to be accepted into the first coed class at the United States Naval Academy. But not everyone wants a woman there, and she becomes a target when tragedy hits close to home.

"Two women. One secret. A truth worth fighting for," the synopsis proclaims, and how apt that is.

Also, The War Librarian includes an equally apt quote about literature: "Books are the best place to hide when the world is too much to take." Don't miss this glorious tale!

Thanks to the author, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

#TheWarLibrarian
#AddisonArmstrong
#PenguinGroupPutnam
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#wwifiction #wwiFrenchFrontnovel #librarians #NavalAcademyFiction #maledominatedmilitarysettings #fictionaboutcourageouswomen
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In the midst of World War 1, Emmaline works in the Dead Letter Office where she learns about women volunteering as librarians, through the American Library Association, on the frontline of the war in France and decides to join them. Six decades later, Kathleen is a member of the first co-ed class at the U.S. Naval Academy where many people are not happy by that women are being admitted. As both story lines unfold, the two slowly begin to intertwine. The book is inspired by the first female librarians in World War 1 and the first women who enrolled in the U.S. Naval Academy. I really enjoyed this one.

This is my second Addison Armstrong book, and The War Librarian was truly a book to get lost in. I am sure it will be a huge hit with historical fiction lovers like myself. I adore dual timeline books because it is fun to see how times changes yet stay the same, as well as figure out the connections between the two characters. First up... Emmaline, serving in WWI era France as a librarian. I had no idea that the American Library Association supported the war by sending librarians overseas! How interesting. Emmaline and her friendships/relationships are certainly tested during the trying times of war. She is truly a brave woman and her story had me hooked. But not as much as the 1970s counterpart, Kathleen. Perhaps I was obsessed with Kathleen's story because she shares a name with my sister, but I kept wishing her story was longer. I loved reading about her trials and challenges to break barriers at the US Naval Academy. I have much respect for the women who 'integrated' in that way, and Kathleen's strength and determination really came through in this book. It was so fun to try to figure out the connection between the two women too.

My only (minor) problem with this book was that it doesn't seem to be aptly named. Kathleen's story isn't really part of the title, and I get annoyed (as a librarian myself) when people who aren't trained as librarians call themselves librarians. I suppose Emmaline did have some training but she spent much of the book saying she wasn't really a librarian so the title of the book was a little off for me. But I couldn't put this book down and will definitely recommend it when it comes out this summer!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced ebook copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of The War Librarian by author Addison Armstrong.

I sat down and took over a week to figure out exactly what I wanted to say for this review. And I find that I still don't have the words to express how much I truly adored this one. I have read over 280 books this year so far and this is my first 5 starred read of the year.

I felt like I could actually experience and visualize both timelines and what these women both endured. Both timelines were powerful and I probably couldn't pick which character I enjoyed reading about more. A great historical fiction read and ties in beautifully with Women's History Month.

I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for fans of historical fiction.

When I saw that part of this book takes place during WWI, I immediately thought of one of my favorites - The Alice Network - and requested the ARC! Oh, how I love wartime novels with strong female characters and The War Librarian was no different ♥️ I loved that though there were multiple timelines and POVs, they were during different yet similar historical challenges. Addison Armstrong does a phenomenal job of pulling the reader into the book, even from BEFORE the first page (because guys, the book dedication was beautiful). For those that gravitate towards Kristin Hannah and Kate Quinn books, don’t let this one sit on the shelf - run out and buy it come August of 2022!

P.S. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

As an avid book lover, this book spoke to me and will stick with me for a long time. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for granting me early access to this book!

“Books are the best place to hide when the world is just too much to take”.

Great read. The story follows two women: Emmaline, a librarian at the front of WWI, and Kathleen, one of the first women accepted to the Naval Academy in the 1970s. Written in duo timelines, the characters are very likable and well developed. The story focuses on the challenges both women have to go through in very male dominated military environments. It also showcases their strengths and the wonderful friendships they made. Reading about all the racism and sexism was difficult during those times was difficult, but both women were brave and so determined. A great insight into volunteer librarians during WWII. Very much enjoyed this one.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

Two women lead parallel lives sixty years apart. In 1918, Emmaline Balakin is newly arrived in war torn France to serve as a librarian at a base hospital just behind the front lines. Decades later, Kathleen Carre is a member of the first cohort of women admitted into the US Naval Academy at Annapolis. Despite the years between them, a devastating secret will have lasting consequences for both.

I usually avoid dual timeline story lines, but the sixty year gap in events intrigued me…at the start. It was fascinating to focus on two women actively eschewing typical gender expectations: Emmaline with her flight to the western front of WWI and Kathleen attending the Naval Academy. Their parallel lives kept me interested until I hit a point where I’d rather have focused solely on one heroine rather than the other. I sometimes found myself wishing to get back to 1918 rather than stay in the 70s. It wasn’t as though Kathleen’s story wasn’t captivating, but it felt almost secondary in nature to Emmaline’s.

I do very much appreciate setting half of the plot in World War I era France. Great War-set works are few and far between compared to those of WWII. It’s a time of untapped potential for great stories, both fiction and true. Having Emmaline serve as a librarian for the wounded soldiers was a new and interesting concept that should be covered more often. Not everyone sent to the Front was a nurse or a driver. People often found themselves relying on a variety of different jobs.

The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong is a fascinating look at two women: Emmaline Balakin in 1918 and Kathleen Carre in 1976, who are proving to themselves and to others that they are individuals with courage and conviction. Emmaline goes to France during the later stages of WW1 to serve as a librarian in a hospital in the war zone. Kathleen goes to another war zone: the United States Naval Academy as a member of the first class of women to attend a military academy. I was drawn into their lives from the first pages of the book, and was hooked until the ending. I highly recommend this novel!

#netgalley #TheWarLibrarian

The title of this book is what prompted me to request it and read it. It is the story of Emmaline Balkin, a young woman from Washington, DC who accepts the opportunity to go overseas and be a librarian to the wounded American soldiers fighting in WWI. This timeline alternates with 1976, when we find Kathleen Carre admitted to the first class of women at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. As with most books having dual timelines, the stories converge, and we learn of the connections between the two women.

Having just read a denser, richer historical fiction novel, this one seemed a little light in comparison, but not in a negative way. The sense of time and place was satisfying, and I did not find it predictable until almost the very end. The characters were likable, and the author did her research, providing back matter and suggested further reading.

What detracted from the book, for me, were some trite phrases about racism and other themes brought forth by the story. I also found the title a bit misleading; I would have liked there to be more of a connection with Emmaline's role of a librarian with the 1970s part of the book. I do appreciate the way in which Ms. Armstrong told the story of Kathleen and the other female plebes, who dealt with ridiculous treatment (by today's standards) from their fellow male classmates and superiors. I found it interesting that the American Library Association provided so many books to our heroes overseas during WWI; I wonder if this organization would do the same in this day and age.

Overall, I recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction and and books with strong female characters. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced e-reader copy of this book!

Run and do not walk to preorder this book! It will be hitting shelves August 2022!

This is my first book by Addison Armstrong and this one did not disappoint!

I have read a lot of historical fiction books but the majority of them are set during WW2. When I saw that this was set during WW1, I instantly requested it. There are so many things that I loved about this book. First, this book is rich in history. In Emmaline's timeline, we read all about WW1 history and the history of what war librarians do. In Kathleen's, we get a glimpse into the mid 70's and all the history surrounding this time.

Second, this isn't your typical dual timeline book which I'm thankful for. I got to see two strong female characters trying to navigate very similar (and different) historical issues.

Lastly, Armstrong did an amazing job bringing to life these characters that I felt sucked into the story. I felt all their emotions as if they were my own. If an author can elicit this type of response from me, I have to give the book 5 stars.

This would be perfect for fans of: Lisa Wingate, Kristin Hannah, Kate Quinn

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review.