If you love history without romance, pick up this authors books. This one is so fun with the book club from even someone leading that doesn’t enjoy books. It reminds me a bit of other literary novels. Loved it.

I have been waiting for this book forever, and it was well worth the wait. Green is an amazing storyteller. The way she writes draws you into the storyline and the setting. You feel the story as it’s happening. You feel the emotions of the characters. It’s so good!

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Books about books can never go wrong and with the war in the background, the story is even more enhanced! Loved reading this one.

On the Maine coast in a small town, Avis Montgomery takes over head librarian duties for her brother. He has shipped out to Europe during WWII and she vows to keep things going in his absence. The coast of the United States experienced blackouts once it was determined that German U-boats were targeted US defenses by using the shore lights as guidelines.
So, the townfolk are in need of diversions in the blackout. Avis suggests a book club, to meet in the darkened library. To her surprise, the private library's owner agrees and attends. The attendees from the home front range from a factory, working mother to the aristocrat library benefactor to a young, single women and then Avis.
It is a story of community and pulling together when things are hard. I really enjoyed the story and appreciate the background work that author Amy Lynn Green does for her stories. She is able to take slivers of history and build them out engagingly.

Love love loved the concept of this one and was so excited for it, but it ultimately fell flat and I am DNFing at 10%. I have tried this one two different times - originally thinking I wasn’t in the right mood for it - but found it boring and actually offensive in some parts both times. The use of an ethnic slur towards Japanese people as well as an older man’s sexist comments about “a woman’s place” turned me off even more to an already boring book. I’m disappointed that such an amazing premise for a book fell so flat for me.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed this book. I have read a lot of WW2 stories and this one was unique. I did not know about the restrictions and blackout rules that the the east coast US had during WW2. I loved the character development and the little town. I also liked the little mysteries that were throughout the story. I loved the discussion of books. It was an interesting story, story about friendships, and bonding over books.
I won't be purchasing it for our high school, but I do highly recommend reading this book, especially if you want a different type of WW2 story.

The Blackout Book Club is a great cross between The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and The Last Bookshop in London. I enjoyed following our four main characters and they grew in friendship over the library book club.

As a book from a Christian publisher I was surprised at the lack of faith elements in the story. There were many great moments for them to come up in the story and they just didn't.

I am always drawn to books about books so was eager to read this novel. It offers characters that one will enjoy meeting, a WWII setting in Maine and lots of books. As a bonus, the list of titles that the book club read is included at the end of the novel.

Readers get to know a number of characters (and those who surround them). There is Avis who takes over the private library in her small town when her brother goes to war. She feels that she is floundering. There is also Ginny who has come to do factory work while hoping to save her family home elsewhere in Maine. She is an outspoken sort. Martina is of Italian heritage and therefore sometimes looked at with suspicion. She has come to Maine to work and to escape her abusive husband. Louise is the patron of the library. Her backstory indicates a romance during an earlier war.

These are just some of the characters who join the hastily formed book club. Avis began this without fully thinking in her desperation to save the library.

One of the fun aspects of this book is reading the minutes of each meeting. I also looked forward to seeing what title would be the next book club selection. The club started with Mrs. Miniver, a WWII story and progressed from there.

I enjoyed this somewhat leisurely paced novel. Recommended for fans of historical fiction.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for this title. All opinions are my own.

The first time I heard the title of this book, I wanted to read the book. Being an avid reader just thinking about what a bookclub during wartime might look like intrigued me. The Blackout Book Club did not disappoint. The characters were realistic and relatable and the reader gets caught up in their lives and their stories. I liked how the author revealed their pasts layer by layer as it created good drama and emotional tension. The story setting is during WWII and is in the United States. It was interesting to see the war from the perspective of those who were not on the battle front but an ocean away. I read a complementary copy of the book from NetGalley and also listened to a library copy of the audiobook. Leah Horowitz did a great job narrating the story which made for an interesting listening experience. I was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.

I wanted to read The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green from the moment I heard its title. Who were the members of the book club? What were they reading and where did they meet? Was this book set in the US (as the author's previous novels) or in Europe?

Thankfully the novel was as interesting as its title and I liked it for several reasons:
- interesting cast of characters of various ages and backgrounds who were each dealing with disruptions caused by WWII
- factual wartime situations including eminent domain, women working in factories, and black market racketeering
- dynamics of the book club, its selections (list included) and discussions, and the private library details

The tone is generally serious and dark, which is appropriate for the subject, and the book club meeting minutes bring welcome humor to the plot. It was heartwarming to watch the characters create a found family with each other and their small Maine community.

Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for the review copy of this bookish novel.

The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green is a great story of friendship and community, all centered on a favorite thing: books! The coastal setting and WWII home front elements make for a very interesting backdrop.

This is a historical story with elements of women’s fiction and a little romance, with four main ladies and their POVs central to the story. I enjoy how they offer perspective and variety in class, profession, and personality yet all contribute to the story of enduring trials and joining together to support each other and the community. A small lending library happens to be the thing which brings them together, but they soon find common ground and develop strong friendships outside of their book club. One favorite element of the story is the continued “notebook” of notes from each book club meeting. They are often hilarious and show the characters in a unique light.

This is the first of Green’s novels I have read, but I am happy her previous two are on my shelves for me to go back and experience now. I recommend this story for fans of bookish fiction and authors like Jocelyn Green and Katherine Reay.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. This is my honest review.

World War II, a plethora of wonderful books, and a diverse cast of characters make up the latest book from Amy Lynn Green known as The Blackout Book Club. Each chapter features the daily life and sometimes history of one of four main characters. Avis is the first one we meet, and she's been thrust into the role of librarian on behalf of her brother who is enlisting in the war. We also meet Martina and Ginny, two women who are as different as night and day, but each with their own unique struggles. Louise is the owner of the library, though she does not intend for it to be open much longer. Avis comes up with the idea of the book club as a way to save it from being turned into a nursery school.

These four women are the founding members of The Blackout Book Club, and as time goes on, they slowly start adding more townspeople to their ranks. The "minutes" are taken at each meeting, and these are a fun glimpse into the personality of whoever steps into the roll of secretary. As time goes by, each woman must deal with the hand life has dealt them, all while trying to do their part for the war effort and praying that all their men will return home.

For fans of World War II fiction, this is a different take on the history of that era. There is mention of victory gardens, women working in factories, and men taking on roles that would have ordinarily made them unfit for traditional military duty. Fans of Christian fiction will be disappointed not to find much faith-based content throughout, though it is a clean read.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy for review.

**I have also posted at Christianbook.com and Amazon, though both sites still need to approve my review.

Ive been a fan of Amy Lynn Green’s from the time she released her debut, and this one is just as lovely. The Blackout Book Club takes us back to the war, and gives us a peek into the lives of those living with loss, regret and despair. Together they find a way to overcome, and the secret lies in the friendships formed over reading books.

Book lovers and avid readers will smile at Avis’ antics and her minutes jotted down at every book club meeting. I think those were my favourite part.

A satisfying ending to a story that had some unexpected twists and turns and entertained right through to the last page.



The book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. My opinion is my own.

I loved this book. Captivating from beginning to end. Realistic and the characters were so lifelike. A memorable reading experience.

Amy Lynn Green is an auto-buy author for me. She writes clean fiction and sometimes has a Christian perspective. This book is about a reluctant sister who takes over the small-town library in Maine from her brother. He is going to be a soldier in World War II. Avis doesn't read much but is determined to keep the library open for the town and her brother. She starts a book club and gradually she gets some more people walking through the doors. The reader gets to meet many of the people in town and learn their stories as well. It is life at home during the war and how each person deals with the difficulties that come their way.

The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green is a great book about women at home during World War II. Women from different backgrounds find each other during this extraordinary time. This book did a good job portraying the hardships experienced at home while men were off at war. Overall, it is a good read. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

WONDERFULLY EMOTIVE
4 ladies from various social, economic and ethnic backgrounds and a host of other characters who come together during 1942, WWII in a haphazard book club.
We jump around each of their points of view which are easy to follow and get caught up in. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it as it made me feel and think a lot.
We all have troubles behind the scenes that are relatable to the characters who eventually find help and comfort from the unexpected group in the small, coastal town in Maine.
Ginny was my favorite as I found her youth, free spirited nature and drive infectious.
The meeting minutes noted were fun as well.

Quotable:
"Poetry is anarchy, and I still don’t like it." This made me laugh because I always loved writing poetry with far less restrictions than other writing. 🤭

"books make fine friends— but fellow readers even better. With all my love, Father"

A list of all the books referenced in the story is provided by the author at the end which I thought especially nice.

If you enjoyed The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society I imagine you'd enjoy this clean tale of small townsfolk as well.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

All thoughts are mine alone without expectation or compensation.

Reviews have been or will be posted to Netgalley, GOODREADS,
AMZN,
B&N,
My IG,
BAM,
ChristianBook,
BlueJeansAndTeacups.blogspot.com, My Pinterest & FB

I love a good historical WWII fiction book. Then you throw in a book club and what more could you want. Amy Lynn Green's writing is the icing on the cake for this one. If you love historical fiction and books about book clubs, you will love this one!

Unfortunately the story fell flat for me and I just couldn’t finish this book. I got bored.
I can not recommend.

After Avis brother joins the fighting in WWII, she takes over his position at the library. When the patron decides to convert the library into a nursery, Avis starts a book club in the hopes of showing the libraries worth. An odd assortment of characters begins coming to the meetings and slowly developing friendship and a sense of community

This book was alright. Some of the characters seemed a bit one dimensional and stereotypical. The friendships and romances developed as expected, with little surprises or unforeseen moments. Overall the book was well written, it just lacked development. Overall, 3 out of 5 stars.