A tribute to the power of libraries and librarians, The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson is an engrossing novel that includes history, drama, romance, intrigue, and humor. It was far more meaningful than I anticipated!

During World War II in East London, England's only underground library was established in the Bethnal Green tube station to support the 5,000+ people who lived in an below-ground bomb shelter. The Little Wartime Library was inspired by these historical facts and is told through main characters Clara and Ruby, the two library staffers.

Each chapter begins with a quote from a librarian interviewed by the author. There's many dramatic events - almost too many - in this plot, but it's wartime, and they definitely kept me engaged. The epilogue and author's note are fascinating and not to be missed.

This book reminded me of the BBC period drama Call the Midwife in that it incorporated historical facts about society into a compelling fictional story. I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook narrated by Sarah Durham; I felt like I was in good hands with her 'efficient' narration.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for access to the review copy.

Very good read. I enjoyed this book and found it very interesting. I will definitely read more by this author!

I love a historical fiction that is about communities being brought together by a library and books. This cover is great too

Thank you NetGalley, publishers, and Kate Thompson for gifting me a copy of The Little Wartime Library in return for my honest opinion.

5/5 stars

London, 1944: Clara Button is no ordinary librarian. While war ravages the city above her, Clara has risked everything she holds dear to turn the Bethnal Green tube station into the country’s only underground library. Down here, a secret community thrives with thousands of bunk beds, a nursery, a café, and a theater—offering shelter, solace, and escape from the bombs that fall upon their city.

Along with her glamorous best friend and assistant Ruby Munroe, Clara ensures the library is the beating heart of life underground. But as the war drags on, the women's determination to remain strong in the face of adversity is tested to the limits when it may come at the price of keeping those closest to them alive.

Wow, what a wonderfully written book. Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres and when it is based on true events it always ends up being a tear-jerker for me. While reading this I went through many emotions, from anger, sadness, and happiness. This book really is a rollercoaster of emotions. I love reading about strong female characters that are fighting especially when they are trying to save books and knowledge!

I loved reading about the friendship between Clara and Ruby, it was so wonderful to read how they supported each other and were able to lean on each other. It was beautiful the way they supported each other through all of the tragedies and challenges that they faced. It was a truly inspirational read.

I loved how there was romance sprinkled in but it was not the main focus of the book, it truly was about the struggles Clara faced and how she overcame them. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a historical fiction lover, especially those who are fans of WW2. This was different than all of the other historical fiction books that I have read and I will definitely recommend it!

This epic story was so good! I love learning about things from history that I didn't know about, like how a subway station in London was converted to a library, bunks, and a whole underground community during the Blitz. The two main characters were strong women with their own point of view and I loved getting lost in their stories. There was even a twist at the end that I totally didn't see coming. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves strong female characters and historical fiction. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson is one of those books that stays with you long after reading. This historical fiction novel has such a unique concept and all of the characters are relatable and interesting to read about. The fact that the story is based on true events is really eye-opening and adds a lot of intrigue to the book. If you enjoy books that focus on heroic women during WWII, then this is one to pick up. You won't be disappointed.

This was so immersive and heartbreaking. What a needed book. If you like historical fiction this is a must read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

As a librarian, definitely recommend this book. It's based on a true story of a woman who set up an underground library for people who lived below ground, during WWII. This captivating, well researched, story will warm your heart right to the very last chapter. Highly recommend!

An interesting and unconventional story set in a time period that can sometimes feel oversaturated. Character development and dialogue were well-measured even as the pacing was brisk; I never felt bored with the prose. I will be looking out for more stories from Kate Thompson!

I enjoyed this book. It was an interesting read . I found that I was able to read quickly and enjoyed the pacing and premise of the book. I would recommend to others.

Although war is never really "cozy," this story was full of the bookish historical fiction that makes a book a feel-good read. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to others.

I'm normally not big on historical fiction, especially set during the war, but man this book had me unable to stop reading! Every character you meet has been through so much, but is incredibly resilient and they all come together through their love of reading and community. What an incredible story, and to come to find out it was based on a true story and beyond that that there really was a campaign to save the library going on in our lifetime via the author's note.. just made everything come to life even further for me.

10% into this one and I’m DNFing — I’m not invested! I’m so sad because this sounded like an ideal book for me, between the library plot line, historical fiction, and setting. But I’m having a hard time keeping the characters straight and just don’t care to continue.

Clearly others have loved this book more, which is great! Thanks anyway for the ARC.

Books have healing power. During WWII there were not many means of escape from the events that were taking place in the world. But books can save people and lift them from the events that are going on around them. The underground library was a great thing that came from WWII. The book does skewed the facts of the events and how they took place. In the book the only male librarian is evenly. However the people who ran the underground library were all men.

As German bombs ravage London, Clara Button is determined to help keep a since of community in the East End. She runs the only underground library in the Bethnal Green tube station after the library above ground was destroyed in the blitz.

Here Clara, the librarian, and her friend and assistant Ruby Munroe help give the kids a sense of normalcy in an otherwise odd time to grow up with story time each night. They also visit factories to deliver library books to shift workers and host a boozy book club for the adults. With over five thousand tiered bunks, a nursery, a theater, a café, and of course the library, the Bethnal tube station is a veritable underground village.

Clara and Ruby do more than just lend books. They are the very heart of this underground community being a listening ear and helping those in need. Their compassion and selflessness during such a difficult time is inspiring. Based on a true story, The Little Wartime Library reminds us how important books are and the escape they create for those who need it most.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever Grand Central Publishing, and of course the author Kate Thompson for the advanced copy of the book. The Little Wartime Library is out on now All opinions are my own.

The Little Wartime Library is a book that moved me on a variety of levels. Firstly, the sexism Clara and the women in this book have to endure is heart wrenching. This historical fiction book takes us back to a time - or maybe not even so far - when the sexism against women's literary taste and their 'expected behavior' was incredibly conservative. Conversations about what they should be reading and what 'bad ideas' they were reading about in books - like emancipation, agency, and pleasure.

My blood was boiling on an almost daily basis as Clara fought not only for women's right to reading, but also to the education of children. Additionally, the literary elitism and classicism from the antagonists in the book was another source of rage. How clearly it tried to use books or the access to books against the poor. To not see the ability of reading for transformation, dreams, and ambition all the way to pleasure, enjoyment, and escapism.

8.5/10 I loved this book that combined two of my favorite things—libraries and WWII. Based on a true story, this book explored sides of WWII history I was previously unfamiliar with. I do feel like it read more like a fictional book rather than "historic events," but after reading the author notes and doing my own research that proved to be the case. Regardless, it was entertaining and I recommend it.

This book is based on real events, the creation of an underground library beneath unused railway tracks during WWII.
What an inspirational story that really speaks to the importance of community, friendship, and libraries!
Although the scene is set in a horrifying time of war, and the story is heart-breaking at times, the overall message speaks to the collective power of community and its vital importance!
Highly recommend this amazing book!

In 1940s London many have been forced to live underground to escape the bombings. This book has a dual POV form Clara our plucky librarian and Ruby the sassy library assistant and Clara's best friend. This book embodies the way society treated women at the time and shows their strength and determination for better. I really enjoyed Clara and Ruby's friendship. They are very different but incredibly supportive and protective of each other. The glimpse inside the underground community was both heartbreaking and inspiring. The author gives a lot of background information at the end of the book that was informative and interesting. If you enjoy historical fiction, women's fiction, or an inspiring read, you should pick up this book.

This novel describes the lives of two women who run a library for an entire community that lives underground in the rail station during the 1940's. This is probably a part of history that many readers are unfamiliar with. The story gives an emotional look at the lives of these women and how their library helped to sustain people during times of great hardship.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.